1996 Saturn SW2 Test Drive

When the first Saturn cars made their debut in 1990, the automotive press wished the fledgling carmaker well but dismissed the cars as noisy, buzzy and crude. In the years shortly after, Saturn grew steadily. It built its one million cars by the middle of 1995, and had regularly announced sales records and growth increases. The company also had attained the higghest loyalty rate in the business – that’s the number of Saturn owners who came back and bought another Saturn. It achieved extraordinary levels of customer satisfaction, routinely ranking at the top of the list with luxury marques such as Lexus and Infiniti. Did Saturn accomplish all this by revamping its cars into superb examples of automotive achievement? Not really.

The Lesson of Saturn was that you don’t need great cars to be successful. If you build a reliable car that provides all the basics, is priced well, and is pleasant to buy and own, you’re set. For 1996 Saturn revised its sedan and wagon for the first time since their introduction. The sedan and wagon are now quieter and a subjectively more stylish, with a more attractive interior and some additional safety features. Saturn owners have always loved their cars. For 1996, they finally had a nicer car to love.