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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  Look-out for the Saturn Outlook! - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By Rick S - June 18 - 1:20 pm

  Weve had our Outlook XR for almost 9 months now and have never had a problem with it. It is very spacious and comfortable inside. The exterior design is bold and aggressive. (Especially with the Carbon Flash finish and 19" wheels.) I would recommend this vehicle to anyone with a large or small family like ours. Even small families need extra room at times. I cant wait to take it on vacation to Florida. Dont pay too much attention to the negative comments and problems that owners have mentioned on this site. Sure, some are warrented but, there are many, many more owners that have not had problems and love their Saturn Outlook. Bottom line is, this is an awesome Crossover SUV!

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  Alot of car for the Money - 2004 Saturn ION
  By James Bastian - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Excellent drivers car for the price. Fun to drive, excellent gas mileage. Excellent reliability.

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  I love it! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Luis A. Montero - June 16 - 2:06 am

  I love this car. I am always commenting to myself, "This car is so smooth." Not only does it drive smoothly, but it has a nice pick-up when you step on the accelerator pedal. My car is merely a 4 cylinder car, but it feels like what I would imagine a 6 cylinder would feel like. This car is also super comfortable. In fact, I would rather take a nap in this car than on my own bed!

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  Just love it - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By D. Ramos - June 14 - 6:00 am

  When we take our Saturn out on the road people just take second look and admire it. I like to put my foot down on throttle and feel the torque that the engine produces. It is fun to drive and now youÂ’r e safe inside with side and front air bags. I think Saturn needs to advertise more about this wonderful car. Now I do by word of mouth

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  Sweet Car! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Psvlk012 - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I really liked this car. I am 6 foot 2 inches tall, and have never had a problem (I acutally find it much rommier than my old Camry) The ride is peppy and fun. Console is designed well and is cool since you only have to adjust steering wheel for comfort and not for viewing the speddometer. Excellent price too! Got it for about 2K cheaper than Corolla!

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  Im impressed - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Great Aura XR - June 10 - 2:30 am

  I took some time to write this review to help evaluate this car. Ive got 4000 miles on it and cant be happier. Driving it is wonderfully fun.

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  An Excellent Value for the Money - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By R. Longino - June 6 - 9:26 pm

  This was my first purchase of an American car. In the past, I avoided American vehicles because of quality concerns and lack of interior refinement. However, the Saturn Aura Concept immediately caught my attention when I saw it in 2005. I made a Black Onyx XE model my own in January 2007, and it continues to impress me several months later. It is easy to maintain, and I have had no reliablility issues at this point. The Aura offers a pleasant driving experience with very little wind or engine noise audible at normal highway speeds. The suspension is tuned well, giving a balanced yet sporty ride. Saturn succeeded in taking the Aura upscale. Most of my friends think it is a more expensive car!

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  excellent vehicle - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By pauldmd - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Thsi is my first suv. Never founf one previously that was car like enough for me and large enough for my family of five. I traded in my mini van for this and will never turn back!!!

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  My Saturn Makes Me Smile! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By FlyersAngel - May 28 - 10:00 am

  My Saturn Ion has everything that wanted in a new car and at a price that I could afford. My down payment was low and my monthly payments are within my means. I love driving the Ion and suggest anyone looking for a new car, to check out an Ion during your search.

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  Saturn Vue Hybrid 09 - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By D&L B - May 28 - 7:53 am

  Excellent exterior styling, very much like a Lexus RX330. Interior well laid out, comfortable, and quiet. Like the climate controls - even though not dual-zone, can set temperature. Lots of room. Mechanically, the vehicle performs very well - hybrid action almost unnoticeable. Only indication really is a sense of background "braking" as the energy recovery system kicks in on some deceleration, though that is not objectionable in the least. Acceleration is very good, especially for a 4-cyl. Sound system is excellent (love the satellite radio).