Background: Saturn, the small-car division of General Motors, is a relative newcomer to the automotive world. The first Saturn car hit the showroom floor in the fall of 1990. Currently, Saturn offers seven different compact models: three sedans, two coupes and two station wagons. Saturn Division got its name from the Saturn rocket that carried Americans to the moon. Saturn sets itself apart from its competitors by marketing their vehicles with a one-price, no-haggle approach throughout all their dealerships. This approach has proved popular, especially with women shoppers. Currently, all Saturn vehicles are assembled at the company's Spring Hill, Tenn. facility. Last year, Saturn announced plans to build a new, larger mid-size line of vehicles at General Motors' Wilmington, Delaware factory. Saturn also began selling cars in Japan this year.
Trim Levels: Front-wheel drive coupe trim levels include the SC1 and upgraded SC2. The SC2 includes standard fog lights and a rear decklid spoiler (both optional in SC1.) Leather seating is available only in SC2 editions. The SC2 features front seat thigh and side bolster support areas. Also included is a slightly more powerful four-cylinder engine.
New for 1998: Both the SC1 and SC2 four-seat coupes underwent a major redesign in the 1997 model year. Not a whole lot changes in 1998. The suspension is tuned for a smoother ride and a dark blue exterior color has been added. Shift points have been revised in Saturns with optional automatic transmission to alleviate hunting when switching gears.
Safety features: Dual air bags, anytime running lights, energy-absorbing steering column, five-mile-per-hour front and antilock brakes with traction control are a $695 option in all Saturn models.
Price: Saturn SC1 coupes have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $12,595, a 0.8 percent increase from 1997 while SC2 coupes started at $14,155, a 1.5 percent increase. The SC2 coupe is Saturn's most expensive offering. We had the opportunity to try out a SC1 with automatic transmission and an option package featuring power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, remote power right-side mirror and cruise control. The bottom line totaled $17,290 with a $440 destination charge.
Standard equipment: All Saturn vehicles include the following as standard features: Five-speed manual transmission, electronic fuel injection, reclining front seatbacks, rear window defogger, three-speed intermittent windshield wipers, adjustable steering column, rack-and-pinion steering and maintenance-free battery.
Optional equipment: Optional equipment in the Saturn SC1 coupe includes: automatic transmission ($860), upgraded stereo system with cassette and compact disc player, power sunroof ($695) (power sunroofs are not available in station wagons, or the base sedan), decklid spoiler, 15-inch alloy wheels and cruise control ($290). Power door locks with remote security system, power windows and power remote right-side mirror are available when ordering option packages. Air conditioning is a $960 option in SC1, but is standard in SC2.
Interior: Headlights operate from the turn signal stalk while windshield wipers activate from a right-hand side stalk. An interior light dial is found on the dashboard, left of the steering wheel. Fuel and trunk release levers are found on the left side of the driver's seat. A molded cup holders situates between the front bucket seats along with two toggle switches controlling the two front power side windows, and the power right-side mirror. A portable ashtray can be removed from an area in front of the floor-mounted transmission shifter. When removed, the area serves as an additional cup holder. Large power lock buttons are found on both doors. The AM/FM/cassette stereo, with rather small preset buttons, sits above the temperature control center operated by two slide levers and a rotary wheel. Seating comfort: Saturn acknowledges this coupe seats four, not five, a refreshing revelation. Many auto manufacturers claim three adults can fit in back of their compact coupe, and it's usually a pipe dream. Taller riders should sit up front where the two front bucket seats provide adequate head and legroom. Saturn's two rear seat cushions have a scooped contour, so passengers dip down a bit when sitting down. This is designed to improve headroom too, but for riders over six feet, headroom is still tight. Legroom is decent. Two molded cup holders situate between the two rear bucket seats. The rear seat back has a 60/40 split, convenient for transporting long items.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 102.4 inches Overall length: 180.0 inches Overall height: 53.0 inches Overall width: 67.3 inches Front headroom: 38.5 inches Curb weight: 2,338 pounds
Exterior: All Saturn vehicles offer dent-and-rust-resistant polymer fenders and doors. This has proven popular with buyers especially here in the midwest where rust can still eat away at car doors made from steal. Both Saturn coupes have a sporty-looking exterior. Exterior color choices include: black, gold, dark green, red, white, dark blue (new for the 1998 model year) and silver.
Trunk: Cargo volume checks in at 11.4 cubic feet. The trunk design incorporates a low-liftover design so loading or unloading items is a tad easier. A temporary spare tire stores below a flat-floored trunk bottom.
Engine: Two 1.9-liter, four cylinder engines power Saturn coupes. The SC1 editions include a single overhead cam power module delivering 100 horsepower. The SC2 features a double overhead cam engine producing 124 horsepower.
Fuel economy: Saturns have a solid reputation for decent gas mileage. Our SC1 test drive car with the smaller 100-horsepower engine and automatic transmission had fuel estimates of 27 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway. With 4,800 odometer miles, we averaged 30 miles in combined driving. The tank holds 12.1 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline.
Target Market: The average age of Saturn coupe buyers is 37. Median household income checks in at $50,000 and 70 percent are female. Fifty-four percent have graduated college. Primary competitors include the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Toyota Paseo.
Final thoughts: Saturns provide good, reliable transportation. Saturns were never built to be performance cars so acceleration, turning radius and handing may not be as responsive as other competitors. One knock against Saturns of the early 1990s was that too much engine noise seeped into the interior. That situation was addressed during the 1997 model year redesign. The 1998 models are substantially more quiet, but still not as noise-free as Toyota's Corolla or Nissan's Sentra. The coupe's exterior is eye-appealing. Saturns score well in several customer satisfaction surveys and tend to hold their resale value. |