On the night of my blind date with "Joe," I was given a Saturn LS2 to evaluate. It was a Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and I had the car for the entire long weekend. And I would be doing lots of driving, to the folks in the 'burbs, to the mall for the dreaded but inevitable post-T-giving shop, to the airport and other family gatherings. Lots of time to get to know this Saturn.
I parked, checked the vanity mirror (time #137 from point of departure), and headed for the restaurant. And there was Joe, sitting by the door, staring blankly at the small aquarium beneath the host podium.
We sat down, ordered, had the usual first-date chatter, yadda yadda yadda, but I knew that Joe wasn't for me. He's a nice guy with a calm disposition, the kind of man who opens doors and calls when he's supposed to. Joe also has a normal family, earning potential, and seems to be looking for a real commitment. He would be nice to me, like buy me flowers and stuff. Ah, run for the hills! Where's my emotionally unavailable, strong-but-silent type, who likes sports cars and WWF? (Well, OK, forget the WWF part.)
After dinner Joe and I stood by the Saturn to say goodbye, and something happened. Joe started making jokes and flirting. He began to open up and, even better, he told me he is a recovering car freak (and he likes Saabs -- my favorite). Joe and I talked in the parking lot until well past midnight, both of us shivering slightly in the November night but neither of us making a move to leave.
So it went with my first date with Joe and my evaluation of the a 2000 Saturn LS2 Sedan. I got into the car and thought, it's a GM car and I like imports, it's dark red and I like black or silver, it's a midsized sedan and I'm a single 20-something who prefers convertibles and sporty SUVs. But here I had to evaluate Saturn's new line of L-Series cars, which, the company says, "provides exceptional value, extensive safety features, and excellent performance." Yippee. Then Saturn says that their company is "growing up." Yay. Sounds like a real good time. I get to drive a practical sedan, with a nice-sized trunk and daytime running lights. And I get to drive it for the whole weekend.
But things were not as they seemed.
The first thing we noticed about the LS2 was its powerful engine. The vehicle we tested had a 3.0-liter, 182-horsepower V6. This thing goes. At low speeds it takes a second to start moving, but once it does you're up and running, flying past all the Civics in your way. The LS2 had a firm and responsive accelerator and if I wanted to pass someone -- no worries. With 184 foot-pounds of torque at 3,400 rpm, I cut in and out of the holiday-weekend traffic without a care. The LS2's broad torque band pulls strongly throughout the rev range, which was a welcome surprise. It even went uphill with little complaint. The car has even more torque than horsepower, and, as one of our staffers put it, "is more gutsy than I expected by far."
Out on the highway, the LS2 was equally impressive. Cruising out to the 'burbs with another carload of family members behind us, my beloved relatives were lost quickly in the rearview mirror as the Saturn zipped along, traveling at highway speeds without fanfare. The ride was smooth and the engine quiet; even passengers commented on the silence in the cabin. There were virtually no rattles or squeaks, and only minimal wind noise from the front windows. The LS2 was fast and solid. I was starting to become intrigued.
Our test car had the standard four-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission, which provided smooth and predictable upshifts and downshifts. It didn't miss any shifts nor did it hold gears longer than necessary. Typical of GM, the transmission was attentive, responding in tune to the driver's needs. I was impressed. It seemed willing to listen and eager to please.
In city traffic, the LS2 demonstrated firm and consistent brake pedal feel, quickly building my trust with its controlled stopping power and lack of fade. The Saturn has standard four-wheel disc brakes and, although the vehicle we tested was not so equipped, all models can be fitted with an optional ABS system. Out on the track, ABS would have been much appreciated by our performance tester, who was surprised that, for such an otherwise well-equipped car with quality materials, ABS does not come standard. This meant extra attention was required to discover the car's threshold braking limit; however, once found, the brakes were strong for this class of vehicle, with a stopping distance of 138 feet from 60 to zero.
Then came the moment of truth. It was time to take the LS2 out on the canyon roads and watch it wallow and careen to the outer edge of Mulholland Highway. I fastened my seatbelt, downed the rest of my coffee and said a quick prayer before heading for the hills. I took it slow at first, confident that it was all the car could handle, but after a few turns I realized I didn't have to baby the LS2. I went for it, going faster around the corners and listening for the occasional tire squeal. The Saturn felt assured and stable, handling most every turn without complaint. Of course, this is not a 'Vette, but for what it is, it handled very well, with minimal tottering around in the corners. Our test car was clad with P205/65 R15 Firestones that provided good breakaway warning and a solid grip.
What was even better than the handling was the steering performance. Members of our staff thought the steering was very responsive, with a nicely weighted, fat wheel that gave adequate feedback and optimal resistance. There was also no perceptible on-center dead spot. The LS2 was much more fun to drive than our staff expected. It has guts, confidence and consistency, and those are good things you look for in... a car.
So the drive had won me over, OK, but what about its appearance, inside and out? Could I wake up every morning to this car?
As I first noticed, the exterior styling is somewhat bland. At one family gathering, the Saturn was parked right behind an Oldsmobile Alero, and when I looked at the two in profile it was hard to see any real differences. The Saturn's raised rear does make it look more sporty (as do the fog lights) but it wasn't reassuring to think that the Saturn looks like lots of other cars out there. One staffer commented on the smooth, clean lines and liked the sloped windshield. Another detested the sweeping red brake light and reflector strip encircling the back. You just can't hide its midsize sedan-ness, no matter what. This design is not going to get the heart-pumping, but it is acceptable, and grows on you.
However, we were disconcerted to find some large panel gaps where the doors close, almost big enough for a finger. There were also poor gap tolerances around the decklid -- with lots of space between the fender and lid. Inside, we found loose-fitting plastic air vents, and other interior parts that wiggled about in their moorings too easily -- one was so poorly affixed that it came right off (the kick panel by the accelerator pedal). And the headrest covers were loosely fitted, so much so that the stuffing was coming out like an old teddy bear. We like warm and fuzzy, but this was a bit over the top.
Our LS2 was optioned with leather appointments (seats, steering wheel and shifter) and a six-way power driver's seat. The leather was decent, not superior, with one of our staffers calling it "vinyly" feeling but conceding that it was acceptable for the car's price. But the seats were comfortable (and ours were heated, for those late-night drives in blistering L.A.) -- and let me tell you, when you're 5 feet tall it's not so easy to sit comfortably in many cars, but the Saturn provides wonderful comfort. (And I could even use the adjustable headrest!) Likewise, even a larger-built person was content in the passenger seat, commenting on the excellent comfort.
In the rear is a bench seat with room for three adults, but you might not want to try this at home -- they'd be awfully cozy back there. However, if you're on the small side, the tilted cushion forces your feet to almost dangle, but an average or larger person will be fine. Although there's plenty of headroom and adequate legroom, if the front passenger or driver has slid the seat all the way back there is minimal foot room for larger folk.
Also appreciated were cushy carpeting and a decent headliner, but there was an offensive door panel insert that was way too plasticky, rubbery dash surfaces, and a shifter that one staffer called "clanky" and another said "felt like a worn volleyball." There's a bunch of plood (plastic fake-wood trim) around the shifter and HVAC control that actually looks OK, for plood.
The interior setup is conventional, with big dials and the HVAC controls beneath the stereo. Although many of Edmunds.com staffers like this conventional setup, some prefer the more unusual setup of placing the HVAC controls above the stereo (like the Nissan Xterra). For the most part, everything readily falls to hand. But then Saturn threw us for a loop and stuck the poorly marked power window controls in the center console, much like a BMW. We know that Saturn is trying to distance the L-Series from its Opel-based heritage, so this placement struck us as incongruous and annoying. Most troublesome was the location of the window switches in relation to the floor-mounted shifter. This design blocks the driver's easy access to the passenger-side window switches. But perhaps this ergonomic eccentricity would add spice to everyday life with the Saturn.
Some of the buttons on the stereo setup were too tiny for our tastes (am/fm/CD), making them hard to operate while driving. But we appreciated the classy matte finish of the dials and controls, another European touch. One staffer's wife did comment that the instrument console "looks like an emergency unit" at night, with an assortment of colors that she found distracting. Speaking of lights, we were disappointed that there was no gear indicator light in the PRNDL on the console or in the gauge cluster, which makes it hard to discern which gear you've selected. Another problem was the door panel switchgear, which is not illuminated at night.
The stereo system, one of the most important features in any of today's family sedans, was fully capable. It comes standard with an in-dash CD player and eight speakers, and our staffers thought it had adequate bass response and powerful radio reception, but could use better separation and stereo imaging. Some of us (the less technical types) thought Sarah McLachlan rocked.
Those of us who like to drink and drive (java and pop, ya know), were a little disappointed with the cupholder situation. All four cupholders (two front, two rear) were equally shallow, small and nonadjustable, fine for soda cans but that's about it.
Another interior gripe is the lack of storage space. There is a deep, large glove box, but the center console space fits only four or five CDs, and that's it for storage. Well, you've also got some shallow door pockets that you would trust only with a couple of ballpoints. Oh, and there's a dinky ashtray/coin depository. So bring a purse or backpack.
But if you want to bring any other stuff, like suitcases, skis, or snowmobiles, you won't have a problem. There's a monster trunk for its class (17.5 cubic feet, compared to 14.1 for both the Camry and Accord), and the easy to use split-folding rear seats make it a snap to load it up to the gills. There's also a low liftover height that was much appreciated.
One minor problem did crop up during our time with the Saturn. The turn signals (which "click, click, click" real loud, by the way) failed to turn themselves off after the steering wheel returned to the straight-ahead position, and we had to turn them off ourselves. This was probably a fluke with our test car, but reminded us of how much we've come to depend on this minor convenience.
Standard niceties include power door locks that operate automatically when the car is turned off and on, an adjustable steering column, adjustable driver lumbar support, driver seat-height adjuster, seatbelt height adjuster, steering wheel-mounted cruise control buttons (with a responsive, easy-to-use system), trunk release button, fuel door indicator, and a sporty hand brake.
Yes, the LS2 is loaded with most of the options we'd like to see on a car of this class, but there's a big piece of the puzzle missing. For a midsized sedan, this car is lacking safety features. Sure, it comes with the requisite dual front airbags, child-proof rear door locks, and daytime running lamps. But side airbags are not even an available option, and antilock brakes and traction control don't come standard. Crash test scores for the L-Series are nothing to write home about either, with an "excellent" rating for only the frontal passenger position, "good" ratings for two other positions, and a "poor" rating for the frontal-side driver position.
Funny, Saturn claims that an "intense focus on safety has gone into the LS sedan and wagon." If this is an intense focus on safety, we'd hate to see what a marginal one looks like. What's more, side airbags are standard on the Honda Accord EX V6 and optional on the Toyota Camry XLE V6, while ABS comes standard on both the Accord and Camry. We think Saturn needs a bit of a refocus, given their obvious desire to attract the competitor's buyers.
That said, you can get the LS2 with the optional ABS (which includes traction control), leather appointments and an adjustable driver's seat for under 23 grand. Or you can forego the options and pay less than $21,000. But if you're shopping the Accord EX V6, it comes one way -- fully loaded -- and you'll pay just under 25 grand. And the Camry XLE gets mighty pricey when you start adding up the options (almost 28 grand). Clearly, the LS2 is the least expensive way to go, where you can pick and choose your options, but it all depends on what you need in your family sedan, and what you're willing to sacrifice.
It's kind of like when you're looking for a mate. You've got to figure out what is a necessity and what you're willing to sacrifice, and realize there is no perfect package. But there is one that will work for you, if you shop around carefully enough and take the time to look closer, beyond the externals, as we did with the LS2. We were pleasantly surprised with what we found, both in the car and on our date with Joe (and there have been a few more since then).
Yes, men are from Mars, and women are from Venus, but perhaps they can meet somewhere in the middle... like on Saturn.
I parked, checked the vanity mirror (time #137 from point of departure), and headed for the restaurant. And there was Joe, sitting by the door, staring blankly at the small aquarium beneath the host podium.
We sat down, ordered, had the usual first-date chatter, yadda yadda yadda, but I knew that Joe wasn't for me. He's a nice guy with a calm disposition, the kind of man who opens doors and calls when he's supposed to. Joe also has a normal family, earning potential, and seems to be looking for a real commitment. He would be nice to me, like buy me flowers and stuff. Ah, run for the hills! Where's my emotionally unavailable, strong-but-silent type, who likes sports cars and WWF? (Well, OK, forget the WWF part.)
After dinner Joe and I stood by the Saturn to say goodbye, and something happened. Joe started making jokes and flirting. He began to open up and, even better, he told me he is a recovering car freak (and he likes Saabs -- my favorite). Joe and I talked in the parking lot until well past midnight, both of us shivering slightly in the November night but neither of us making a move to leave.
So it went with my first date with Joe and my evaluation of the a 2000 Saturn LS2 Sedan. I got into the car and thought, it's a GM car and I like imports, it's dark red and I like black or silver, it's a midsized sedan and I'm a single 20-something who prefers convertibles and sporty SUVs. But here I had to evaluate Saturn's new line of L-Series cars, which, the company says, "provides exceptional value, extensive safety features, and excellent performance." Yippee. Then Saturn says that their company is "growing up." Yay. Sounds like a real good time. I get to drive a practical sedan, with a nice-sized trunk and daytime running lights. And I get to drive it for the whole weekend.
But things were not as they seemed.
The first thing we noticed about the LS2 was its powerful engine. The vehicle we tested had a 3.0-liter, 182-horsepower V6. This thing goes. At low speeds it takes a second to start moving, but once it does you're up and running, flying past all the Civics in your way. The LS2 had a firm and responsive accelerator and if I wanted to pass someone -- no worries. With 184 foot-pounds of torque at 3,400 rpm, I cut in and out of the holiday-weekend traffic without a care. The LS2's broad torque band pulls strongly throughout the rev range, which was a welcome surprise. It even went uphill with little complaint. The car has even more torque than horsepower, and, as one of our staffers put it, "is more gutsy than I expected by far."
Out on the highway, the LS2 was equally impressive. Cruising out to the 'burbs with another carload of family members behind us, my beloved relatives were lost quickly in the rearview mirror as the Saturn zipped along, traveling at highway speeds without fanfare. The ride was smooth and the engine quiet; even passengers commented on the silence in the cabin. There were virtually no rattles or squeaks, and only minimal wind noise from the front windows. The LS2 was fast and solid. I was starting to become intrigued.
Our test car had the standard four-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission, which provided smooth and predictable upshifts and downshifts. It didn't miss any shifts nor did it hold gears longer than necessary. Typical of GM, the transmission was attentive, responding in tune to the driver's needs. I was impressed. It seemed willing to listen and eager to please.
In city traffic, the LS2 demonstrated firm and consistent brake pedal feel, quickly building my trust with its controlled stopping power and lack of fade. The Saturn has standard four-wheel disc brakes and, although the vehicle we tested was not so equipped, all models can be fitted with an optional ABS system. Out on the track, ABS would have been much appreciated by our performance tester, who was surprised that, for such an otherwise well-equipped car with quality materials, ABS does not come standard. This meant extra attention was required to discover the car's threshold braking limit; however, once found, the brakes were strong for this class of vehicle, with a stopping distance of 138 feet from 60 to zero.
Then came the moment of truth. It was time to take the LS2 out on the canyon roads and watch it wallow and careen to the outer edge of Mulholland Highway. I fastened my seatbelt, downed the rest of my coffee and said a quick prayer before heading for the hills. I took it slow at first, confident that it was all the car could handle, but after a few turns I realized I didn't have to baby the LS2. I went for it, going faster around the corners and listening for the occasional tire squeal. The Saturn felt assured and stable, handling most every turn without complaint. Of course, this is not a 'Vette, but for what it is, it handled very well, with minimal tottering around in the corners. Our test car was clad with P205/65 R15 Firestones that provided good breakaway warning and a solid grip.
What was even better than the handling was the steering performance. Members of our staff thought the steering was very responsive, with a nicely weighted, fat wheel that gave adequate feedback and optimal resistance. There was also no perceptible on-center dead spot. The LS2 was much more fun to drive than our staff expected. It has guts, confidence and consistency, and those are good things you look for in... a car.
So the drive had won me over, OK, but what about its appearance, inside and out? Could I wake up every morning to this car?
As I first noticed, the exterior styling is somewhat bland. At one family gathering, the Saturn was parked right behind an Oldsmobile Alero, and when I looked at the two in profile it was hard to see any real differences. The Saturn's raised rear does make it look more sporty (as do the fog lights) but it wasn't reassuring to think that the Saturn looks like lots of other cars out there. One staffer commented on the smooth, clean lines and liked the sloped windshield. Another detested the sweeping red brake light and reflector strip encircling the back. You just can't hide its midsize sedan-ness, no matter what. This design is not going to get the heart-pumping, but it is acceptable, and grows on you.
However, we were disconcerted to find some large panel gaps where the doors close, almost big enough for a finger. There were also poor gap tolerances around the decklid -- with lots of space between the fender and lid. Inside, we found loose-fitting plastic air vents, and other interior parts that wiggled about in their moorings too easily -- one was so poorly affixed that it came right off (the kick panel by the accelerator pedal). And the headrest covers were loosely fitted, so much so that the stuffing was coming out like an old teddy bear. We like warm and fuzzy, but this was a bit over the top.
Our LS2 was optioned with leather appointments (seats, steering wheel and shifter) and a six-way power driver's seat. The leather was decent, not superior, with one of our staffers calling it "vinyly" feeling but conceding that it was acceptable for the car's price. But the seats were comfortable (and ours were heated, for those late-night drives in blistering L.A.) -- and let me tell you, when you're 5 feet tall it's not so easy to sit comfortably in many cars, but the Saturn provides wonderful comfort. (And I could even use the adjustable headrest!) Likewise, even a larger-built person was content in the passenger seat, commenting on the excellent comfort.
In the rear is a bench seat with room for three adults, but you might not want to try this at home -- they'd be awfully cozy back there. However, if you're on the small side, the tilted cushion forces your feet to almost dangle, but an average or larger person will be fine. Although there's plenty of headroom and adequate legroom, if the front passenger or driver has slid the seat all the way back there is minimal foot room for larger folk.
Also appreciated were cushy carpeting and a decent headliner, but there was an offensive door panel insert that was way too plasticky, rubbery dash surfaces, and a shifter that one staffer called "clanky" and another said "felt like a worn volleyball." There's a bunch of plood (plastic fake-wood trim) around the shifter and HVAC control that actually looks OK, for plood.
The interior setup is conventional, with big dials and the HVAC controls beneath the stereo. Although many of Edmunds.com staffers like this conventional setup, some prefer the more unusual setup of placing the HVAC controls above the stereo (like the Nissan Xterra). For the most part, everything readily falls to hand. But then Saturn threw us for a loop and stuck the poorly marked power window controls in the center console, much like a BMW. We know that Saturn is trying to distance the L-Series from its Opel-based heritage, so this placement struck us as incongruous and annoying. Most troublesome was the location of the window switches in relation to the floor-mounted shifter. This design blocks the driver's easy access to the passenger-side window switches. But perhaps this ergonomic eccentricity would add spice to everyday life with the Saturn.
Some of the buttons on the stereo setup were too tiny for our tastes (am/fm/CD), making them hard to operate while driving. But we appreciated the classy matte finish of the dials and controls, another European touch. One staffer's wife did comment that the instrument console "looks like an emergency unit" at night, with an assortment of colors that she found distracting. Speaking of lights, we were disappointed that there was no gear indicator light in the PRNDL on the console or in the gauge cluster, which makes it hard to discern which gear you've selected. Another problem was the door panel switchgear, which is not illuminated at night.
The stereo system, one of the most important features in any of today's family sedans, was fully capable. It comes standard with an in-dash CD player and eight speakers, and our staffers thought it had adequate bass response and powerful radio reception, but could use better separation and stereo imaging. Some of us (the less technical types) thought Sarah McLachlan rocked.
Those of us who like to drink and drive (java and pop, ya know), were a little disappointed with the cupholder situation. All four cupholders (two front, two rear) were equally shallow, small and nonadjustable, fine for soda cans but that's about it.
Another interior gripe is the lack of storage space. There is a deep, large glove box, but the center console space fits only four or five CDs, and that's it for storage. Well, you've also got some shallow door pockets that you would trust only with a couple of ballpoints. Oh, and there's a dinky ashtray/coin depository. So bring a purse or backpack.
But if you want to bring any other stuff, like suitcases, skis, or snowmobiles, you won't have a problem. There's a monster trunk for its class (17.5 cubic feet, compared to 14.1 for both the Camry and Accord), and the easy to use split-folding rear seats make it a snap to load it up to the gills. There's also a low liftover height that was much appreciated.
One minor problem did crop up during our time with the Saturn. The turn signals (which "click, click, click" real loud, by the way) failed to turn themselves off after the steering wheel returned to the straight-ahead position, and we had to turn them off ourselves. This was probably a fluke with our test car, but reminded us of how much we've come to depend on this minor convenience.
Standard niceties include power door locks that operate automatically when the car is turned off and on, an adjustable steering column, adjustable driver lumbar support, driver seat-height adjuster, seatbelt height adjuster, steering wheel-mounted cruise control buttons (with a responsive, easy-to-use system), trunk release button, fuel door indicator, and a sporty hand brake.
Yes, the LS2 is loaded with most of the options we'd like to see on a car of this class, but there's a big piece of the puzzle missing. For a midsized sedan, this car is lacking safety features. Sure, it comes with the requisite dual front airbags, child-proof rear door locks, and daytime running lamps. But side airbags are not even an available option, and antilock brakes and traction control don't come standard. Crash test scores for the L-Series are nothing to write home about either, with an "excellent" rating for only the frontal passenger position, "good" ratings for two other positions, and a "poor" rating for the frontal-side driver position.
Funny, Saturn claims that an "intense focus on safety has gone into the LS sedan and wagon." If this is an intense focus on safety, we'd hate to see what a marginal one looks like. What's more, side airbags are standard on the Honda Accord EX V6 and optional on the Toyota Camry XLE V6, while ABS comes standard on both the Accord and Camry. We think Saturn needs a bit of a refocus, given their obvious desire to attract the competitor's buyers.
That said, you can get the LS2 with the optional ABS (which includes traction control), leather appointments and an adjustable driver's seat for under 23 grand. Or you can forego the options and pay less than $21,000. But if you're shopping the Accord EX V6, it comes one way -- fully loaded -- and you'll pay just under 25 grand. And the Camry XLE gets mighty pricey when you start adding up the options (almost 28 grand). Clearly, the LS2 is the least expensive way to go, where you can pick and choose your options, but it all depends on what you need in your family sedan, and what you're willing to sacrifice.
It's kind of like when you're looking for a mate. You've got to figure out what is a necessity and what you're willing to sacrifice, and realize there is no perfect package. But there is one that will work for you, if you shop around carefully enough and take the time to look closer, beyond the externals, as we did with the LS2. We were pleasantly surprised with what we found, both in the car and on our date with Joe (and there have been a few more since then).
Yes, men are from Mars, and women are from Venus, but perhaps they can meet somewhere in the middle... like on Saturn.
Add A Comment »