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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  03 ION 4 DOOR - 2003 Saturn ION
  By JAYBEA - March 12 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS OUR 4TH SATURN ,NICER DESIGN AND BETTER PICK UP ON THE HIGH WAY THAN OTHERS WE HAVE OWNED.

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  Good Little Car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Kimberly1 - March 7 - 2:00 am

  I have been pleased with the performance of the Ion. It has a lot of nice features (big trunk, rear folding seats, speedometer is in the middle, etc). My biggest complaint about the vehicle is that the transmission slips (almost always) when you quicly accelerate while turning-- usually from a standstill while turning left--I do not know why this happens and I would like to know if there are any other Ion owners who have their transmission slip on them now and then. Thanks

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  V6 FWD VUE - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Tmich - March 7 - 2:00 am

  Overall I am extremly pleased with the Saturn Vue. Like others have noted the first impression I had is the power of this vehicle with the V6. It literally has get up and go power when you hit the gas at any speed!I have read number of major suv/truck magazine reviews labeling the interior as being "cheap". But I personally would characterize the interior as a "minimalist" interior...in that I have just about all the creature comforts you could get on this vehicle and for me, everything is very well laid out and functional, no frills no fuss! It handles well, and is a very comfortable vehicle to ride in.

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  Depends on what youre used to - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By JET - March 2 - 8:36 pm

  I had previously driven a van for three years and still havent got used to the rough ride in the VUE. I wouldnt say its a bad vehicle. It looks sharp, and gets decent gas mileage--but could be better (ony about 20 mpg) It has the same amount of seating as a car, but I do like the storage behind the back seats. It seems to run great, no problems there. Just cant get used to that rough ride, will probably trade in soon on something smoother.

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  Rain or shine, the VUEs just fine! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Pete - February 28 - 11:06 pm

  What a great vehicle. Simple, fun and easy to drive. Composite panels are a great feature. Too bad its going away. As I watch my mpgs closely (rep on the road), Im averaging 26 mpg overall and just a tick under 30 mpg driving the speed limit. Its a little noisy but I think it adds to the experience with the power sunroof open. I honestly cant imagine a better value for the dollar.

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  Opt for the v6 over the 4 - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By spot - February 22 - 12:13 am

  Originally purchased the 4 cyl model with all the bells and whistles. After driving it for a week, I found myself almost always using passing gear going up hill. Took it back and switched it for the v6 and wow, what a difference. Ride was much more smoother and quieter. Low end power is great. It will hold freeway speeds at under 2000 rpm. This is my 5th Saturn and its the best by far.

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  Nice but needs improvement - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By norene - February 21 - 8:20 pm

  The driver seat is uncomfortable for me at the lower level. It need to be improved for 53" and below and the gas pad need to be a little closer because I feel like Im on top of the steering wheel which is not good if in an accident. Getting out is a problem unless you want to adjust the seat everytime. The seat has caused back problem for and I have always had bucket seats but the seat isnt back friendly. The doors swing out too far but I understand this is for long legs and short legs just have to adjust. The armrest need to be longer for short arms. Even with it extending it is not comfortable. Blind spots in mirrors.

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  2007 VUE is almost perfect! - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By T.J. - February 16 - 9:10 am

  So far the car has been perfect for me. I would say the external look is perfect with the Black Onyx paint, chrome package, and internal wood-trim accents. It looks much more pricy than it really was. The car handles rather well. A little odd if you accelerate around corners quickly though. Sometimes it feels as if the wheel gets stickier in your turn direction if you go too fast around a turn. And the engine is extremely peppy with a 3.5L V6. Overall the classy look, gas mileage for an SUV, and Honda engine were the big sellers for me. If youre a big music person, upgrade the speakers the stock ones are very basic.

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  So Far So Good! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By So Far So Good - February 8 - 6:33 pm

  When we bought our Vue we were excited for the Saturn vehicle. Wed never had problems with our other two and we are not disappointed now. Neat vehicle. We like sitting "up" a little above traffic and the SUV roominess in the back. Could be better with gas mileage. The sticker is a little misleading 29hwy/23city. We get around 25 & 21. This is a lot better than our old Suburban, though.

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  Mixed Emotions - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Adam - February 7 - 9:43 am

  Im about 8000 miles in now. It has great performance. I get compliments on the looks of the car (one lady thought it was a Lincoln MKS). The interior still baffles me. For the most part, its quiet and comfortable, but the plastics are a bit cheap. The traction control switch is under the armrest, the heated seat buttons are down low on the side of the seat, and the side mirror switches are too far away. These all need to be re-positioned so they are easier to get to. And who still puts an emergency brake pedal on the floor? I had a bad rattle, which ended up being a bad weld on the sunroof bracket. Dealer fixed it under warranty.