Hmmm ... how to best describe Saturn's small wagon, revamped for the 2000 model year. The roomy interior, the outmoded upholstery, the hefty feel, and the sluggish nature inspired us to dub it "the traveling couch."
The 2000 S-Series features two coupes, the SC1 and SC2; three sedans, the base SL, midlevel SL1 and uplevel SL2; and the lone wagon, the SW2. Our test car, equipped with ABS with traction control, fog lamps and an AM/FM stereo with CD player, came in just under $18,000. This isn't bad, especially considering Saturn's reputation for durability and the array of standard safety features on this family car.
Offense was taken, however, at this car's transmission. Whenever we hit the throttle for a burst of extra passing power, the engine would rev loudly to about 4,500 rpm, howling like a spoiled child, before the transmission would upshift, both sluggishly and belatedly. Once it got going, however, the 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine performed and maintained speed fairly well; we never had any trouble keeping up with the other road warriors on L.A.'s highways. The gas pedal itself was a little annoying, as it released with a loud, unnerving click whenever we removed our foot. We concluded that the engine was in desperate need of more low-end torque, as power delivery was flat from 1,000 to 3,000 rpm.
The car handled well for its class. Saturn boasts that the steel spaceframe on the S-Series sedan and wagon translates to premium ride and handling characteristics. It's true that in sweeping turns, the car felt balanced and safe, although one driver described the steering as "yucky" due to a lifeless off-center feel. The suspension was adequate, communicating an acceptable amount of road feel without jostling the occupants about excessively. Body roll was evident, however. According to Saturn, the stiffness of the spaceframe, coupled with the front and rear crumple zones, protects the vehicle's occupants like never before.
The soft suspension led to a fair amount of brake dive. ABS is optional on the SW2, and our tester had it. It was a little noisy, but the brake-pedal feel was decent, and modulation wasn't a problem. The brakes were not terribly confidence inspiring, however, when sudden stopping within a short distance was required.
Umm, yeah ... about that interior. Oh, did you think that when we said "couch," we meant that this car was comfortable? Not so, my friend. The front seats are fairly roomy, but completely devoid of support. A 45-minute stint in this car found one driver constantly shifting in her seat to find a more comfortable seating position, all to no avail. The side bolstering on the seats, too, is negligible, although this is less of an issue in a family wagon than it would be in a more performance-oriented car. The shaggy tan upholstery on the seats and doors is probably meant to be inoffensive and neutral, but we found it to be rather hideous. Returning for a moment to the couch analogy, we'll liken it to the sofa that gets handed down to you from your parents (or worse yet, that you pick up on the side of the road) when you move into your first apartment. Strictly functional - a place to plant your arse while you veg in front of the tube, or dashboard, as it were.
The build quality of the interior is pretty horrid as well. Hard plastic is present on the door panels, lower dash and center console. The "soft-touch" plastic on the upper dash is not at all supple. And the entire dash appears to be poorly made, as there is a big gap between the upper and lower portions, and the upper part can be easily pulled away from the lower.
A lack of attention to interior ergonomics is a prime offense of the Saturn SW2. The steering wheel feels hard to the touch and is placed too low in our opinion. Also, the rim is uniform in girth, so it doesn't provide any fat, comfortable gripping positions. The steering-column-mounted stalks are too short, forcing the driver to remove a hand almost completely from the wheel to operate the controls. The climate controls aren't too bad, with big easy-to-read dials for temperature and direction of airflow, and a horizontal switch for fan speed. The stereo controls were functional, but too uniform in size and shape. Contrary to popular design, the traction control button lights up when it is activated rather than when it is deactivated, which may lead to confusion. Oh, and the window switches are located on the center console, something which just doesn't make sense to us.
Now for a more positive take on the old couch model. The SW2 makes you feel secure. It reminded us of the road trips we took with our family when we were still kids, slugging each other in the backseat, oblivious to all the dangers of the road because of our complete faith in our parents' ability to chauffeur us in safety. This car, although not whisper-quiet like a luxury sedan, does an effective job of isolating the driver from the outside world. Wind and road noise is hardly noticeable at speeds under 60 mph. Over 60, there's a bit of wind roar off the hood and A-pillars, but it isn't terribly intrusive. The engine also remains quiet at moderate speeds.
This car also has Saturn's signature dent-resistant exterior panels, to prevent shopping-cart dings and rusting. An engine-immobilizing anti-theft system is standard on the 2000 SW2. The cargo area, too, deserves bonus points, with its standard-equipped netting, low liftover, and 60/40-split rear bench seat with a handy release lever. These perks ought to be taken into consideration when the SW2 wagon is matched up against such formidable competition as the Ford Focus SE Wagon.
The Saturn SW2 is certainly more traditional and understated in its design than the Ford - whether or not that's a good thing is up to the individual buyer to decide. And then there's the cheaper, more comfortable, and fun-to-drive Hyundai Elantra wagon and its awesome 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty to contend with.
When we look at the competition, we conclude that the SW2 isn't distinctive enough in any way to justify the non-negotiable price tag. Then again, for many consumers, Saturn's stellar customer service rep may be considered invaluable, thus justifying the purchase of such a middle-of-the-road vehicle.
The 2000 S-Series features two coupes, the SC1 and SC2; three sedans, the base SL, midlevel SL1 and uplevel SL2; and the lone wagon, the SW2. Our test car, equipped with ABS with traction control, fog lamps and an AM/FM stereo with CD player, came in just under $18,000. This isn't bad, especially considering Saturn's reputation for durability and the array of standard safety features on this family car.
Offense was taken, however, at this car's transmission. Whenever we hit the throttle for a burst of extra passing power, the engine would rev loudly to about 4,500 rpm, howling like a spoiled child, before the transmission would upshift, both sluggishly and belatedly. Once it got going, however, the 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine performed and maintained speed fairly well; we never had any trouble keeping up with the other road warriors on L.A.'s highways. The gas pedal itself was a little annoying, as it released with a loud, unnerving click whenever we removed our foot. We concluded that the engine was in desperate need of more low-end torque, as power delivery was flat from 1,000 to 3,000 rpm.
The car handled well for its class. Saturn boasts that the steel spaceframe on the S-Series sedan and wagon translates to premium ride and handling characteristics. It's true that in sweeping turns, the car felt balanced and safe, although one driver described the steering as "yucky" due to a lifeless off-center feel. The suspension was adequate, communicating an acceptable amount of road feel without jostling the occupants about excessively. Body roll was evident, however. According to Saturn, the stiffness of the spaceframe, coupled with the front and rear crumple zones, protects the vehicle's occupants like never before.
The soft suspension led to a fair amount of brake dive. ABS is optional on the SW2, and our tester had it. It was a little noisy, but the brake-pedal feel was decent, and modulation wasn't a problem. The brakes were not terribly confidence inspiring, however, when sudden stopping within a short distance was required.
Umm, yeah ... about that interior. Oh, did you think that when we said "couch," we meant that this car was comfortable? Not so, my friend. The front seats are fairly roomy, but completely devoid of support. A 45-minute stint in this car found one driver constantly shifting in her seat to find a more comfortable seating position, all to no avail. The side bolstering on the seats, too, is negligible, although this is less of an issue in a family wagon than it would be in a more performance-oriented car. The shaggy tan upholstery on the seats and doors is probably meant to be inoffensive and neutral, but we found it to be rather hideous. Returning for a moment to the couch analogy, we'll liken it to the sofa that gets handed down to you from your parents (or worse yet, that you pick up on the side of the road) when you move into your first apartment. Strictly functional - a place to plant your arse while you veg in front of the tube, or dashboard, as it were.
The build quality of the interior is pretty horrid as well. Hard plastic is present on the door panels, lower dash and center console. The "soft-touch" plastic on the upper dash is not at all supple. And the entire dash appears to be poorly made, as there is a big gap between the upper and lower portions, and the upper part can be easily pulled away from the lower.
A lack of attention to interior ergonomics is a prime offense of the Saturn SW2. The steering wheel feels hard to the touch and is placed too low in our opinion. Also, the rim is uniform in girth, so it doesn't provide any fat, comfortable gripping positions. The steering-column-mounted stalks are too short, forcing the driver to remove a hand almost completely from the wheel to operate the controls. The climate controls aren't too bad, with big easy-to-read dials for temperature and direction of airflow, and a horizontal switch for fan speed. The stereo controls were functional, but too uniform in size and shape. Contrary to popular design, the traction control button lights up when it is activated rather than when it is deactivated, which may lead to confusion. Oh, and the window switches are located on the center console, something which just doesn't make sense to us.
Now for a more positive take on the old couch model. The SW2 makes you feel secure. It reminded us of the road trips we took with our family when we were still kids, slugging each other in the backseat, oblivious to all the dangers of the road because of our complete faith in our parents' ability to chauffeur us in safety. This car, although not whisper-quiet like a luxury sedan, does an effective job of isolating the driver from the outside world. Wind and road noise is hardly noticeable at speeds under 60 mph. Over 60, there's a bit of wind roar off the hood and A-pillars, but it isn't terribly intrusive. The engine also remains quiet at moderate speeds.
This car also has Saturn's signature dent-resistant exterior panels, to prevent shopping-cart dings and rusting. An engine-immobilizing anti-theft system is standard on the 2000 SW2. The cargo area, too, deserves bonus points, with its standard-equipped netting, low liftover, and 60/40-split rear bench seat with a handy release lever. These perks ought to be taken into consideration when the SW2 wagon is matched up against such formidable competition as the Ford Focus SE Wagon.
The Saturn SW2 is certainly more traditional and understated in its design than the Ford - whether or not that's a good thing is up to the individual buyer to decide. And then there's the cheaper, more comfortable, and fun-to-drive Hyundai Elantra wagon and its awesome 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty to contend with.
When we look at the competition, we conclude that the SW2 isn't distinctive enough in any way to justify the non-negotiable price tag. Then again, for many consumers, Saturn's stellar customer service rep may be considered invaluable, thus justifying the purchase of such a middle-of-the-road vehicle.
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