2006 Saturn Relay

Started in the 1980s as “a new kind of car company,” General Motors’ Saturn division took a fresh approach to manufacturing and selling automobiles. Initially, the brand launched with “no haggle” dealership pricing and a small lineup of vehicles distinguished by dent-resistant plastic door panels. Over time, the cars and SUVs became more conventional, sharing parts and basic designs with other GM models. The last Saturn vehicles, the Aura sedan and Astra hatchback, were based on designs from the European brand Opel, which was then a part of GM. Ultimately, Saturn was shuttered during GM’s bankruptcy in 2010, along with Hummer, Pontiac, and Saab. Saturn vehicles still on the road today are over a decade old and lag behind other used options when it comes to safety and convenience features.

Saturn's only minivan, the Relay was introduced for 2005, a freshened version of a family of GM minivans that have been in production since 1997. It was never a very good choice. As with the Buick Terraza, Chevrolet Uplander, and Pontiac Montana SV6, the Relay was powered by a coarse 3.5-liter, 201-hp V6 engine. A 240-hp 3.9-liter V6 became optional in 2006. In our testing we found the ride stiff and noisy, handling reluctant, and fit and finish insubstantial. The second-row seats can be folded and removed, but they are heavy to remove and reinstall. The folding third-row seat folds flat but doesn't drop into a well beneath the floor as it does in the Honda Odyssey and some other competitors. Saturn dropped this outdated and uncompetitive vehicle in 2007.