Everybody already knows the reputation of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. These midsize Japanese sedans are just about as popular in the United States as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Like the well-known combination of PB & J, the Accord and Camry are often linked together by consumers who are comparison-shopping for a new sedan in this competitive segment. But when you have a two-ingredient recipe for greatness, where does Saturn's L-Series fit in?
Saturn knows it has to get tough in order to become competitive in this market, and therefore has been busy working on the entire Saturn model lineup. One item on the product improvement agenda is the overhaul of its Accord and Camry contender, the L-Series sedan.
Launched in 2000, the L-Series, available in both sedan and wagon versions, has been the recipient of more than 380 upgrades since the first iteration rolled off the assembly line. Safety enhancements and new interior features comprise a few of the major items on that long update list, and for 2003, Saturn seems to be primarily focused on improving the L-Series' appearance.
We recently spent a week driving the L200 sedan, which is now powered by GM's 2.2-liter, inline four-cylinder Ecotec engine. The Ecotec is GM's latest and most advanced four-cylinder engine. It uses dual-overhead camshafts and aluminum construction like most of the Japanese engines, and has the best fuel economy in its class for a car with an automatic transmission. Rated at just 135 horsepower in this application, the Ecotec is comparatively short on horsepower next to most other four-cylinders in its class.
Still, even with considerably less power under its hood, we didn't find the L200 inadequate during our daily commute. It's peppy enough for around-town errands, with passing and merging on the freeway its only real weak points. Engine noise never seemed overwhelming and the optional four-speed transmission in our test car returned crisp shifts that kept the engine well into its sweet spot.
In terms of design, the suspension in the L-Series is unchanged for 2003. It's still a fully independent setup that utilizes MacPherson struts up front and a more traditional multilink setup in the rear. What did change, however, is the tuning as Saturn sought to balance the stance of the L-Series by raising the front spring height 9mm and lowering the rear springs by 8mm. The intention was to take out some of the "wedge" of the old design; although, it's a change we hardly noticed. The ride quality remains much the same as before, with plenty of give to smooth out the bumps, but a little too much sway to make it feel even close to sporty. Larger 16-inch chrome-covered alloy wheels and tires that came as part of an optional "sport" package made our L200 look better, but they didn't add much in the way of corner-hugging grip.
While we didn't run any instrumented brake tests on the L200, our regular driving impression was that its brakes perform on par with its competitors. Strangely, close examination of the 2003 Saturn press material revealed that the four-wheel disc brakes found on the 2002 L200 were replaced on the 2003 model with a front-disc, rear-drum combination — a GM cost-cutting measure not exclusive to the Saturn division. ABS remains an option with a price tag of $400.
The L-Series' exterior receives a new look from front to back. The redesigned front end has larger projector beam headlamps with visible optics and chrome trim, with the option of integrated foglamps surrounded by chrome bezels. The hood has been raised and the grille made larger for two reasons — aesthetically to support a new three-dimensional Saturn badge, and functionally to increase airflow to the engine compartment.
The rear of the sedan gets a broader fascia, plus a chrome strip across its deck lid — displaying the Saturn badge in its center. The L200 also loses the cheap-looking black rocker panels, replacing them with body-colored versions instead.
Despite its exterior redesign, the L200's basic dimensions remain the same. Honda Accord has a slightly longer wheelbase (107.9 inches to the Saturn's 106.5) and the Accord beats the L200 in every interior cabin measurement except rear hiproom. Although the Accord is roomier, the L200 doesn't feel cramped — both front and rear legroom are adequate, barring entry of an NBA basketball player. For common-size folk, its spatial qualities are plenty comfortable.
In an attempt to part company with its reputation for using cheap-looking interior materials, Saturn has added brushed nickel-finished trim plates around the gearshifter and to the radio and heating and cooling controls. Silver faceplates also adorn the instrument cluster, in the hopes of complementing the new European-style seat upholstery. We found the new silver trim bits a nice addition to the cabin — elevating the L200's look to a more sophisticated level, but the seat upholstery, with a slightly shiny sheen, didn't make the grade with our editorial fashion critics.
Saturn was the first in this segment to offer integrated video entertainment with a console-mounted DVD system. Although our test car didn't include the DVD system which debuted on the 2002 model, movie buffs should note that adding this feature to your 2003 L-Series will cost you $2,290, but it will come packaged with an AM/FM stereo with cassette, a six-disc CD changer, plus the shiny 16-inch chrome-clad wheels.
Once you realize that you can entertain and quiet the kids in the backseat with the latest offerings from TriStar or Pixal Studios, you will appreciate the spacious trunk — a segment-leading 17.5-cubic feet. That's 3.5 more cubic feet than you'll find in a Honda Accord, allowing you to haul enough gear for a cross-country vacation trek.
Saturn continues to offer other great features on the L-Series, like standard safety items including head curtain airbags and traction control, and the now famous dent-resistant polymer doors and fenders.
But at what point does the L-Series' poor build quality begin to affect one's enthusiasm for its valuable features? Build issues are not exclusive to our current test car, and have been well documented in past Saturn reviews. On this L200, our testers found large gaps between the trunk lid and rear fenders, plus other equally alarming spaces between the hood and front fenders, each side exhibiting a different sized fissure. When asked to back up his critical commentary on the use of cheap materials and substandard build quality, one editor opened the fuel door to expose the plastic hinge that mounted the door to the body.
Build quality issues like these are just one reason why we have traditionally preferred to stick with the Accord or Camry when looking for a family sedan. While this year's changes to the L200 make it a more pleasant-looking vehicle, they can't disguise the fact that underneath it all it still lacks the refinement and polish we've come to expect of cars in this class. If the price were significantly less than the competition's or the L200 offered features that no other car in the segment could match, there might be a reason to consider it. As it stands in 2003, we would bypass this mediocre four-door in favor of the numerous other sedans in its price range that offer more of just about everything. No worry about the Saturn L-Series becoming strawberry jam or crunchy peanut butter any time soon.
Saturn knows it has to get tough in order to become competitive in this market, and therefore has been busy working on the entire Saturn model lineup. One item on the product improvement agenda is the overhaul of its Accord and Camry contender, the L-Series sedan.
Launched in 2000, the L-Series, available in both sedan and wagon versions, has been the recipient of more than 380 upgrades since the first iteration rolled off the assembly line. Safety enhancements and new interior features comprise a few of the major items on that long update list, and for 2003, Saturn seems to be primarily focused on improving the L-Series' appearance.
We recently spent a week driving the L200 sedan, which is now powered by GM's 2.2-liter, inline four-cylinder Ecotec engine. The Ecotec is GM's latest and most advanced four-cylinder engine. It uses dual-overhead camshafts and aluminum construction like most of the Japanese engines, and has the best fuel economy in its class for a car with an automatic transmission. Rated at just 135 horsepower in this application, the Ecotec is comparatively short on horsepower next to most other four-cylinders in its class.
Still, even with considerably less power under its hood, we didn't find the L200 inadequate during our daily commute. It's peppy enough for around-town errands, with passing and merging on the freeway its only real weak points. Engine noise never seemed overwhelming and the optional four-speed transmission in our test car returned crisp shifts that kept the engine well into its sweet spot.
In terms of design, the suspension in the L-Series is unchanged for 2003. It's still a fully independent setup that utilizes MacPherson struts up front and a more traditional multilink setup in the rear. What did change, however, is the tuning as Saturn sought to balance the stance of the L-Series by raising the front spring height 9mm and lowering the rear springs by 8mm. The intention was to take out some of the "wedge" of the old design; although, it's a change we hardly noticed. The ride quality remains much the same as before, with plenty of give to smooth out the bumps, but a little too much sway to make it feel even close to sporty. Larger 16-inch chrome-covered alloy wheels and tires that came as part of an optional "sport" package made our L200 look better, but they didn't add much in the way of corner-hugging grip.
While we didn't run any instrumented brake tests on the L200, our regular driving impression was that its brakes perform on par with its competitors. Strangely, close examination of the 2003 Saturn press material revealed that the four-wheel disc brakes found on the 2002 L200 were replaced on the 2003 model with a front-disc, rear-drum combination — a GM cost-cutting measure not exclusive to the Saturn division. ABS remains an option with a price tag of $400.
The L-Series' exterior receives a new look from front to back. The redesigned front end has larger projector beam headlamps with visible optics and chrome trim, with the option of integrated foglamps surrounded by chrome bezels. The hood has been raised and the grille made larger for two reasons — aesthetically to support a new three-dimensional Saturn badge, and functionally to increase airflow to the engine compartment.
The rear of the sedan gets a broader fascia, plus a chrome strip across its deck lid — displaying the Saturn badge in its center. The L200 also loses the cheap-looking black rocker panels, replacing them with body-colored versions instead.
Despite its exterior redesign, the L200's basic dimensions remain the same. Honda Accord has a slightly longer wheelbase (107.9 inches to the Saturn's 106.5) and the Accord beats the L200 in every interior cabin measurement except rear hiproom. Although the Accord is roomier, the L200 doesn't feel cramped — both front and rear legroom are adequate, barring entry of an NBA basketball player. For common-size folk, its spatial qualities are plenty comfortable.
In an attempt to part company with its reputation for using cheap-looking interior materials, Saturn has added brushed nickel-finished trim plates around the gearshifter and to the radio and heating and cooling controls. Silver faceplates also adorn the instrument cluster, in the hopes of complementing the new European-style seat upholstery. We found the new silver trim bits a nice addition to the cabin — elevating the L200's look to a more sophisticated level, but the seat upholstery, with a slightly shiny sheen, didn't make the grade with our editorial fashion critics.
Saturn was the first in this segment to offer integrated video entertainment with a console-mounted DVD system. Although our test car didn't include the DVD system which debuted on the 2002 model, movie buffs should note that adding this feature to your 2003 L-Series will cost you $2,290, but it will come packaged with an AM/FM stereo with cassette, a six-disc CD changer, plus the shiny 16-inch chrome-clad wheels.
Once you realize that you can entertain and quiet the kids in the backseat with the latest offerings from TriStar or Pixal Studios, you will appreciate the spacious trunk — a segment-leading 17.5-cubic feet. That's 3.5 more cubic feet than you'll find in a Honda Accord, allowing you to haul enough gear for a cross-country vacation trek.
Saturn continues to offer other great features on the L-Series, like standard safety items including head curtain airbags and traction control, and the now famous dent-resistant polymer doors and fenders.
But at what point does the L-Series' poor build quality begin to affect one's enthusiasm for its valuable features? Build issues are not exclusive to our current test car, and have been well documented in past Saturn reviews. On this L200, our testers found large gaps between the trunk lid and rear fenders, plus other equally alarming spaces between the hood and front fenders, each side exhibiting a different sized fissure. When asked to back up his critical commentary on the use of cheap materials and substandard build quality, one editor opened the fuel door to expose the plastic hinge that mounted the door to the body.
Build quality issues like these are just one reason why we have traditionally preferred to stick with the Accord or Camry when looking for a family sedan. While this year's changes to the L200 make it a more pleasant-looking vehicle, they can't disguise the fact that underneath it all it still lacks the refinement and polish we've come to expect of cars in this class. If the price were significantly less than the competition's or the L200 offered features that no other car in the segment could match, there might be a reason to consider it. As it stands in 2003, we would bypass this mediocre four-door in favor of the numerous other sedans in its price range that offer more of just about everything. No worry about the Saturn L-Series becoming strawberry jam or crunchy peanut butter any time soon.
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