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:

• 

  Awesome ride! - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Emily - August 7 - 9:20 pm

  I bought this car two years ago. I traded in my 2001 SL1 for it...and I love it! I have had no problems with it. Its fun and easy to drive. You get the handling of a car with the space of a small SUV. If you drive responsibly (ie: not pounding on the gas and slamming on the brakes) this vehicle get wonderful gas mileage. On a long highway trip Ive averaged 32+ MPG. Although there is a bit of wind noise on the passengers side in the front when the wind is whipping, its nothing Im bothered by. I love this vehicle and hope it lasts me a long time!

• 

  Love it, Love it, Love it! - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By CCline - August 6 - 3:40 am

  I purchased my Vue 3 weeks ago. It drives and shifts smoothly and quietly. It has features that you usually find in luxury models. The styling and aerodynamics are very appealing and is a real head turner. The interior is spacious and comfortable with plenty of leg and headroom. Road and engine noise are at a minimum. Gas mileage is as expected.

• 

  WOW - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By KC - August 6 - 2:36 am

  I was ready to purchase an SUV, looking for just the right fit. After testing out 3 other versions of the compact SUVs I found what I wanted. The 4 cyl has plenty of power and so far after 2 weeks, the mileage is fine. Averaging 22 MPG even with a heavy foot. With this model and features I didnt have to settle, I got what I wanted and enjoy the XM radio, & OnStar features.

• 

  The Little Car Co. that Could and Did! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By mary simmons - August 4 - 12:20 pm

  The Auras acceleration is extremely smooth. When I sit in the Aura it makes me feel like Im surrounded in luxury and its so quiet, Saturn uses Acoustic Laminated Glass to reduce wind and road noise contributing to a very quiet ride.

• 

  Very happy - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By DDog - August 3 - 10:53 am

  We bought the Outlook in November 2007. A month prior to buying I had never heard anything about the car. We saw it and thought it looked very nice. Since we bought the 2007 we were able to get it fully loaded and got a very good deal. I never thought I would ever buy a fully loaded car and I am very happy with things that I thought were unnecessary like heated seats, mirrors, heated window washer fluid and the GPS. Im not sure i want or need OnStar and Im pleasantly surprised with XM radio I even renewed it for a year. Only thing Im a little disapointed in is gas mileage is really at best 17mpg city. Its also a little difficult to park due to its size.

• 

  Love this car! - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Renee - August 2 - 3:53 pm

  I love this car. I bought it new and kept it for 10 years. With regular maintenance, the only problems Ive had have been covered under recall. Ive gone through several routine break repairs. My only complaint is the components used to make this car are cheap. Seals and other plastic parts have not held up well. I had to reseal the windshield because the seal went bad and it started leaking. Im also concerned about a possible leak in the sunroof. I also drove it under snowy conditions and it handled well. Lots of room on the cabin and it had plenty of space for packing for travel. I was often amazed at how much we could fit in this vehicle when we traveled. I also fit a 6-foot ladder in it.

• 

  Very pleased so far - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By Rick Olson - August 1 - 10:40 am

  I traded in my 03 Honda Pilot 4WD for a loaded 07 Outlook XR. Absolutely terrific vehicle so far. Design and build quality is top notch. Looks great. It will be the best car Ive owned if it maintains the high reliability Ive experienced with numerous Hondas and Toyotas.

• 

  Really nice SUV - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By Dierdre S. - July 31 - 12:53 pm

  The Outlook is my very first automobile purchase, and I absolutely love it. The ride is very smooth and if youre not paying attention you could easily hit 80-85 mph. So, cruise control definitely comes in handy. I spend a lot of time on the road so it had to be comfortable. I get 20 MPG which isnt bad, but it could be better. This vehicle is really fun to drive, and the White Diamond is beautiful.I would definitley recommend this vehicle.

• 

  Still Impressed - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Still Impressed - July 28 - 11:36 pm

  We bought our Saturn in 04 after trading in our Saturn L200 after our son was born. We needed the extra room and right away we knew wed made the right decision. We have hauled a fish pond with complete accesories, 2x4s, pipes, cabinets, my grandfather clock, not to mention the trips to the grocery! Its been amazing that we can all four fit in the vehicle along with our purchases and still be comfortable. We also took this vehicle on a road trip recently and were amazed at the 30+ miles to the gallon highway. Weve had no issues with faulty equipment and so far have yet to have a complaint with the truck other than louder than normal road noise when traveling on the interstate.

• 

  best car - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Schlomo - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Affordable base price, competent on- and off-road handling, optional seven- passenger seating, stylish design.