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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  Better than I thought - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By KKMC - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The VUE was not my first choice, but with all the incentives and the GM Card points, I had to go for it. The pickup from a dead stop is very good, and the gas mileage runs between 21 and 26. The VUE has a ton of interior room; adults can actually sit comfortably in the back seat. My wife and I are very pleased with this vehicle.

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  No problems - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Rob D - January 31 - 4:23 am

  First off, the engine is a joy to drive once it gets broken in (about 3000 miles). Gas mileage is excellent, and amazingly efficient if you can keep your highway driving under 2500 revs (about 60mph). Most of what has been mentioned in other reviews is accurate, except for those calling the car a lemon. I havent had any problems with the service departments. Im 6 4" and fit comportably - cant say that about Mazdas and Toyotas that Ive sat in.

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  My first SUV - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Flo - January 27 - 10:33 pm

  This is my 2nd new Saturn. I had my SL2 for 10 years. It still ran great, I just wanted to take advantage of the 72 months of free financing. I love my VUE. Great fun to drive, just the right size for me. The chrome pkg, roof rack and bigger wheels makes for a sporty look.

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  My First Car! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By KRamos - January 26 - 6:10 am

  this was the first car that i got to buy by myself...i have driven many, many miles - long highway trips between texas, utah, colorado, and idaho, and have never had a problem. I had over 100,000 miles on it and had owned it for 5 years before the air conditioning went out and needed to be fixed...absolutely nothing else has gone wrong with the car! i have had no engine problems...i have kept it maintained and took it in for all its "check-ups"...the only reason i even traded it in was because i now have four children, and my whole family no longer fits in!!

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  Buy the VUE - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By GoodDriving - January 19 - 3:46 am

  The 6 cyl has exceptional pick up for passing. The dashboard controls are all easily accessible for the driver. The no-dent no-rust side panels and doors should add to the resale value

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  ECONOMICAL - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By jojo - January 13 - 10:00 am

  the vue is certainly ergonomic on gas, especially with gas prices increasing. there is plenty of room for 5 good sized adults. the folding rear seats come in handy for the larger items. the front wheel drive i would find would do better in areas where it is less inclined to be on snow. the front end handling feels to be loose at times, especially with take. Noticeable shift to the left or right in steering is also noted upon take off. Overall, its a decent family starter suv with plenty of room and safety features.

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  My VUE - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By HiFlier - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Really like the vehicle. Only 2,500 miles so far, so will reserve final opinions until about 10,000 miles.

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  Back to American Company - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By JoJo - January 13 - 9:46 am

  I traded my first 98 Saturn SL2 for a 02 VW Jetta, huge mistake. By 30,000 miles and 2 years, I had to get it fixed 15 times. So I traded for a 06 Saturn Vue AWD V6. I had the vehicle for 3 years, not one stinking problem. We had a foot of snow, this vehicle did amazingly well and no worries. The gas mileage is like a car, so Im not paying any more than I used to. This is a very reliable vehicle, only had to get oil changes and new tires. The power windows did not get stuck in the frost/ice like the Jetta did (three times). I have done LONG road trips and no problems with cruise control or comfort. I am extremely happy with my Vue, with the help of Honda under the hood.

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  After three years... - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Vince M - December 21 - 9:33 am

  Overall it was a good vehicle, better than my 04 Vue. Quality is average, still a lot of cheap plastic throughout the interior. No major issues. Only a few trips to the dealer for minor repairs. Kids didnt like the back seat, not comfortable and not enough cup holders. mileage is OK but not great. Ending the lease soon and would consider buying the car if the price was right.

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  Love My Sky - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By Nicole - December 11 - 2:00 pm

  I love driving my Sky. It handles quite beautifully! I get good mileage and I drive 30 minutes to work then 30 back! I love the look of the car! There are few things I would change.