1996 Saturn SL review from North America
"Good overall bang for your buck, but not my pick of the litter!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
This was a 1997 base model with manual transmission and was an extremely reliable car. Gas mileage from this vehicle was top notch - I once traveled 425 miles on a full tank from Georgia to Florida and that was even while the A/C was in use. Maintenance costs were reasonable with the exception of spark plugs which was a few hundred dollars every 30,000 miles. Customer service at the dealership was above average and your car was always given a complimentary wash each time it needed its required maintenance at the dealership.
General comments?
Despite the fact that this is a 1.9 4 cylinder engine, this car definitely does not get awarded top marks for acceleration. However, this baby enjoys speed and will not want to travel under 70 MPH. Handling was excellent for rack and pinion steering, but hydro planing even on the slightest of wet surfaces was a problem.
Recommended reviews
| What a piece of junk! |
|
| Avoid Saturn |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 13 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65466 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen GTI |
| Date of Entry | 15th June, 2002 |