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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  DONT BUY THIS VAN - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By Give the van back - January 1 - 1:20 am

  This vehicle is horrible. Yes the interior is nice but the ABS and stablization controls are always broken. Sliding doors will randomly open - or they may not open at all - its a gamble. Have to press the gas to get it started - engine has a hard time turning over. Lights flicker. Saturn will tell you this is "normal" - but its still not acceptable. They should all be recalled and demolished.

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  Excellent choice - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By craig - December 31 - 2:53 pm

  Treated excellent at the dealer. A great car with no rattles or problems. I cannot believe how it handles in the turns, and it has decent power.

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  Techno gray XR - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Sj - December 30 - 5:36 pm

  This is a great looking car and so many people dont recognize it so they ask. The car is extremely quiet and rides like a luxury car. It is heavier than the competition but that weight makes it feel substantial on the road. Considering its features a comparable Altima or Camry would be over $30k and neither is as rare or as good looking as this car. The controls are all logically placed and the stereo is top notch for this class. If you dont want to be a follower and want a fast family sedan that stands out this is a good choice.

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  I LOVE IT! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Hiedi - December 29 - 10:56 pm

  I have been searching for a small (car- like) SUV for a long time and the Vue completely fits the bill! I like the dent-resistant exterior panels and the interior. So far, it is a blast to drive, the 3.5 V6 really moves! I wish that On-Star came standard and that the backend had more "cubby holes"; but it is a great vehicle and fits my family well. I dont feel like I am driving anything bigger than the car that I turned in (2001 Chevy Malibu). I paid less for it and got more features too. How cool is that?! I love the seats (leather/cloth mix) and how versitile it is while not being too big. The gas mileage is good, I do, however wish it had a bigger tank. I dont like getting gas!

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  08 VUE RL FWD - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By vandy0419 - December 29 - 8:26 am

  This car is amazing...forget what the magazines say! I even saw a magazine bashing it because the middle seat in the second row didnt have a headrest. The car is very roomy and quality interior. The exterior looks amazing and always gets heads turning due to the RL styling. Seats are so comfortable and great quality throughout. Wish the gas mileage was better, but it is good for what it is. I wish they would have put a different engine in the RL though. The new 3.6 with DI and different pistons would be top choice. This engine is an option on the Cadillac CTS with 304hp. The 6 speed transmission is purely amazing. The engine is very responsive and doesnt hesitate to hit the rev limiter.

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  A good choice - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By eman - December 28 - 4:33 am

  Ive only had my Vue for a few days so I cant write much. What i can say is that after owning a Honda, its refreshing to deal with people who actualy value your business. I researched almost every car in its class and decided on it because it comes with so many more standard convenience and safety features that anything else in its price range. Im a big guy and dont have a lot of luck finding cars to fit. The Vue could use a tad more leg room but overall its very comfortable for me and real nice to drive.

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  Its different in a Saturn - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Sterling Fraser - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Love the 5 Speed Automatic good excelleration good Horse Power.Sporty and fun to drive. Excellent Sedan/Window visability.Comfortable,Smooth,Quiet.Good versatility with Trunk Space and Folding Seats.Fun Car to own and Drive.Really enjoying my Saturn ION2 - Looking forward to moving into a ION3 Coupe in a couple of years.

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  First New 2004 Vue Review! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Coots - December 27 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car and fun to drive. We decided on this after 2 months of serious anal (Engineer) searching. We were looking for 1-2 year old used… Started with the Trailblazer but- too hard to get into and too pricey. The next was a Pathfinder but not that many to search from. We “stumbled” upon the Vue and after looking at a used one. We love this car’s performance, value and looks and are so glad to stay in the GM (Saturn) family.

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  LOVE THAT SATURN - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By PARKY - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Having driven various models from several manufacturers I settled on the SATURN. The bang for the buck is very good. 250 HP a five speed automatic that is really smooth and quiet. I think the seats could be abit larger but the overall comfort and fun to drive factors are very high. Everything worked right out of the box and the sales/service experience is terrific.

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  FUN - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Mony - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I need a SUV for work and drive all over the place. The VUE is fun to drive and hauls a lot of stuff. I too have gone fast and felt the steering wheel start to shake which is disconcerting. I find it very comfortable, although my teenage kids and husband dont. They dont have enough room and arent crazy about the ride. I am the owner and driver and I just love it!!! I think it should be made a little quieter and the steering doesnt have the tighest control. This is my third saturn, and Im sure not my last.