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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  LEMON!!! Dont buy one of these cars - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By jamikey - December 25 - 12:00 pm

  I have had multiple problems with this car. My side paneling has peeled off 3 times now, the ABS system has had problems, and the remote sliding door has been replaced and the remote for it doesnt even work. That is just a few of the problems associated with the car. My latest problem is the engine blew in the car (yes, that is right!!) while in another state. They said that there was a bulletin about this potential problem, but since there hasnt been very many people with this problem, it wasnt a recall. The car has 26,000 miles on it. I have 2 children and do not feel safe driving this car. The child lock on rear door also locks on its own, trapping kids inside. Dangerous car!

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  I love my new Aura - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Paul Capeheart - December 23 - 7:00 pm

  So far this is the best car I have ever owned. Very responsive and it handles more like sport coupe than a sedan. The best feature however is the styling. It just looks cool, and when you step inside, it remains impressive. The first Saturn Ii owned was a 94 when I was in college. I liked the car and the buying experience, but the cars were to plain Jane. I drove an Accord until this, and hopefully Ill stick with U.S. manufacturers from now on. If you give Saturn a chance, youre going to love this car!

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  Great SUV - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Dan from NH - December 22 - 10:06 pm

  Stunning vehicle. The orange looks like a copper penny in the right light. Very impressed with its size, features, fuel economy and price. Plus it drives better than my Alero. Very spirited driver. Too bad a lot of people forget about Saturn.

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  A Future Classic - 2009 Saturn Sky
  By Roadster 2.4 - December 22 - 9:56 am

  The Roadster is a fantastic car. I beleive that this car was never build as a Sports Car it was built to be Sporty and it does it extremely well. I can honestly say that driving the Roadster brings a smile to my face and makes me feel good. I do not need a car that does a million miles an hour, I like a car that not only is well built and reliable but also looks good (I admit it) the Roadster fits the bill and more. If you can find one buy it! if you have one, keep it!

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  American made is back in great shape. - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Goombah - December 21 - 11:13 pm

  This is a wow car, The GM guys got it right on the 2007 XR. So much for so little, fantastic fit and finish, looks that blow away the foreign competition. Zero to 60 in 6.5 seconds, absolute quiet ride with a very sport tuned suspension. It will out do any car in any class under $36,000. This is the most complete car I have owned in my 70 years of driving. Keep it going Saturn because its the best kept secret that America has.

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  Excellent car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By JC2003 - December 21 - 2:00 am

  Love it, love it. Traded in a 1990 Pontiac Grandam which I was the original & only owner. Love this car more. Peepy engine. Engine feels more powerful then 140HP. Fun to drive. Roomy interior. Large trunk space. Excellent heating system. Enjoyed the buying experience. I see myself in the future buying another Saturn, possibly the VUE.

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  A Headache - 2007 Saturn ION
  By genine84 - December 20 - 8:45 am

  I purchased my 2007 Level 2 in Nov 2006 new... I did not have major problems with it until about two years ago when it began leaking gas... The fuel pump was recalled, but Saturn refused to fix it... Last year, I got a letter stating that the power steering could possibly go out on the car...Well, not long after I got that letter, it did. They still refused to fix it... Other than that, it gets great mileage and is somewhat dependable @ 190k miles...

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  Not entirely sold - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By wisconsin - December 18 - 4:00 am

  This vehicle is fine in the summer months, good on gas, comfortable enough for trips I guess. But handling in the snow is terrible. There are some annoying incidentals on how its fashioned inside and I have had numerous issues with things like the wiper spray, door foam, etc. The people at the dealership are great, but the car just inst up to par. Get the AWD if you have any chance of driving in snow, that has got to be better!

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  Good Car - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By rocketron - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I think this is a good car for the money. The v6 is definitly the way to go, great power, and very quiet. Ive been getting just over 20 mpg which is important with 2$/ gal gas.The interior size is great. Much better than competitors.

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  Best SUV ever - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By Hb - December 16 - 6:36 pm

  Love my Outlook! Its fun to drive and looks fabulous! I was tired of the minivan, so this is perfect! My kids love the double sunroof and DVD. It is the ultimate family vehicle. Saturn service has been great. Owned the Outlook for 1 year and have had no problems. Free oil changes and tire rotation! My only complaint is the mpg. My average is about 18; however, I drive about 80 mph on the freeway 90% of the time! The premium sound thumps! Love it!