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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  My Fun Lil Redline - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Justin Dodson - November 28 - 4:46 pm

  I bought another Saturn because I couldnt kill my last one, even by drowning it. I love their sales people. They are still car salesmen, but at a Saturn dealership you can pretend they are real people.

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  A great car and a great price - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By awojcik - November 28 - 10:00 am

  We purchased a new SATURN VUE for 14000, from Saturn of West Broad this Summer. We love the car! Our Gas milage averages between 25-29 miles per gallon, our insurance is cheeper than the Subaru legacy (1996) that we were driving, and the car has little regular maintenance. We looked at many similar vehicles, and we are so happy that we purchased the Saturn VUE.

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  Go test drive this car - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Mark - November 24 - 1:03 pm

  We absolutely love this car. The drive and comfort level is top notch. Quiet, sleek, stylish, and quick to boot. Gas mileage is superb. The only real complaint is on the rear interior design. Very difficult to see out of, especially when backing up. Extreme caution is recommended. Past that, there is a little cubby hole door, just left of the driver, that already wont close when opened. Just hoping thats not going to be the norm with the interior convenience features. Would absolutely recommend this car. Saturn truly did a great job on performance, ride and comfort.

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  Great Improvement - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Southion - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Ion 1 is a fantastic improvement over SL, especially with peppy 2.2L DOHC engine, finally 5A option, and fun CD player. Love electric power steering, and A/C doesnt drag cars performance down like old SL. Nothing but rave reviews from everyone so far.

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  Nice SUV - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By chuck - November 22 - 6:46 pm

  The VUE is not as fast as the Lincoln Mark VIII and not as comfortable as the Grand Marquis but the gas mileage is a lot better (24 - 26) With the back seat down I moved a lot of things like a weight bench, a desk, dish washer things that I couldnt move before. Easy to get in and out of, and I still sit higher. so far I have 25000 miles on it and I never had a problems with it and I dont baby it.

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  2008 Outlook XR - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By GTR - November 20 - 2:50 pm

  If you want 30 MPG, buy a CIVIC. This is an SUV and a dang awesome one. Ride is quieter than Lexus, interior awesome, rides like a dream. I drove an Acadia, Lexus GX, Toyota Sequoia. This vehicle has it all. Drives just as quiet and smooth if not quieter than the Lexus, styling is light years ahead of recent Saturn/GM models. They finally got it right, cant believe I havent seen more on the road.

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  Super convenient vehicle - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Frank Udell - November 17 - 10:50 am

  This vehicle is a pleasure to drive. It is easy to get into, and to egress. (very important for older individuals) I have heard that the Saturn Vue has mushy steering. I personaly find the steering to be as good as, if not better than, many vehicles I have tried. Acceleration is great (V6), and more than adequate for cross country traveling, and getting out of tight situations. The VUE feels good to drive and is comfortable. I would really recommend the VUE for the more mature set.

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  100% satisfied like a Snickers bar! - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By 100%SATISFIED - November 16 - 1:10 pm

  I just purchased the Vue(redline) I must admit Saturn was the last on my list. Now I have my foot in my mouth. I saved a lot of money, fell in love with the interior and all the additional perks. Above all the drive-like butter. Spacious room for my 3 kids and we feel safe unlike other x-overs that have plastic side doors. Aerodynamic shape and airbags and sufficient leg room. Traction is excellent and I must say this car is underexposed!We give the Vue a shout out! If the kids can give this car props, I must say the Saturn Vue is a true winner! The truth sets you free and you definitely have a winner! Thank you!

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  Saturn Ion 3 - 2003 Saturn ION
  By joendsu - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The car has been really fun to drive. The turning radius is great. I have had some small problems with the cruise control, but Saturn was quick to fix. There is a lot of head room and leg room even in the back seat. The trunk is very large and the back seat also folds down to increase space for the trunk. The engine is a bit loud when accelerating, but is quiet when up to speed. The 4cl engine has great acceleration and pep, which I found lacking in other comparable cars.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Dbaldwin - November 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun vehicle to drive. I bought this vehicle for my wife to drive. I feel comfortable with my wife driving this vehicle.