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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  Needs More Work - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Fullprice - September 10 - 10:00 am

  Chose 2003 Vue because of size and overall exterior design. Fun to drive. Lots of power, interior room. Bought this one after test driving a 2002. Poor color choice. Torque steer on acceleration could be dangerous if not expecting it. Engine revs too high during normal operation. Except for size, interior not well thought out ( no under dash lamps, map lights shine in your face, sun visors too small, etc.) No haggle dealer experience? Where else do you pay full retail ?

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  I must be lucky - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Slick - August 29 - 6:40 am

  I was surprised to read so many negative reviews about the Vue both from owners and the press. Bought new (w/ heavy incentives) for <$20k & owned for 4 years. No service issues at all, other than rear suspension recall. I avg. 20 mpg city & 26-28 mpg hwy. Pros: crisp exterior styling, 17" wheels, roomy/comfortable interior, agile handling, excellent power, dent- resistant polymer panels, great fuel economy, buttery-smooth Honda engine/transmission Cons: cheap-looking interior, wind/road noise, sometimes bouncy ride, a few squeaks & rattles, lots of nooks & crannies make washing a pain All in all, its been a great car nimble yet roomy, fun-to-drive, and economical.

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  Vue - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By snowbully5 - August 28 - 5:33 pm

  My wife loves this car and with a new baby on the way it will meet all our needs.

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  Good bang for the buck - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By James Doerfler - August 19 - 2:00 pm

  So far so good. I have owned Honda Accords for the past 15 years so this was a big departure from tradition. Time will tell if the reliability factor is there.

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  Not my Impala - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By lb0456 - August 16 - 12:43 am

  I sold my 2000 Impala and bought the Saturn Aura XE 6cyl. My Impala got 30mpg on the freeway at 70mph. Im a bit disappointed in the Aura. Its supposed to get 32mph highway. If I keep it at 60 it might get that but who drives 60 anymore? Right now Im getting about 27mph. Not impressive. I find it hard to get a comfortable temperature with the heater also. Love the XM radio and OnStar and the interior is very nice and comfortable. And I still prefer cloth seats to leather even with the heated seats so wish I had cloth. Very roomy trunk. Good visibility. Good get up and go when passing.

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  Thank God for the warranty!!! - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Zeyda - August 14 - 5:40 pm

  By the time I take my Vue in for the oil change every 3000 miles,I find something wrong with it. The last time the sensor had to be replace. Before that, I had to get something replaced that had to do with the emission or oxygen which made my Vue shut off in the middle of driving. The tranmission has been giving me trouble. And now, theres a screeching sound when I turn it on every morning. I took it to the dealer and of course, when they turn it on the noise disappears. Also, some part has been recalled or something and the dealer never has the part that has to replace it in. Its very frustrating. I should have bought a Toyota! Thank God for the warranty!!

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  Different But Good - 2003 Saturn ION
  By catbird1 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  When I initially looked at the new Ion I was not sure if I liked it as it was different as far as the interior and exterior designs. After the test drive I was impressed with the performance and ride and found the seats to be firm but comfortable. After 9,000 miles I continue to be well satisfied with the car and feel as if the center mounted gauge cluster is preferable over the conventional gauge cluster in my previous and other cars that I own.

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  HATE THAT WIND NOISE!!! - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Lisa - August 9 - 7:56 am

  I have had my 2006 V6 Vue for about a year,and this is my first SUV. I love the look of the vehicle, and I havent had any problems with its performance I also love that it drives like a car, but that wind noise at 50-70 mph drives me crazy. It sounds like my window is not rolled all the way up, or maybe my door is not completely closed. I guess Ill just have to learn to live with it.

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  2007 Sky Redline - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By stromodus - August 4 - 10:40 pm

  A blast to drive but a really long waiting list to buy. Interior is uncomfortable, cheap hard plastic. No trunk (you already know). This car is a toy, not a road-warrior for commuting. Dont drive it in rain or snow unless you want to spin into a ditch or tree. Make sure you have a garage to park it in!

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  Awesome ride - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Calista77 - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Overall this vehicle "rocks". I love the way it looks and handles. The V6 is plenty petty and the 16" alloy rims are to die for. The interior is nicely equipped, love storage spaces. This SUV had everything I was looking for.