Saturn's 2005 Lineup vs. 2008 Lineup:

Ion Coupe and Astra 3-dr



Ion Sedan and Astra 5-dr



L300 and Aura



Vue and Vue



Relay and Outlook

 

And as an added bonus...


All of this within 3 years! Simply amazing.

Anyone missing those dent-resistant panels?

 

Saturn has definitely turned itself around... i'm sure people will be flocking to Saturn retailers like crazy

 

Yeah, it's funny--Saturn in 08 has arguably the strongest, best-integrated, and of-a-piece lineup of any GM brand.

Time now for the "I would never drive a Saturn, 'cause it's a Saturn, and they are teh suxors," people to slink away quietly.

 

First Vue looks better than the new one. The new one has an advantage in powertrain and interior (biggest improvement is the interior), but gains quite a bit of weight and manages to look portly. I'm not saying it is bad, it just isn't as handsome as the original Vue. The only advantage for the new exterior is the fit and finish afforded by the steel, but that means no more dent resistant panels.

Even in the case of the Ion, I don't have much of a problem with the styling of the coupe or sedan. The biggest deficiencies, which I expect will be corrected by the Astra, are again the interior (which isn't bad, but is odd) and the exterior fit and finish (again a trade off b/c of the loss of the plastic panels).

Relay to Outlook is not even a contest. Outlook blows it away.

I'm excited about the new lineup for sure, but there are decent number of Saturn loyalists who are PISSED about the loss of the plastic panels, and how Saturn is now basically just another division of "normal" GM, and no longer a separately run division that was merely owned by GM. No more unique platforms or powertrains. I'm not necessarily in that camp, but I see why some are frustrated. Believe it or not, there were a lot of people who had sworn off GM but gave Saturn a try (instead of, or after, leaping to ToyoHonda) because it was indeed different.

 

They've done very well. In three or four years, when ALL the divisions are this rich in product and this well thought out, they are going to be a scary company.

 

What scares me is that what ORIGINALLY made Saturn successful back 10-12 years ago is completely gone. Dealers don't hold to one-price anymore, the service is often as crappy as any other GM dealer, and I have to admit I do miss the plastic panels a little bit...

Otherwise, I can't get over how far they've come. I could EASILY see myself driving an Aura...if we had wanted to spend that much, she'd be driving a new Aura XE right now instead of the GP. I could never say that about an L Series...

We got rid of an Ion for the GP. She loved the car, while I continue to equate it to the automotive equivalent of Dilbert (sorry Joe...your's is cooler though, as hers was white with an AT). Meanwhile, if the inside of the Astra is as cool as the outside, I could easily see grabbing a 3 door for me for a daily driver if I actually needed a car...having a company car, I obviously don't. Personally, while she doesn't like hatchbacks, I love them...

Its weird, because all along I've been a Pontiac guy...and the 3 different women I've dated in the past 6-7 years all drove Pontiacs I sold them. Now? I'm thinking Saturn might be my division of choice (I doubt I'll ever pay G8 or GTO prices for anything but a new Camaro)...which scares the crap outta me, because I fear what this will do to Pontiac if even a die-hard like me feels this way...

 

Saturn is a great example of GM proving they can compete. I wish the same effort in styling and fit and finish blows over into Chevy and Pontiac. I think Cadillac has distinct styling, but Chevy is still lacking big time.

 

Chevy's day is about to come.

Big time.

 

If one can not see the renaissance in GM, one must be blind as banker wiring Enron money overseas.

 

Saturn is one of the best turn a rounds ever. Aura hybrid also comes out this year too.

 

Can you elaborate? please

 

This is what concerns me... I'm in a spot right now where in the next year or so I'll need a new daily driver Car or truck and I will also have the NEW Camaro . The Camaro is a done deal for me however, I need to replace my Impala BAD! and I was thinking a new Sierra but the mileage is gonna kill me so maybe I'll just buy a used Silverado somewhere for a play truck. Which leads me to a new car... The G8 is freakin awsome but from what I've heard about the new Impala and from what I've seen in the Malibu I'm cautious as to what to do because I don't want to go out and buy a new car only to have a more awsome car come out a few months later and wish I'd have held out for a bit longer.

 

Hmmm. Any time I've had to deal with a Saturn dealer, either on the sales side or the service side, they've been great.
No offense taken. It isn't the sexiest car alive, but I think it is alright. I think for me, I'm simply going to have to move up to an Epsilon-sized car next. At a long-torso 6'2" and 205 or so, the Ion is just a bit restrictive for me (though I think it is mainly that I don't fit the seat very well more than an actual space problem, as the car is decently roomy). I had a G6 for my rental the last time I was in Arizona for work, and found the size more to my liking.

 

I would think that Saturn's unique Opel ties would put those concerns to rest. If one GM division is to take on a "foreign" persona, the choice is obviously Saturn, and why it made sense to make them Opel America. They're still unique.

The plastic panels had to go. Dent-resistant is nice, but they don't give off a high "feel" of quality, they don't line up as nice.....it's all about quality perception these days.