1996 Saturn S-Series Review

People really don't buy Saturns because the car is that good.

Most like the no-hassle Saturn buying experience and the knowledge that they'll be treated like a Rolls-Royce buyer after the salesman vanishes with their money--judging by many conversations I've had with Saturn buyers and executives.

Few buyers seemed to mind that General Motors' Saturn sedan and station wagon looked a bit odd until restyled for 1996. And not many seemed to care that the Saturn coupe and pre-1996 sedans and wagons were rather noisy and unrefined, compared with rivals such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Saturn owners love the car, thanks partly to people-oriented new-age marketing and a high level of customer care and satisfaction.

Forget the technical stuff; you'd be surprised at the large number of people who couldn't even tell you what kind of engine is under their auto's hood. As long as it runs fine, they're happy.

As for the Saturn car, it's fairly simple with good quality. While not perfect, it shines in important areas. And dealers stand ready to jump on any problems a Saturn owner might encounter, judging by most accounts. Saturn denies it, but industry analysts say the small number of Saturn dealers lets GM quietly help subsidize their sparkling service.

The new sedan and wagon generate less engine noise and vibration and road noise, and the revised 1997 Saturn coupes also promise to be a bit quieter.

Moreover, Saturns have been fairly innovative, with items such as no-rust, no-ding plastic body panels and a cheap, effective traction-control system. A Saturn never was a car to be hidden like a Yugo. Rather, it's always given the message that its owners are rather trendy.

All Saturns are fun to drive, especially with the dual-overhead-camshaft version of their 1.9-liter aluminum four-cylinder engine. Any 1996 Saturn with ``2'' in its name--such as the SL2 sedan or SC2 coupe--has that smoother, 124-horsepower motor. Saturns with no number or ``1'' in their name, like the SL1, have the single-overhead-cam, 100-horsepower version.

The dual-cam, 16-valve engine is especially lively and responsive. It's also economical, although noisy when pushed.

Saturns never have been inexpensive. Base prices for 1996 models range from $10,495 for the entry level SL sedan to $13,295 for the SC2 coupe.

But that's without options.

I recently tested the SL2 sedan. It has a $12,295 base price, but options and a $390 freight charge caused the bottom line to read $17,190--a hefty amount for a subcompact. And it didn't even have an automatic transmission, which would have raised the base price to $13,125.

But most of the options added to driving comfort, convenience and safety. They included air conditioning, cruise control, anti-lock brakes with traction control, power windows and power locks with remote keyless entry.

The car could have done without the $195 rear spoiler, which had a tacked-on look, and the $690 leather seats seemed out of place in an economy sedan.

The Saturn automatic shifts crisply. The standard five-speed manual shifts sloppily, but gives the car slightly better performance and economy. The SL2 manual streaks from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in just 7.9 seconds and delivers an EPA-estimated 25 m.p.g. in the city and an impressive 35 on highways. Economy figures are 24 and 34 with the automatic.

The power steering is crisp, and the all-independent suspension provides sharp handling and a comfortable, well-controlled ride. Braking also is good.

The more attractive 1996 sedan has a roomier back seat, which allows two 6-footers to fit comfortably. The trunk is fairly large, and flip-down rear seatbacks increase cargo space.

The supportive front seats are comfortable, gauges are easily read and it's simple to use major controls, which have a nice fluid feel. However, the horn buttons are inconveniently located on the steering wheel, and my test car's turn-signal lever often refused to return to its normal position by itself--a fault that became increasingly annoying.

GM is a long way from getting back the billions it put in Saturn, which began selling cars in late 1990 after eight long years of development.

But GM has pulled off what no other U.S. automaker has done since before World War II; it has created an auto division with a customer-pleasing reputation even envied by Mercedes and Rolls--not to mention GM's flagship Cadillac division.