1996 Saturn SL2 | Retro Review

[@cdldriver2348]

Can't believe this summer it will be 15 years since Saturn along with Pontiac went out of business forever.

[@jamesj.litteriojr.433]

I know right!!! What F&*king Bullshit!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved and grew on Pontiacs. Graduation present for 1987 when I was 18 years old was a 1969 Black Pontiac GTO!!!!! Awesome car!!!!!😎

[@cdldriver2348]

in May 1987 I turned 16, my grandfather GAVE me his 1978 Pontiac Bonneville, it was a big car but, electric windows and power locks which were rare in the 70's and big trunk for 2 - 12" subs along with red/red velour interior. Best part, 12mpg!!!@@jamesj.litteriojr.433

[@BReal-10EC]

Oldsmobile died 20 years ago- arguable a more significant brand (historically) to kill off. But they kept Buick! great. FWIW- I used to see those Chevy Captiva crossovers everywhere here. They were the last Saturn Vue but rebadged to a Chevy Captiva and sold to fleets after Saturn was killed off. They lasted fairly well for all going through rental car use before getting sold to the public.

[@SantanKGhey1234]

good riddance to failed nameplates

[@manthony225]

I can't beleive how badly GM screwed up Saturn after the 90's

[@bazinga2]

I have an 02 SL2, these things were truly built for the people, cheap but sturdy, no gimmicks, does exactly what it’s supposed to, is fun to drive, and will last forever

[@JohnEvans-ct6mz]

I was a Saturn technician back in the early-mid 2000s. The S series was an all around excellent car. They were notorious for using oil, but after 1995 if you changed your oil every 3k miles, they were fine. We had multiple models traded in with well over 300k miles. Just a shame after 2002, GM fully dug their claws in and destroyed the brand completely.

[@sjhudon386]

I had a Sl1 sedan and an SW2 wagon. Both with well over 200k with no major issues.

[@b-genspinster7895]

Had a 97 SL2. Best car I’ve ever owned.

[@geemanss]

I agree! I miss the old Saturn days. (Saturn Of New Orleans)

[@JohnEvans-ct6mz]

@@geemanss Nice! I worked at Saturn of Orchard Park in Buffalo, NY. What I miss the most are Saturn labor times! The only company I worked for that was better (labor time wise) was Audi. I now work for VW, their times are pretty close.

[@HC-cb4yp]

The UAW broke their agreement with GM regarding Saturn and got even more greedy, so there was no money left for developing the third (really the second) generation of Saturn. Communists hate America - what else can you say?

[@silverxstar01]

I will never not love the styling of this car. Still looking futuristic in 2024!

[@bikes7777]

We loved our saturns. 00 SL2, 04 ion and 05 Vue. All 5 speed manuals!

[@LrulestheworldM8]

These cars are still EVERYWHERE. Even in the northeast. They're cheap, reliable little runabouts. Yea, they're pretty bland like a Toyota, but I'll take a little blandness anyday over unreliable junk other GM divisions were producing at the time. This was the best thing GM made in the 90s. And that's coming from a huge Pontiac/Oldsmobile fan. These really did have a big purpose to fulfill, and they nailed it.

[@BigWheel.]

The build quality was actually really good too, very solid feeling compared to even higher end offerings from gm at the time.

[@BigWheel.]

The build quality was actually really good too, very solid feeling compared to even higher end offerings from gm at the time.

[@joseeduardo4327]

Same. Here in MI I see them daily still

[@Cokie907]

Man, you nailed it. I was poor in the 90's. My Fox body stang had over 200k and was rusting to hell. I needed reliable and cheap transpo so I decided on a 95 Corolla which was a nice ECONOBOX. One day I drove a courtesy car at Signature Flight Support and it was a 96 Saturn SL2. I fell in ❤❤❤. By 1998, I found a used 96 in my price range: $9300. 26 years later I am still driving her but she does need new CV axles. Pop, pop, pop! LOL 😆

[@99subigt]

My 1st saturn was in 97-98 in high school when I got a 93 saturn sc2 for $1500 bucks, it was the best car ever, I remember that the windshield was cracked and I paid over $500.00 to replace it and one of the reasons why the car was $1500, the car had about 120k and when I sold it the car had over 260k and not to mention that with $20bucks you could fill the gas and drive for over 300 miles till the next refueling, what a great car.

[@RabbiJesus]

Dude. Why was it so expensive? Just ripped off?

[@99subigt]

@RabbiJesus if I recall correctly, 🤔 the bottom 2 corners were at such an angle that went kinda of wrapped into the car, weird looking windshield if you were to look at it when it's off the car.

[@RabbiJesus]

@@99subigt dang, that’s a whole heck of a lot of money for a kid, especially back then.

[@Stuntcat-vv8cm]

Why did you sell it?! I'd never!

[@99subigt]

@Stuntcat-vv8cm I didn't want to sell my sc2 but I had to do it, I had the car for so many years even after I graduated high school the sc2 took me everywhere and I loved it, if I remember correctly my kid was 3 years old and getting too big for the car, my kid used to kick the back of the seat and my wife at that time used to get so mad and complain all the time about it, when I was driving by myself it was great but with the ex and son it was just plain nagging and nagging so I had to do what I had to do😮‍💨 and the rest is history.

[@dohc1067]

Honestly, I prefer the previous styling, but I like the simplicity of the engine bay. I still see 👀 these every once in a while.

[@Stuntcat-vv8cm]

I honestly don't know which one I like more, it comes down to if you prefer a more modern look or not. It looks great both ways.

[@SouthsideKidd550]

I remember back in the day when Saturn dealerships had the "No-Haggle" pricing. $0 down and 0% interest on a brand new Saturn. Folks who went in and bought a Saturn actual kept the cars and paid them off.

[@dabutler07]

I had two of these in this exact color. A 96 and 99sl2. I finally had to get rid of the 99sl2 around 232k miles but I miss them both. I've had a Subaru legacy gt and Honda civic si but my Saturn's still remain the most reliable vehicles I've ever owned. Thank you to all of the people in Spring Hill, TN, the saturn dealerships and the saturn community. To some it may have been cheap transportation but to us it was so much more

[@nowiecoche]

Ever since purchasing my Saturn, I’ve fallen pretty deep into the Saturn hole and charmed by the uniqueness of the company. In particular, the S series was one of a kind that society has generally overlooked. Because people tend to ignore the S Series, they are cheaper than other popular used vehicles, but part of me also wish they could be preserved as much as possible for its work of art build quality of the S Series.

[@dabutler07]

@nowiecoche I agree. When I see one out in the wild now I feel overjoyed. Really wish they were still around and cars were built for everyday people

[@nowiecoche]

⁠​⁠@@dabutler07As far as I know, there are no domestic brands selling cars that are for the everyday people, and that was as friendly to do business with the regular Joe non-car people as what Saturn did. I can see that Tesla is taking Saturn’s people friendly way of selling cars, but Teslas are expensive compared to any Saturns. Saturn needs a place in the automotive history books, but I guess we have to keep on remembering that for everyone else.

[@nowiecoche]

@@dabutler07I do also look out for any wild Saturns on the road. Rust belt kills most but the remaining are strong survivors.

[@angryshoebox]

I had a 1996 SW1 (station wagon) from new for 10 years. It was OK...for a GM small car. That 1.9L made oil disappear. I agree with those auto historians who said that what really sold Saturns was the no-haggle pricing and buying experience.

I had a brand new 2001 SL2 Drove it over 221,000 miles till the transmission blew up on the 110 freeway in downtown Los Ángeles! Loved that car!

[@mattc9875]

You should have serviced the transmission, very easy and cheap to do, and could have done 300k miles or more.

@@mattc9875 I thought about that but my drive to Warner Bros everyday needed a quick solution. Warner Bros had GM, Ford and Chrysler employee partner pricing. So the next day, Monday, I bought a new 2011 Ford Taurus from the largest Ford dealer in the world by sales, Galpin Ford. I think I received 12% of sticker, 0.9% finance for 4 years and $1000 Ford Cash. So I took it. The Saturn was given to my Godson, his first car, he fixed the transmission and drove it!

[@andrewpizzino2514]

My 95 Saturn SL2 is still running 315K

[@alexbellotti8423]

I had a 2000 SL (no 1 or 2 - which meant you either got A/C or power steering, but not both; mine had A/C) it was a great commuter, good mileage and as reliable as anything else I’ve ever owned. But I eventually got tired of the heavy steering in parking lots. It had about 250,000 miles on it and started every time and ran good. If I can find a decent SL2 I will definitely get it.

[@spydaman5684]

I currently have the same car… 1998 saturn SL 5 speed.. plenty of get up and go, excellent gas mileage, most reliable car I've owned… 145K and going strong

[@SureShot_2]

Great car. Still have mine

[@albear972]

Those Saturn cars were boring as heck but very reliable cars. I still have my 2002 L series. It has never burned oil and has always started up right away. I'm driving it until the wheels fall off. It still looks danged good too due to the plastic body panels.

[@thatfordguy2268]

Saturn's are solid cars, reliable and easy to work on. Had one similiar modded the intake and exhaust with a custom 4 to 1 manifold and a downstream catalytist, little grandma car was quick! If you own a Saturn and it burns oil, switch to Castrol full synthetic, you're welcome.😏👍

[@nowiecoche]

I’ll keep that oil brand in mind. I wonder what’s so different about Castrol oil that cleans up Saturn’s piston ring area?

[@josephthomas8318]

These little things were so iconic. I still see this things rolling around from time to time

[@palebeachbum]

@MotorWeek this video title is labeled incorrectly. This body style came out for the 1996 model year, not 1995. I really miss '90s Saturns. They were very stylish, affordable, and efficient cars. Sedan, wagon, or coupe. Take your pick. The plastic body panels were really neat.

[@MPi-KM]

I've got a '02 SL2 with about 156k miles on it. I've had it for 3 or 4 years now. Other than the a/c compressor burning up and my engine does drink a lot of oil, it's been very reliable for me. I have to admit, I liked the previous generations look to mine. I loved that curved back window.

[@AlainLedoux-g7r]

In 1997, I worked at a Saturn dealership in Granby Quebec Canada. I was a washer, commission agent and more. I tried them all: the new ones, the used ones from customers, those from service and courtesy. There were two equipment levels 1 and 2 and here there were three SC SL SW models for coupe, sedan and stationwagon. There was a good difference in behavior between the 1 and the 2. Of course, the 2 was my favorite, quite a bit more powerful and stiff than the 1. 120 hp / 122 lbs-ft torque in just over 900 kg gave a 0 -100km/h in 8.0 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 182 km/h. I liked the automatic better. All we had to do was step on the gas pedal and turn the steering wheel. Very good handling for the time. On the other hand, the car was so light that you had to be careful on windy days. What a face! and what a time compared to today... 🤪The car may have been made of plastic and aluminum, but the frame was unfortunately made of steel and not strong enough. We often saw windshields split wide at the bottom and it was not always because of the rocks received. The brand paid a dear price during GM's bankruptcy and fell into disarray. Buick was saved by the Chinese. There should only be two brands at GM, Chevrolet and Cadillac and that's it. Buick and GMC should disappear Ça sera à la prochaine faillite! Faillite!Faillite... Cela s'en vient. Ils vont se péter la gueule avec leurs ÉLECTRIQUES...

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

Had two S-series Saturns, would buy another one in a heartbeat. Inexpensive, reliable, easy to work on...everything modern cars aren't

[@herbiehusker1889]

If you treated these cars right, they last forever

[@KartKing4ever]

That's the thing. 50% of the buyers were 75 years old and did treat them well. The other 50% were teenagers who thrashed them. And then 25% of the old people ones went to teenagers as the second owner, like my buddy's, after which we thrashed it lmao

[@nowiecoche]

For Saturns, treat them well and they can go 400k miles. Some of the long term Saturn ownership stories are astonishing.

[@silverxstar01]

I still see them on the road more frequently than a lot of other cars of the era.

[@mattwolf7698]

I bought one in highschool and it only lasted until 137,000 miles. ...But it was 12 years old when I bought it and it wouldn't surprise me if the previous owner neglected to change the oil enough and that's assuming the dealership didn't just mess with the odometer. I liked the car though, it lasted me 5 years making it 17 when it finally died.

[@nowiecoche]

@@mattwolf7698 What was the nail in the coffin for your Saturn? Also, what year Saturn?

[@RLKRAILTIES]

This model of car was my father’s second car he owned in my 22 years I have been alive. He bought a used 1997 Saturn S Series 4 door in 2008. It had a manual transmission, it was so 90s. I remember my father dropping me off to elementary school in Minneapolis from his former apartment in Anoka at 7 AM. He would wake me up at 5:30 AM for the long drive to school. In 2010, he gave away the 97 Saturn to my grandfather and placed a down payment for a 2008 Saturn Aura that same year. I remember how new fresh and clean that 08 Saturn Aura was at the Chevy dealership in Eden Prairie. Grandpa kept the 97 Saturn for 6 more years and the in 2016, it reached the end of its life. It was sold to the junkyard. By this time, the car had been so badly beaten. When I was 9 years old in 2011 I threw a basketball to the hoop on top of Grandpa’s Garage and it landed on the car damaging the hood and creating a rust spot. I called her “Stick Shift” because the manual transmission was so loud. And oh man the Inline 4 engine. Everyday I always think about that 97 Saturn.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you so much for another GM brand review. it is appreciated. John Davis is right. They did look like an Oldsmobile. The front styling, the rear window on the first generation and more. They looked like a cross between a Oldsmobile Firenza and Cutlass Supreme sedan. It could also be said a Holden Commodore also. Saturn just had a hard time because it was competing against the outside competition and inside GM competition. Chevrolet fought hard against Saturn. Then later it became Opel North America. It was all about the branding and marketing. Just wow....

[@MrThermo345]

Had one and loved it!

[@nickd.7267]

I have a 95 SL. 128k. Excellent body. Just got done putting a transmission valve body in it. Uses oil like a sieve. Nothing like valve seals won't fix. An input shaft nut and it'll be brand new

[@scott8919]

All Cars With Jon is going to love reacting to this 😂

[@fatcole1152]

Had an SL1 and SL2, SL2 was nicer but the SL1 was more fun to drive with its manual transmission and punchy little engine combo I appreciated the SL1 for having manual EVERYTHING. It didn't even have power steering. Maintenance was incredibly minimal and it was not only lighter than the SL2 it felt much lighter as well

[@maxwelld3753]

I have a 99 SL1 that’s been in the family since new, definitely my favorite car ever

[@vlajster]

Love these retro reviews no matter which car it is about! Keep it coming and happy 2024.!

[@buckfiden2988]

Oh how I miss my Saturn.

[@FuzzyCollieDoggo]

FYI, this is a 1996 model year SL2. The 1995 was a first gen, this was the start of the second gen body style. Might want to update the video title lol.

[@traviscombs6947]

They may also want to fix the "Satutn" typo while they're at it

[@nwezetx1]

They often make these mistakes, because of the 1995 air date in question confusing the fellow millennial (or Zers) working for MW who are less informed.

[@boss12]

I feel like if Saturn had simply become the new Olds lineup, then they both would still exist.

[@joshthemediocre7824]

I'm sorry Saturns didn't make it, i loved them.

[@user-ix9yu3wq6w]

If Saturn was still in business I’d still own one. I loved my Saturns 😢

[@BigWheel.]

I had both an sl1 and an sl2, really prefered the twin cam engine, i plan on buying a rust free one from the south, the first one blew an engine because I was a kid and didn't know any better, the 2nd one was a beater and I sold it after the underbody rust was becoming concerning. It still ran and drove.

[@theKevronHarris]

I love the dent resistant plastic panels on the Saturn cars!!

[@isaac24]

Still daily driving my 2000 SL1 with 225k miles. Uses a bit of oil but is awesome. Much better than everything else GM made at the time.

[@googleaccount2637]

GM vehicles equipped with their 3.8, 4.3, 5.3, 6.0 or 6.6 engines were solid & some are still running.

[@isaac24]

@@googleaccount2637 None of those had build quality as good as the Saturns. GM build quality in the late 90s and 2000s was awful.

[@tjwatson0403]

I miss my SL2. It was my first real car

[@adamspitz4281]

Took my driver's test in my aunt's SL1 back in the day. Still a nice looking car.

[@torres3800]

I remember being in My GM class learning about Saturn’s Unique approach to using the “Lost Foam” process to manufacturing engine blocks and heads. Every engine had that Styrofoam pattern. Later I saw it on GM 4200 series engines. Very interesting.

[@jamesbyun8571]

Saturn deserved better.

[@forterierocks]

There's a guy at my local dirt track that runs one of these in the mini stock 4cyl class and he's always running up front and finished 2nd in points the last 2 seasons behind a VW New Beetle.

[@51-FS]

My buddy has one. His son has a Pontiac and does really well. We have more cobolts on the track tho.

[@forterierocks]

@@51-FS 70% Mustangs, The Saturn & Beetle, Golfs and Jettas, Sunfire's & Cavaliers, Couple Jap Junk is what normally runs they had a few S10's and Rangers the first year or two of mini stock but they all disappeared 🤷‍♂️

[@dedeborya9015]

I had this car. Great for gas mileage, insurance costs and low operating expenses. NOT exciting, NOT sporty, NOT fast - but a great pain free commuter

[@LeoM-zt3pl]

My dad bought one of these with low kms in the early 2000s. It looked great, no dents or rust. First odd thing was it didnt even come with a passenger mirror 😂 apparently that was an option! It drank oil like crazy. He had to have the engine rebuilt and clutch replaced in no time. And he is the definition of a conservative driver.

[@GaryLeeOfficial]

My grandmother has a '99 SL2, I heard she's had it somewhere between 15-20 or so years with around 150k miles. She loves the little thing, and it seems she hasn't had any problems with it, I think the dopey little sedan's begun rubbing off onto me because now Im wanting one

[@frankbjr1250]

Loved my sl2,sc2 and redline. Great cars

[@boni_traxton9436]

Every time I see Saturn I think about Moesha an her daddy Frank owning that Saturn dealer

[@theKevronHarris]

Same here. I remember Moesha driving in a red Saturn SC2 on a couple of episodes. I thought Brandy would have used the Saturn SC2 in one of her music videos.

[@nwezetx1]

Lmao, my peeps! Rare to see in car spaces (so I'm happy) Funny enough, that Season 1 episode of Moesha's first car was taped around this time at the end of 1995 (aired in 1996).

[@theKevronHarris]

@@nwezetx1 I remember Moesha had a 1970s VW thing and it was slow as hell.

[@mattc9875]

I bought a used 2002 SL1 last year w/42k miles on the odo for my wife, her first car. It's very versatile, easy/cheap to service and gets good gas mileage. The interiors seem like the car just got out of the dealership. The design is a bit vintage, which I like a lot. The 1.9L responds pretty good despite the low HPs as this car is light and has a pretty good power to weight ratio, an aspect other GM vehicles normally score poorly. I firmly believe Saturn would score well in today's market.

[@svpracer98]

I miss my 08 Astra XR. It was genuinely the only unique product in gm's north american portfolio. I very occasionally still see it out on the open road, and the styling still seems timeless.

[@BReal-10EC]

They sold over a million 1st gen Saturns? That's crazy.. but still not enough to pay back the 5 billion GM spent on Saturn. It's too bad they couldn't figure out how to make a larger sedan with the Saturn process as midsize sedans became the big market then. The rebadged Opel L-series were ok but they were not Saturns- they lacked the smart but frugal design and durable plastic panels. It was more riddled GM cost cutting.

[@Porsche996driver]

The plastic panels kept the weight lower too. Not bad for the time!

[@brettcannon74]

My first brand new car! Great memories

[@CashMoneyReckadz]

This was the car I learned how to drive stick on!

[@KartKing4ever]

My buddy had one of these in college. We used to beat the piss out of it. I remember him leaving a one tire fire through the main intersection on campus, in the rain and around a corner, of course. His had the 4-Speed which I really think would have changed some MotorWeek opinions lol. The manual seems like it's much better in terms of performance.

[@thenash76]

Good times

[@vwestlife]

Those video transitions are delightfully cheesy. But for some reason, the music and B-roll audio was mixed out-of-phase.

[@Wannabecowboy004]

I currently own a 96 SL2 5spd and SW2 auto love them to death, durable and fun to drive transportation, they will be a missed brand for sure.

[@Stuntcat-vv8cm]

My mom had a 98 Sl2 Auto, it was handed down to me. Unfortunately it was totaled in an accident, but the thing had 246k miles on it and easily could've made it to 300k! it burned a lot of oil though, but still kept on running and running! Pretty soon I'll be buying another one

[@liamirving7628]

My first car was a 98 sl2 identical to the test vehicle. Was always fun kicking the doors in front of my friends in the high school parking lot to show the dent proof doors

[@davidaubin3902]

1:42 John: NOW THIS IS FUN! LOL

[@spydaman5684]

I still have a 1998 Saturn SL 5 speed… 145K

[@thimble288]

Fine car, my favorite GM product

[@genealamos9888]

have a gold 99 SL1 5 Speed will never sell as its proven itself for years , quick , nimble, always starts cools heats and fun to drive. Flew to N.C to drive back another 99 SL2 5 Speed just for a back yard sunday driver- it has cruise control... the market will never see these as i know what platform works. owned 46 cars so far, and only my 80 Celica GT came close to having something so fun and reliable. keep your processor controlled engine , with its broken ignition, and your 89k truck in the shop for a shelled xmission, all I do is change oil at 3k and add gas once in a while.

[@SulikTrucker95]

Reminds me of Lada 2110

[@MegaRetr]

Wow awesome car😊

[@josucarsnews3153]

The 1996 Model Year

[@lucasworktv]

Saturn were fire 🔥

[@ronmendoza1274]

My 1995 SC2 stick had 234,000 miles before it was stolen for the cat convertor.

[@Skyisthelimit4me]

I miss simple affordable cars like these. No overpowered engines making everybody's insurance rates go up. No stupid touch screens that disable the A/C when they break. No stupid HVAC blend door actuators that break, it's all vacuum operated. No need to take it to a body shop just to change a headlight ir taillight bulb. New cars suck old cars are better. New cars hold up better in a crash which is why they drive them like they want to destroy them, but they wouldn't drive an older car like that because they knew what would happen if they crashed. New cars give people a false sense of safety & encourage them to drive reckless. Bring back plain simple Saturns!

[@thebearsden1701]

Still driving my 2002 sc1 ...529kms..5spd..

[@Ludeboi420]

Haven't seen one of these in at least a few years

[@Super_Charged4life]

I cant believe I haven't owned a 2nd gen out of the 9 saturns I've owned

[@RA-wl1vt]

I worked in the service department at Saturn back in 2000/2001 and these cars were fairly dependable. Some of them burned oil like crazy but Saturn was very generous with their warranty coverage. They also went through alternators due to the alternator being at the back of the engine and getting cooked by engine heat but all in all with proper care they lasted a long time. They were true import fighters, but as usual GM started part sharing and they ruined these cars by making them more like every other GM product of the time which is what ultimately killed the brand.

[@josucarsnews3153]

1996 Sartun SL2

[@dronepilot260rc]

Ah yes I remember these haha 😂

[@Cokie907]

Always wanted a GOLD ONE!!! Ended up with hunter green which i still like but each time I see a gold Saturn I get a little bit envious. LOL Moral of the story: don't settle on color when you buy a new car, it just might end up bugging you for TWENTY SIX YEARS!!! 😂 (I am too cheap to repaint it.)

[@doug6191]

The SL2 in forest green with tan and a 5-speed. 👏👏

[@JeffSpehar-ov1cn]

Boy, were you wrong! I owned a 1992 Saturn SL2. Cheap plastic interior, head gasket went at 40,000 miles as did the right front passenger power window.

[@sjhudon386]

I wouldn't mind having a first gen SC2 5spd with rear disc brakes. Flip up headlights 😊

[@realazduffman]

A shame Roger Penske was not allowed to buy this brand and Opel along with it

[@303nitzubishi4]

I want to live in the universe where GM funded R&D for the Saturn brand and continued to offer a competitive product. Instead we got the Ion and cobalt which were of far less quality. I own a later model HHR and it's a decent car but the earlier 04-06/7 delta cars were pretty bad. Saturn had such a good run for that decade. My mom's '00 SW2 is a very good car and has held up just as well as any Honda or NUMMI car of the era

[@winstonmiu]

Hard to believe how quick these cars are, doing 0-60 comfortably under 10s. I guess it makes sense due to their lightweight plastic body.

[@MrChevybaja]

my first new car was a 95 SL2. didn't look like that.

[@sasz2107]

I liked the styling of the first generation better. However, it is hard for me to understand with all the success they had in the 90s, that they could not keep it going by the mid 2000s - even though they came out with new models. And then after 2009, they were gone. A head scratcher for sure. WTF?!

[@redneon06]

Wasn’t it supposed to be an Oldsmobile? I liked them.

[@carexpertandy]

Come on Motorweek. This isn’t a 1995, it’s a 1996 as clearly stated in the video.

[@nwezetx1]

I often point out these mistakes, but they don't care and commenters I chide me for "being a Karen". This aired in 1995 when these came out, so likely the uploader got confused. Definitely a 1996 model.

[@chrisb9478]

We bought 1 of these, a loaded 1 with leather. It drove very good for a GM. We usually bought Honda cars. But when we neared 40k miles, the engine started burning oil & it would foul the spark plugs & set off the check engine light. Took to dealer. They said, “Oh yeah, there was a bad run of piston rings, but you’re out of warranty, we can rebuild your engine if you want?” I popped in fresh spark plugs & drove it to the Honda dealer & traded it for a new trouble free Accord! 😂 This was the Last time we bought GM.

[@LongIslandMopars]

I had good luck with a 2002 L200 with the 2.2 Ecotec. Drove it trouble free for 126k miles before selling it.

[@94tegLSatMSC]

Ha, must have been a long run of bad rings then. My mom had 2 of these growing up, a 1991 and a 1998, both manual, first single cam and second twin cam like in the video. Before 100k miles they were both leaking and burning oil like crazy. She always serviced them on time from what I remember.

[@madmanmapper]

The OG Saturns were good cars. Yeah they had problems, all cars do. But they had good ideas. I liked that the engine and trans dipsticks were both up in front and right next to each other. All temperature sensors on the car were interchangeable. Yeah the transmission was a knockoff of Honda - a weird automatic that works more like a manual, but not. They were light duty, but so was the car. There was always plenty of room in the engine bay, service was always easy. The later Saturns were just POS Opels and had issues and bad engineering much worse than normal non-Saturn domestic GM cars. It's no wonder Saturn went under after GM took away their ability to think for themselves.

[@4HBirtcher]

Motorweek didn’t even mention that the 95 Saturns also have an Automatic transmission option because they’re people who can’t drive a stick!

[@davidbaron6647]

NICE MISS SATURN!!!!!

[@aarondowler2466]

So sad that GM couldn’t keep their stupid hands off this great division. They just had to start their stupid platform sharing and this was the ruin of a great car. Everything they touch they just can’t help but kill.

[@briantorres7339]

I had a 1997 SL2. My engine burned oil and the automatic transmission went out, at 114k, another fridge who had a 95 SC2, the automatic quit at only 78k miles. The automatic transmissions were kinda weak.

[@theKevronHarris]

Looks like a combination of the Nissan 300ZX and the Lada 2110.

[@jimnakamura3618]

All three models have a very high price tag for the year of 1996 money.

[@saltyt.1886]

1995 Saturn SL !! The savior of GM….well….not so much.

[@nwezetx1]

'96 model, these first appeared in late 1995. Title is wrong.

[@lilypark8735]

Wow Saturn "F"ed up on this model year. Everyone loved their first generation

[@melchristian8876]

🙏🙏🙏🙏♥️♥️🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@rushbroussard5399]

SATURN UP FRONT LOOKS LIKE A OLDSMOBILE ❤😂😅

[@joseeduardo4327]

Or a 300ZX

[@theKevronHarris]

Either a Vauxhall/Opel Calibra or a Lada 110 at the front of the 1996 Saturn's. I think the rear looks like a Toyota Tercel without the reflective decor panel on the trunk.

[@geolehman]

How GM f’d up the Saturn success was so typical of them.