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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  Amys Saturn - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By mewotell - April 3 - 2:00 am

  The Saturn is the best car we have ever owned it has been incredibly cheap to operate, fun to drive and it give one a sens of feeling safe. We live in Florida and the air conditioning system is incredible.

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  I love my new Saturn - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Charlotte Hummel - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Its got the greatest lines... almost like a ballet dancer. It drives super! Great acceleration and pickup. A dream come true to navigate. Sun roof option gives you plenty of light even in winter...helps with those winter blahs. Buy this car and throw out your St. Johns wart for depression. This auto lifts your spirits.

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  Love our fifth saturn - 2004 Saturn ION
  By itazs[awn - April 3 - 2:00 am

  We just got our new saturn last month. We love it. It is our fifth saturn since we have been married. We have been married 22 years and have 2 kids. The saturn is not only excellant in gas mileage but comfort. If you have never had a saturn and want a mid sized car then you may want to go to your closest dealer.No car dealership will treat you as saturn with the friendliest,Honest, and Caring Salespeople.

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  great ride - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By wide-glide - March 29 - 10:00 am

  we really enjoy our vue, and people are always wanting to check it out!

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  The Best Car "Out(look)" There - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By outlook owner - March 28 - 2:20 am

  It is an adorable car! The "coaco" color is so cute! This is my most reliable car ever! Ive had it for over a year, no problems so far. Not even a little oil leak! I love it!

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  My 2005 3.5L Saturn Vue - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By maojr - March 27 - 12:30 pm

  I bought this car for my wife because, (1) it has a plactic outer shell and never gets dimpled (2) supposedly it has a Honda Engine. It also had a 0.5% interest on the loan...what a deal. Its just now giving some problems. Had to replace the middle drive-shaft support and spider bearing. Otherwise no major problems/issues after 120K miles. This is the first signs of major ware so I expect a little at a time as the mileage increases with more use. We use this car every day! I would buy/trade another with the same features....too bad they are no longer available.

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  Pleased with our choice - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By iresponse - March 23 - 7:20 pm

  Shopped nearly all makes of crossovers and minivans to replace our aging Windstar, and couldnt be more pleased with our Outlook. Have not had any problems, it is a pleasure to drive, solid feeling, and very smooth on the freeway. Selected the XE with most options because we liked the interior appearance better than the XR.

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  Safety first! To the uninformed... - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By shawna - March 23 - 6:40 pm

  Saturn VUEs have a 5 star front and side impact rating. This is due to the side polymer body panels plastic as some would say. Behind it is a steel space frame that protects you AND saves you money. I got broadsided by a large truck, Im not talking a pickup truck, but a delivery truck. To my disbelief the damage was minimal. A simple matter of replacing the panels on the passenger side was much nicer to my pocket then replacing all doors and fender. Drop out engine is a plus. Drives beautifully and I love it. Someone else said they hope they dont get hit by a VW, but I say bring it on VW, and large delivery trucks, too! I feel safe as can be.

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  2008 Vue - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Gord - March 19 - 12:23 pm

  Performance is fine as I wanted a 4 cylinder for the fuel economy. Overall very satisfied with the vehicle.

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  Great car - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By PMM - March 17 - 4:30 am

  So far, about 3,000 miles of driving. The car meets all of my expectations in terms of size, flexibility, utility, handling and comfort. Gas mileage for 6 cyl AWD on steady highway of 26 mpg; 17-18 in city; overall 22 mpg. Good smooth and strong performance from engine and trans; heated seats are real nice. The sound system is decent and it has an MP3 jack. I really like the storage flip up system in rear. Chrome dresses it up and the fog lights are super. The sun roof works great and closes completely -- no whistle from wind. Since I live in New England, it is the perfect blend of vehicle for all climates.