Overview & Reviews

The Saturn brand, which was part of General Motors, has been discontinued as of the 2009 model year. Though popular in its early years, Saturn suffered from poor sales and was shuttered as part of GM's bankruptcy reorganization.

Despite its sad end, Saturn started with a bright future. After losing market share to Japanese imports during the '80s, General Motors launched Saturn, a new division that began selling small, low-priced cars in 1990. The division promoted itself as "different," with Saturn dealers offering no-haggle pricing and friendly customer service.

Saturn made its debut with the S Series line of vehicles. Available in sedan, coupe and wagon configurations, these Saturns differentiated themselves from other GM products with all-new platforms and flexible plastic panels meant to resist denting. Additionally, the brand was granted its own plant, with all Saturns being built at a dedicated facility in Spring Hill, Tennessee. These first Saturns weren't exactly built to burn rubber; they were powered by engines that offered from 85-124 horsepower. The payoff, though, was that these were among the most fuel-efficient vehicles of their day, offering up to 40 miles per gallon (when equipped with a manual transmission).

Just after the brand's conception, GM boasted that Saturn vehicles would benefit from rapid evolution, but in the early years, this wasn't the case. The brand's vehicles saw only one redesign in their first decade of existence. The revamp took place in the mid-'90s, and for the most part, it was only skin deep. Exteriors were spruced up and interior room saw a slight increase.

The Saturn brand enjoyed some success in its earliest years, fueled by buyers who were in love with its unique approach to customer relations that included "no-haggle" pricing. By the turn of the century, though, the novelty had worn off. With dated platforms and a limited range of products, the marque was neglected by GM, and disappointing sales figures showed that buyers had taken note and chosen to spend their dollars elsewhere.

GM responded by ramping up its commitment to the Saturn brand. In 2000, it rolled out the L Series; sharing a platform and an engine with the Opel Vectra (one of GM's European products) the sedan was the opening salvo in GM's ultimately futile fight to resuscitate the struggling brand. An SUV, the Vue, was unveiled, as was a minivan, the Relay. The S Series was replaced by the lamentable Ion, which was available as a sedan and a coupe. GM also added a hybrid to the lineup, with the introduction of the Saturn Vue Green Line.

Later, Saturn included the sporty Sky roadster, the midsize Aura sedan, the compact second-generation Vue crossover and the full-size Outlook crossover. For a brief period, there was also the European-sourced Astra compact hatchback.

Despite the increase in product quality, however, the Saturn brand effectively collapsed in 2009. As part of GM's bankruptcy proceedings, Saturn was offered up for sale. Initially, it was believed that the Penske Corporation would take over Saturn. But the deal fell through at the last minute, thereby spelling the final end for GM's import-fighting experiment.

User Reviews:

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  Think Twice Before Buying - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Letty - October 27 - 4:23 am

  When I first bought the Vue I could not be happier with it. However, as time and miles add up(less than 37,000 miles) My Saturn started costing money. I have had it in a shop 4 times. Both front disk replaced, both rear hubs replaced, radio control in steering wheel quit working, and now I have no radio. They say fuse in radio needs replaced at a cost of over $300. For a fuse replacement in the radio itself! Ive owned three Saturns; this will be my last. If youre thinking about buying one take a look at comments of owners who have had theirs longer than a year. Youll see a trend of costly problems in your future.

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  Great car - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By RON - October 26 - 12:46 am

  I bought this car to tow behind my motor home. Im a full timer and tow it a lot. Great all around gas milage, great ride, looks real nice. So far my only complaint is the key fob failed to function properly and had to be replaced by dealer. If Saturn continues to around ,I will buy another and I hope it does

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  Nice SUV - Not the best. - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Fast Freddie - October 25 - 4:50 pm

  This is a good SUV. I love the Honda V6. Brakes (calipers)rattle,relaying noise thru steering column - dealer cant fix it. Saturn could do better job to dampen noise level on the road. Gas mileage is pretty good - 19 city, 24+ highway.

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  Good value needs small V-6 - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By paul blais - October 23 - 7:50 pm

  Good value, style and safety for the money but the 3800 lb curb weight is too much for the 4 cylinder if you try to use the cruise control on the hilly back roads of NH. The good news on the 4 cylinder is you can average 26 mpg or more if you keep it 70 mph or less on the highway. Any hill will cause a downshift and jump in RPMs. The downshift is usually smooth except in the hills. Front seats seem short and drivers foot rest uncomfortable. Ride and handling are very good for the style of vehicle. A fuel efficient V-6 mated to a 5-speed auto would be perfect. But at $4 a gallon for gas, I would still go with the 2WD 4 banger if this is the style of vehicle you want.

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  Saturn Aura - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Orlando Johnson - October 23 - 11:40 am

  Great car, great looking car, that turns heads everywhere I go. People can not believe that this car is a Saturn. The ride is so smooth, powerful and quiet you would think that you are riding in an expensive luxury car.

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  Good little SUV - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By KW - October 22 - 7:06 pm

  I have had this car almost a year, and have no real, solid complaints. I have put 15,000 miles on it, and after comparing it to Hondas CRV and Toyotas RAV, it was a great fit for me. Tons of options for the base price. For the money, it is a great buy. Interior well thought out, very European, which I like. Buying experience was good. Disappointed with gas mileage, but I suppose it is good for a small SUV that carries that kind of weight. You feel safe in the car, that is for sure. Overall, good buy for small SUV buyers out there, and it was the first American car I had bought in years!

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  A DRIVE WITH A VUE - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Gary - October 20 - 4:30 pm

  I have had my Vue for 14 months and have not experienced any mechanical or electrical problems. The V-6 is a very good engine and has plenty of power. It handled great in the snow last winter. The only complaints I have are the tires seem to be wearing out faster than I would have anticipated even though they are filled with nitrogen gas and maintains the recommended pressure in both hot and cold weather. The rear cargo cover gets in the way of hauling larger items. I like the exterior and interior styling. Im glad I got the V- 6 AWD. I did my research before I bought and was a little scared that the 4 cylinder would not be powerful enough for the weight of the vehicle

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  I am glad I own a Saturn VUE - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By William N LaBerge Sr - October 20 - 12:36 pm

  This vehicle is what I thought I would not buy at first, then I took a test drive, and that was all I needed, I am not sorry that I got it. We took it to Las Vegas, and got 28 to 29 miles to the gallon

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  Not a good idea - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Ben - October 19 - 9:47 pm

  This car may have been a good idea when it was new, but it runs down a lot faster than expected. Weve had to pay for more repairs than we thought when we originally purchased the car. Also, because the car is a hybrid, the engine is arranged differently than other models of the Vue, which means more expensive repairs. This means that even simple repairs almost always require taking it in to be serviced. Because Saturn only made this model for one year, parts are hard to come by, even for the dealer, which means that they cost more. The fuel economy is a plus, but its a trade-off. To get that kind of fuel economy, the car has an extra battery behind the back seat. This isnt that big, but Saturn must have thought so because the car doesnt come with a spare tire. It comes with a sealant kit that you use to refill your flat. However, if your tire ever shreds, youre out of luck. It gets us from point A to point B, but the cost of the repairs have left a bad taste in our mouths.

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  Excellent - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By texasvuegal - October 19 - 10:00 am

  Steering is not very favorable.