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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  Wow - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By IndyBlueSky - August 15 - 9:56 pm

  Sky is a hoot to drive, an aboslute joy. It does turn heads and draws a lot of attention, not for shy people. Power is acceptable, interior quality OK, seats are great. It is just like the commercial "That is a Saturn"?

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  Very Happy After 3500 Miles - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Dick - August 15 - 8:30 pm

  This car is just what I was looking for. It is just right for my wife and me. She will drive it but would not drive our other minivans or full sized sedans. It is a great urban auto and has been just fine on 600 mile trips. It is easy to park and has plenty of acceleration. We have had no problems at all and are now driving it in the snow with temps at or near zero F. This is a Minnesota car and will see -20F in a month or so.

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  Thank God for the warranty!!! - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Zeyda - August 14 - 5:40 pm

  By the time I take my Vue in for the oil change every 3000 miles,I find something wrong with it. The last time the sensor had to be replace. Before that, I had to get something replaced that had to do with the emission or oxygen which made my Vue shut off in the middle of driving. The tranmission has been giving me trouble. And now, theres a screeching sound when I turn it on every morning. I took it to the dealer and of course, when they turn it on the noise disappears. Also, some part has been recalled or something and the dealer never has the part that has to replace it in. Its very frustrating. I should have bought a Toyota! Thank God for the warranty!!

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  Not a Loser Cruiser - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By Moms car - August 12 - 8:13 pm

  I love my new 08 Outlook. It has the room of a van and the stylish look of an SUV. The seats are easy to fold for the younger children and any one who rides in the back has plenty of leg room. Road noise is non existent and the dual air controls for the back lets everyone have the temprature that they want. I recommend this vehicle to everyone who likes a nice ride.

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  Blast off in the Sky - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By TexSon - August 11 - 12:06 pm

  The Sky is a blast to drive. The acceleration is good, if you need a bit more downshift and you get what you need. I have not had any problem passing when I needed too, or getting into traffic when required. I imagine that the 260 hp Redline would just get me a lot of tickets from the law enforcement folks around here. While you may want more power, I don’t know how you can improve on the handling. It sticks like glue to the road. That line from Pretty Women, “tell your friend it drives like it handles like it is on rails” fully applies to this car. Go around a 90 degree turn, drop it to second and floor it and it sends you down the road like it is suppose to.

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  Different But Good - 2003 Saturn ION
  By catbird1 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  When I initially looked at the new Ion I was not sure if I liked it as it was different as far as the interior and exterior designs. After the test drive I was impressed with the performance and ride and found the seats to be firm but comfortable. After 9,000 miles I continue to be well satisfied with the car and feel as if the center mounted gauge cluster is preferable over the conventional gauge cluster in my previous and other cars that I own.

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  HATE THAT WIND NOISE!!! - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Lisa - August 9 - 7:56 am

  I have had my 2006 V6 Vue for about a year,and this is my first SUV. I love the look of the vehicle, and I havent had any problems with its performance I also love that it drives like a car, but that wind noise at 50-70 mph drives me crazy. It sounds like my window is not rolled all the way up, or maybe my door is not completely closed. I guess Ill just have to learn to live with it.

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  I love this car...Period! - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By DaveJ - August 7 - 6:00 am

  I drove my last truck until it died. When I had to get a new one, I knew I needed an SUV despite high gas prices, because where I live, we get a lot of snow. I bought the AWD Vue, and while I saw on the sticker that I could get about 24 MPG, I was still excited because my old vehicle got more like 8. Im not a professional hyper-miler by any means, but I am able to coax out 30 MPG on my daily drive to work and back. Add in the very nice design, the awesome feel and power of the vehicle, and Im getting far more car for my money than I expected when I bought a Saturn. Their "Rethink" campaign is fitting, because I have "Rethought" my previous view. I love the view from my Vue!

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  2007 Sky Redline - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By stromodus - August 4 - 10:40 pm

  A blast to drive but a really long waiting list to buy. Interior is uncomfortable, cheap hard plastic. No trunk (you already know). This car is a toy, not a road-warrior for commuting. Dont drive it in rain or snow unless you want to spin into a ditch or tree. Make sure you have a garage to park it in!

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  Love it! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Punky - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Love the VUE. Very happy with the performance and looks. There were a lot of features that came standard with the FWD V6. Its very comfortable driving and has great pickup. *Cargo organizer seems to be making squeaking noise when driving. Has anyone experienced the same or other noises within vehicle?