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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  DO NOT PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE !!! - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By 2008outlookx2 - September 20 - 3:55 pm

  I have now had 2 of these vehicle(not by choose on the 2nd go round) I purchased my first vehicle had it for 3 days and the Transmission blowup, long story short after another 8 times in the shop for major issues in 2 months of owning the vehicle the car dealer seeing the issue advised it just this vehicle must have something wrong with it so they traded me into another 08 saturn outlook advising this one shouldnt have any problems the other vehicle was a fluke(yeah ok).So i had this one for 2 weeks and the fun began, i had to take it back for the windshield washer in the back wiper not working, then had a crunching in the front when going over bumps in the road and going slowly over speed

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  Buy at your own risk - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Suzanne - September 14 - 1:53 pm

  In the past three years, my car has been in the shop 11 times. Each time for a different reason. The following things have been addressed: driver window leakage, gas pedal module, 4 valves replaced at 40k which then leaked oil, multiple electrical issues, driver visor, computer reprogramming- twice, emission control sensor replaced. There are more issues that I dont care to list at this time. This car has a cheap plastic feel all around, and the seats were uncomfortable. I do not suggest that anyone buy a car of this type.

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  Saturn ION - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Do not buy this car! - September 6 - 11:36 pm

  I bought this car for my daughter on 12/05. The Saturn ION is junk! She has been stranded THREE times with the key stuck in the ignition and the engine still running. The lift motor in the driver side window broke. Now, the passenger rear window is broken. The car was leaking copious amounts of gas until it was unsafe to drive. Ignition cylinder has been replaced three times. The car only has 45,000 miles. I am so upset with this car that I am thinking of trading in my 2009 Silverado and NEVER buying a GM product again! Will be lodging a formal written complaint with the LA Attorney Generals office and recommend that others follow suit!

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  Disappointed - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Not Worth It - July 11 - 4:33 am

  Ive had the VUE for 18 months. I have taken it in 4 times to fix the AC. The windows leak air. I have had it towed to the repair shop twice in the last to weeks for shutting off in traffic. Im now paying to replace the clutch master cylinder, slave cylinder and the clutch. The car is 4 years old and only has 70,000 miles on it. And sometimes the radio turns off when I try to switch stations.

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  Shame on GM and Saturn - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By dissatisfied - June 17 - 4:10 am

  I purchased this car because I was attracted to the exterior and interior design, I have since grown to loathe it because of the problems it has. The seat fabric which I initially thought was nice turned out to be cheap. I paid for extended service on the fabric, but since Saturn folded,my extended warranty no longer applies,theres no longer anyone to honor it. The fabric stains easily and the sides of the drivers and front passenger seats crease and are beginning to fray and show signs of tearing.Ive contacted Saturn and they sent me to a GM dealer who said it was "normal" so they take no responsibility for an inferior product.This has never happened in any other car Ive owned.

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  GM Gremlins Are Back - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By Not Happy - June 11 - 11:53 am

  Poor quality returns to GM. My 40k car is in and out of the shop every 90 days with recalls, electrical issues, and power steering and other problems. They have covered everything but not my time. Service says the first 9 months they had build issues....I wanted to buy domestic to support the cause and what I got was a UAW Union American Waste of money. I feel bad GM is going under but bad products deserve to fail. Go buy an american built mercedes and avoid the hassle.

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  This car is a mistake - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Sarah Colantuono - June 8 - 5:20 am

  Since Ive gotten this car almost two years ago, Ive taken it in probably 10 times if not more. Everything keeps breaking down on it from the transmission, to my radio falling out, doors not opening, wipers not working, and a horrible rattling and vibrating sound that is still not fixed. Another time I was stranded on the side of the highway with my 2 year old daughter, after the car completely stalled and lost power on me. I feel this car is unsafe, and I am looking into a sell already after not even two years. I know somebody that got the Chevy equinox- and after driving that- I know where I went wrong. Thumbs down to VUE

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  Nightmare Car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Lindsay - May 4 - 7:36 am

  I bought the car used in February 09. The car had the "no start" issue from the get go and no one could replicate the problem. I worked at 6am and the car would not start when it was below 40 degrees outside. Also the trasmission would "surge" every once and a while when I was driving. The gas mileage was disappointing as well. The seats stained easily, the interior bubble plastic was awful to clean and the AC fan would buzz. I just had the last strw with the no start issue and traded it on a corolla.

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  piece of junk - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By burned by saturn - April 24 - 2:50 pm

  Ive had nothing but problems with this car. Once it was out of the basic new car warranty I had to spend about 30% of the purchase price on repairs. Every time I turned around something else needed to be repaired. I have the extended warranty but as soon as it is out of this warranty Im dumping it. This is my 3rd Saturn. Ive had major problems with all of them. I suppose I just kept hoping a decent car would be built in America. Id never, ever buy another one. Saturn makes a piece of junk on 4 wheels just waiting to fall apart.

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  Engineering Defect - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By texas1512 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I purchase this vehicle on 9-26-03 and it will be repurchase by the manufactureer this week. The vehicle has an engineering defect in the front suspension. It is not "life threatening" so they will not recall the vehicle. I have owned it less than 3 months and it has been in the shop 21 days. There is not a fix at this time for the problem.