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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  Vue red line - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By shageeda - June 17 - 8:40 am

  The red line package has a very sharp look with the chrome & ground effects on the exterior of the vehicle. with a very spacious interior. The comfort package is a plus for the total look of this SUV. The power that this SUV has is more than enough for anyone to enjoy the ride. Overall one of the nicest that I tried before leasing this SUV.

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  Great Car - Even in MN winters!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Aweber - June 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car after looking at other comparable cars, and nothing compared for the price. Only concern was how well it would drive in snowy MN winters. This has been the snowiest winter in a long time, and I have not had a problem with driving. The anti-lock brakes and traction control have been a great investment as well. Great gas mileage too!!

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  Great car - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By rush - June 13 - 2:50 am

  I originally purchased an XE at the beginning of the month. I loved the car so much I wanted more. So, I used Saturns exchange program and got the XR with leather seats. The XE is quiter and shifts smoother. The XR is quicker and sportier. I had cloth seats on the XE. The leather seats on the XR are much more comfortable. If you want a quiet, smooth, luxurious feel, the XE with leather seats is your car. If you want a sportier feel and the ultimate driving experience, go for the XR. I have owned at least a dozen cars. This car is by far the best car Ive have owned for driving experience.

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  Good Buy - 2007 Saturn ION
  By citystars136 - June 12 - 6:33 pm

  The car is a great car. Very quick from the factory. Comfortable, and easy to drive. I get looks all the time, and everyone cant believe how good it looks. They are suprised when I say its a Saturn.

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  Fantastic Car - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By popcorn - June 12 - 5:23 pm

  We purchased this for our daughter. We were a little concerned with a 4 cyl wondering if it had enough power. The dealer told us it had ample power and it certainly does. This has been the perfect car 5 Star Crash Rating,Inexpensive to insure, ABS brakes and all wheel drive. We love it.

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  I love my little machine - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Tawni - June 12 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased this car with 3 miles on it and am over 54,000 and still love it to pieces. I did have a small problem with the auto theft device turning on and preventing me from driving at first but I took it to the dealer and they reset the system and Ive never had a problem since. I travel a lot and this car has a lot of highway miles on it and Ive never been disappointed. I do wish however that the seats had a little more lumbar support for long distance drivers especially. I love the instrument panel in the middle. It took some getting use to but I like that there is no glare in my eyes at night. The selling feature for this car was the ability to pack and transport cargo. I love it!

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  Ill get my first speeding ticket soon! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Jared - June 12 - 12:00 am

  My wife and I agree - this car will get us each our first ticket! It is very zippy. Love the exterior chrome finishes and LED lights. Very comfortable and safe feeling. Enjoy the XM radio and OnStar feaures, like turn by turn navigation. We also own an 08 Vue and have been extremely happy with it.

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  Great car for price - 2007 Saturn ION
  By mcameron - June 11 - 9:35 pm

  I bought My Ion 3 2.4L Manual new and I really like it, my only complaint is all the dealers around me were sold out of the redline models so I couldnt get one of those.. This is a great car Ive had it for 4 years drive constantly and have not had a single problem. Great mileage on the highway even the way I drive which is usually around 140km/h.. I have not spent a dime on it other than oil changes, I even got free tires for life when I bought it.. Ive bought new 6 new vehicles since 2000 ranging from trucks, Suvs, and cars and this and my 2005 Vue are the only vehicle I,ve kept for more than 2 years.. Im going to miss Saturn. I love my Vue and Ion great reliability and fun to drive!!!

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  Saturn Vue - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Deb Tribuca - June 10 - 5:10 pm

  A little disappointed with the Vue

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  Love my Van - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By Cynthia - June 10 - 3:16 am

  The sales staff was very accomdating, especially after the purchase. The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I am a previous owner of the Grand Caravan and I like my Saturn so much more. So far I am getting around 27/28 mpg on highway and 24 city. The toybox is a great separation from my young kids (little less fighting). The only problem so far is the door handle frame on my front passenger door handle keeps popping off. When it pops off, we have difficulty open the door from the inside. Very easy to clean, especially since I can lift up the caption chairs to vacuum under them. This is great for those who have young ones that drop fries, M&Ms, gummy bears, etc.