The timing was perfect to say the least. I had two hours to run home, pick up the "other half" and jet to the airport to pick up the in-laws for a weekend trip…and our road test editor had just tossed me the keys to Saturn's latest entry into the mid-size wagon segment: the L-Series wagon.
Down in the Edmunds.com parking garage, we took a few minutes to look over the new L-Series. True to its heritage, the LW1 shares many of the styling cues of its sibling S-series — signature headlamps, taillamps, dent-resistant bodyside panels and horizontal body lines — while introducing new design elements — vertical "C" pillar, body-colored "D" pillar and fat-lipped bumpers — to create an identity all its own
Packing our LW1 tester, we found the cargo area easily took on a full load of camera gear, film (enough for a two-month Himalayan expedition), an overloaded suitcase and gifts for the relatives, leaving (what we hoped to be) enough room for the additional bags we would obtain at the airport. Saturn was kind enough to include two hidden compartments on either side of the cargo floor, which neatly swallowed our roadside emergency kit and a variety of rags.
Traversing the Southern California freeway system, the LW1 soaked up every ripple in the pavement, without transmitting a single jolt to the cabin area. Once loaded with two extra passengers and an array of baggage (which the rear hatch swallowed nicely), the ride turned from good to bad, as we found the rear suspension bump stops with every dip in the road. For what you would expect this vehicle is designed to carry, the suspension is in desperate need of higher spring rates and increased rebound shock valving. And the fun was yet to come - a 25-mile stretch of mountainous terrain.
Praise was heralded from the rear when it came to head- and legroom, but complaints that the 60/40-split seats were too hard and raked too far forward soon followed five miles down the road. Once the rear 12-volt powerpoint was found, our rear occupants began searching feverishly for an accessory to plug in.
Up front, a pair of cloth buckets provided good lateral and lumbar support - enough that after driving for two straight hours, we felt little fatigue. Were it not for a mandatory "pit stop," we could have easily driven another shift.
We enjoyed the ergonomic layout of the cabin, with controls for lights/signals and wiper/washer within an easy finger's reach on their distinct stalks. The climate controls featured large dials for air temperature (which wafted air cold enough to blow snow) and direction. We disliked Saturn's selection of a "spin-dial" fan speed selector switch, which the other half commented could make for easily broken fingernails.
The optional eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo provided decent sound, but for the $220 the factory charges for the upgrade, we'd opt for a decent aftermarket variant. The stereo switchgear was on the small side and difficult to use when driving at highway speeds. Our only other major complaint in the cabin was the location of the window switches that surround the gearshift selector. With the lever in "drive," it was nearly impossible to reach the front passenger's window switch from the driver's seat without having to reach over the gear shift selector.
It was thoughtful of the Saturn designers to include a host of little extras in the interior's design, like a cubby for the cigar lighter in the center console, an over sized glove box, deep map pockets, a touch of plood (plastic wood) trim and a dash of chrome on the air vents. All these features bring a touch of class to this base wagon.
Loaded to the gills, the LW1 provided good visibility, thanks in part to the airy greenhouse and large, heated outer mirrors. With a mountain to climb to reach our destination, we wondered if the LW1 could cut the mustard. Thanks to a 137- horsepower, 2.2-liter inline four, the LW1 provided a never-ending surge of torque (147 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm) that negated the necessity for the electronically controlled four-speed automatic to continually downshift to keep us at a 60 mph pace. For those instances when downshifting was necessary, the tranny was slow to respond, almost to the point of losing valuable momentum.
The LW1's steering was precise and responsive, but felt rather heavy when driving through a twisty patch of canyon road. Body roll was significant, which left our rear occupants rather pale after a spirited run.
After a polite "SLOW DOWN" boomed from the rear, we hauled on the front-disc, rear-drum brakes, which provided good linear non-ABS-assisted deceleration. Dive was minimal as we found it easy to modulate the brake pedal, eluding four-wheel lock-up and the fear of projectile luggage.
Reaching our destination and decompressing over a cold one (actually, it was more like three or four), we marveled at the little…er, mid-size wagon that could; it hauled the family and all their stuff adequately. While the LW1 isn't for everyone, it is a great car for smaller families. And for under 20 grand, the money you save makes a great start for the kids' college fund.
Down in the Edmunds.com parking garage, we took a few minutes to look over the new L-Series. True to its heritage, the LW1 shares many of the styling cues of its sibling S-series — signature headlamps, taillamps, dent-resistant bodyside panels and horizontal body lines — while introducing new design elements — vertical "C" pillar, body-colored "D" pillar and fat-lipped bumpers — to create an identity all its own
Packing our LW1 tester, we found the cargo area easily took on a full load of camera gear, film (enough for a two-month Himalayan expedition), an overloaded suitcase and gifts for the relatives, leaving (what we hoped to be) enough room for the additional bags we would obtain at the airport. Saturn was kind enough to include two hidden compartments on either side of the cargo floor, which neatly swallowed our roadside emergency kit and a variety of rags.
Traversing the Southern California freeway system, the LW1 soaked up every ripple in the pavement, without transmitting a single jolt to the cabin area. Once loaded with two extra passengers and an array of baggage (which the rear hatch swallowed nicely), the ride turned from good to bad, as we found the rear suspension bump stops with every dip in the road. For what you would expect this vehicle is designed to carry, the suspension is in desperate need of higher spring rates and increased rebound shock valving. And the fun was yet to come - a 25-mile stretch of mountainous terrain.
Praise was heralded from the rear when it came to head- and legroom, but complaints that the 60/40-split seats were too hard and raked too far forward soon followed five miles down the road. Once the rear 12-volt powerpoint was found, our rear occupants began searching feverishly for an accessory to plug in.
Up front, a pair of cloth buckets provided good lateral and lumbar support - enough that after driving for two straight hours, we felt little fatigue. Were it not for a mandatory "pit stop," we could have easily driven another shift.
We enjoyed the ergonomic layout of the cabin, with controls for lights/signals and wiper/washer within an easy finger's reach on their distinct stalks. The climate controls featured large dials for air temperature (which wafted air cold enough to blow snow) and direction. We disliked Saturn's selection of a "spin-dial" fan speed selector switch, which the other half commented could make for easily broken fingernails.
The optional eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo provided decent sound, but for the $220 the factory charges for the upgrade, we'd opt for a decent aftermarket variant. The stereo switchgear was on the small side and difficult to use when driving at highway speeds. Our only other major complaint in the cabin was the location of the window switches that surround the gearshift selector. With the lever in "drive," it was nearly impossible to reach the front passenger's window switch from the driver's seat without having to reach over the gear shift selector.
It was thoughtful of the Saturn designers to include a host of little extras in the interior's design, like a cubby for the cigar lighter in the center console, an over sized glove box, deep map pockets, a touch of plood (plastic wood) trim and a dash of chrome on the air vents. All these features bring a touch of class to this base wagon.
Loaded to the gills, the LW1 provided good visibility, thanks in part to the airy greenhouse and large, heated outer mirrors. With a mountain to climb to reach our destination, we wondered if the LW1 could cut the mustard. Thanks to a 137- horsepower, 2.2-liter inline four, the LW1 provided a never-ending surge of torque (147 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm) that negated the necessity for the electronically controlled four-speed automatic to continually downshift to keep us at a 60 mph pace. For those instances when downshifting was necessary, the tranny was slow to respond, almost to the point of losing valuable momentum.
The LW1's steering was precise and responsive, but felt rather heavy when driving through a twisty patch of canyon road. Body roll was significant, which left our rear occupants rather pale after a spirited run.
After a polite "SLOW DOWN" boomed from the rear, we hauled on the front-disc, rear-drum brakes, which provided good linear non-ABS-assisted deceleration. Dive was minimal as we found it easy to modulate the brake pedal, eluding four-wheel lock-up and the fear of projectile luggage.
Reaching our destination and decompressing over a cold one (actually, it was more like three or four), we marveled at the little…er, mid-size wagon that could; it hauled the family and all their stuff adequately. While the LW1 isn't for everyone, it is a great car for smaller families. And for under 20 grand, the money you save makes a great start for the kids' college fund.
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