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It was only a matter of time. Badging an existing General Motors minivan as a Saturn only makes sense. After all, the customer base foundation over the last fifteen years in large part consists of single females who bought their first car from a company who sold respect first and cars second. Now that these customers have grown up, married and have children, a minivan is a necessity. The 2005 Saturn Relay is the latest in a trio of new products energizing the Saturn family. Plans for the Aura, a mid-size sedan and the ultra cool Sky, a drop top roadster are causing even the skeptics to take another look at Saturn. Joining the existing Vue and Ion models, the Relay is a natural fit for customers needing a functional minivan. Since most automotive enthusiasts view the term "minivan" as the kiss of death, Saturn marketing types are calling this a crossover styled "family utility vehicle". I'm sorry, but this FUV is no SUV. It is a minivan plain and simple. It's tall like a van, has sliding rear doors like a van, and the mandatory lift-back of a minivan. The 2005 Saturn Relay shares its functional heritage with the Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terraza, and Pontiac Montana SV6. The 2005 Saturn Relay is available as both a front wheel drive and as an all wheel drive model. Both are powered by General Motors workhorse 3500 V6 engine mated to the standard 4 speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 18 MPG in the City and 24 MPG on the highway. While the Saturn Relay I drove is a good rendition of a minivan, I believe it faces stiff competition from other offerings like the Honda Odessey and the Chrysler Town and Country. The Saturn Relay simply does not stand out with unique features like in floor storage or exceptional value packages. My test vehicle did include the rear seat DVD Entertainment package that should be mandatory for anyone traveling with small children. Wireless headphones for children can help keep mommy and daddy sane on those long vacations. At only $175 the optional remote vehicle starter system is a bargain. Warm the car up while keeping it locked, all from the comfort of inside your home or office. Saturn is intent on calling the exterior styling SUV like, but I certainly can't see anything but minivan. Besides, what is so sporty about most SUV's anyway? I do like front hood line and grill, it reminds me of a Volvo. General Motors has promised to upgrade interiors on all of their new offerings. The 2005 Relay did not benefited from this new dedication. Awash in molded plastic with sharp edges the 2005 Saturn Relay deserved better interior quality. I do like several of the innovative storage systems available such as the rear storage system located in the floor behind the rear seats. Incorporated in the backs of the front seats are handy pockets to store the wireless headphones and the ceiling utilized an interior rail system containing a variety of systems. Driving the 2005 Relay is a pleasure. Handling is smooth and responsive. Parking is remarkably easy and visibility is more than adequate. An optional power package included power sliding doors and the ultrasonic rear parking assist. The 2005 Saturn Relay is not a breakthrough product development, but it does fill a natural void in the Saturn product lineup. Prices start at $24,485 but my test vehicle commanded a $29,295 sticker without leather or All Wheel Drive. While the Relay is competitive with other minivans in the market, it will never be rated as the best or most innovative vehicle. But Saturn buyers are different. They like doing business with Saturn dealers. Customer satisfaction ratings of Saturn buyers are extremely high because they like the respect and one price buying experience. So for those buyers who respect the Saturn experience, the 2005 Saturn Relay is a fresh and solid contender in the minivan segment.
2005 Saturn Relay FWD.3
$29,295 MSRP as tested
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©2003 - Stan Risener