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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  Needs More Work - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Fullprice - September 10 - 10:00 am

  Chose 2003 Vue because of size and overall exterior design. Fun to drive. Lots of power, interior room. Bought this one after test driving a 2002. Poor color choice. Torque steer on acceleration could be dangerous if not expecting it. Engine revs too high during normal operation. Except for size, interior not well thought out ( no under dash lamps, map lights shine in your face, sun visors too small, etc.) No haggle dealer experience? Where else do you pay full retail ?

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  2004 Saturn Ion Redline - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Wrecked Redline - September 9 - 5:16 am

  I was recently a proud owner of a 2004 Saturn Ion Redline. I lost this amazing car to a T-Boning. This car is a blast to drive. With a 205hp supercharged LSJ, this car got up and went. The transmission was excellent with very solid shift points.The interior was a little bizarre but it had a very good feel. It was ergonomic and comfortable. The steering was awesome and precise but with all front wheel drive cars, you have torque steer, and this car had some torque. This car gets between 23 and 27 miles per gallon, so not the best for a four banger, but again this car is supercharged and I gunned it a lot.Again this car is a blast to drive, IÂ’m proud to of owned this car.

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  LOVE THIS CAR - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Paulie - September 6 - 4:10 pm

  I have had my Saturn ION 3 for almost 3years now and i love it! I bought it used with 15,000 miles ...it now has 30,000 and its AMAZING! Great car, very reliable, great price, ITS A SHAME SATURN is no longer!!

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  pretty impressive - 2006 Saturn ION
  By ann - September 5 - 12:16 pm

  I brought my 2006 ION in October 2005 and I have had seemingly minor problems. The gas cap situation! Ive had to have that looked at three times because the admissions light continually stays on, which is still not working. My key did get stuck in the ignition twice, but I turned the wheel while turning the key and it worked (my brother taught me that!). Other then that, after three and a half years of owning my car, I just had my brakes changed and I have about 60,000 miles on it! With the exception of the dealership not being about to correct the ignition light staying on, I am pleased with the performance of my car. Sorry, but I would buy another Saturn if GM were not losing 21,000 jobs

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  Shouldnt Have Bought It - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Just Eh - September 5 - 10:00 am

  My husband and I needed a cheap car fast (his completely died) but we wanted something that we would keep for awhile and liked the looks of. The ION has disappointed us pretty much from the start. The only thing we really like is that it is attractive from the outside. The frame flexes and creaks when doing something as simple as going over speed bumps. That isnt very comforting considering that one of the reasons we bought it was its safety ratings. We have had it for about a year and a half and are probably going to trade it in for a compact pick-up truck. If we are going to have something this uncomfortable to drive, it might as well be useful.

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  Satisfaction - 2003 Saturn ION
  By M. Knolla - September 3 - 2:00 am

  With 2,500 miles under my belt including 8 hour trips from Rochester, NY to Maine and back I can say that for the money, this is the best vehicle you can buy. At 64" leg and head room is a premium and this was the most comfortable out of the ten I test drove in its class. Handling, fuel economy, and pure aesthetics are all above average in this vehicle.

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  WORST CAR I BOUGHT - 2006 Saturn ION
  By HATE IT - September 2 - 6:26 pm

  Everything was fine the first year or so, but one of the first problems I had I was driving my car and the steering wheel wouldnt turn and I was going on a curve. I also heard rattling inside the steering column and was told it was a loose screw, but I still hear the rattling in there. My engine light came on twice in 6 months. And 5 times my car wouldnt start. Was told it was the battery which wasnt the case. Comes to find out that it was the engine switch. And I also had a transmission leak. And customer service were the ones telling me lies, like how the car "should be" fixed at a certain time. I worked hard for this car and its krap.

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  Rock n Roll - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By m of sactown - August 30 - 7:30 am

  If you want a fast SUV with all the feel and performance of a sports car then you will just love the Saturn VUE Redline. We have the Black V6. I test drove the 4 banger. Dont settle for it. The 250 hp Honda motor is wild, but the AWD keeps it on the road nicely. Do yourself a favor. Buy a VUE, and look hard as you blow past the gas hog lunch box SUVs out there.

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  I must be lucky - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Slick - August 29 - 6:40 am

  I was surprised to read so many negative reviews about the Vue both from owners and the press. Bought new (w/ heavy incentives) for <$20k & owned for 4 years. No service issues at all, other than rear suspension recall. I avg. 20 mpg city & 26-28 mpg hwy. Pros: crisp exterior styling, 17" wheels, roomy/comfortable interior, agile handling, excellent power, dent- resistant polymer panels, great fuel economy, buttery-smooth Honda engine/transmission Cons: cheap-looking interior, wind/road noise, sometimes bouncy ride, a few squeaks & rattles, lots of nooks & crannies make washing a pain All in all, its been a great car nimble yet roomy, fun-to-drive, and economical.

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  Vue - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By snowbully5 - August 28 - 5:33 pm

  My wife loves this car and with a new baby on the way it will meet all our needs.