* Click HERE to see a video on the Saturn Relay *
Not as new as you think
These days, there are so many car segments in the automotive world that manufacturers wanting to make sales must offer their own variant. One of the most hotly contested categories is minivans. Car builders pour hundreds of millions of development and design dollars into these vehicles to make sure that they offer the latest in safety features, gadgets and the most cupholders. The Americans were the first at the Minivan Ball but the Japanese soon joined them on the dance floor and taught them a few moves.
In 1997, General Motors set out to firmly grasp a good portion of the minivan market and it worked. The Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Trans Sport sold very well. The Montana version of the Trans Sport was so popular that GM simply named the van Montana. For 2005, General Motors refurbished their minivans. With the demise of Oldsmobile and probably because the General could not decide who would inherit a minivan, there is now of quadruplet of minivans which include the Saturn Relay, Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terrazza and Pontiac Montana SV6. We tested a Saturn Relay 3 with Versatrak AWD and my eyes are now even more open.
The model line up for the Relay ranges from $27,995 for a base Relay 2
model to over $45,000 with options for an AWD Relay 3 model. Our tester retailed for $40,260 missing only leather and navigation as major options.
Exterior styling
The trick to this redesign is a bolder SUV-style front end. It is grafted onto the old body in the hopes of attracting the buyers that do not want to be seen in a minivan. I have a hard time with this new tough-truck styling. While every other manufacturer is working towards making their vans more car-like, GM has decided to make their minivans remind people of gas-guzzling and polluting SUVs. To do so, the designers blew up the nose of the Venture until it was wider and flatter, rounded off the edges and slapped on a large grille. I find the Relay's front fascia to be the least arrogant and offensive.
I will say that our tester benefited from being Berry Red and having the lower portion of the body black. The six-spoke 17" wheels are also tasteful. The paint was littered with orange peel and many of the body panels had large or uneven gaps. As a note of interest, this is the only Saturn that does not have polymer body panels.
Interior styling
The first thing I noticed when stepping into the Relay was that the interior is very nice compared to the previous models. It is more modern and mature looking. The contrast of the black and tan colours enriches the cabin with a near-flair of luxury. Some plastics are typical "bon marché" like many other GM vehicles and others are actually nice. The dash is well laid out, simple, ergonomic and satisfactorily put together. It is easily one of the most appealing dashes in GM's fleet this side of $40,000. The leatherette door inserts also serve to spruce up the interior.
Not as new as you think
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In 1997, General Motors set out to firmly grasp a good portion of the minivan market and it worked. The Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Trans Sport sold very well. The Montana version of the Trans Sport was so popular that GM simply named the van Montana. For 2005, General Motors refurbished their minivans. With the demise of Oldsmobile and probably because the General could not decide who would inherit a minivan, there is now of quadruplet of minivans which include the Saturn Relay, Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terrazza and Pontiac Montana SV6. We tested a Saturn Relay 3 with Versatrak AWD and my eyes are now even more open.
The model line up for the Relay ranges from $27,995 for a base Relay 2
 |
Exterior styling
The trick to this redesign is a bolder SUV-style front end. It is grafted onto the old body in the hopes of attracting the buyers that do not want to be seen in a minivan. I have a hard time with this new tough-truck styling. While every other manufacturer is working towards making their vans more car-like, GM has decided to make their minivans remind people of gas-guzzling and polluting SUVs. To do so, the designers blew up the nose of the Venture until it was wider and flatter, rounded off the edges and slapped on a large grille. I find the Relay's front fascia to be the least arrogant and offensive.
I will say that our tester benefited from being Berry Red and having the lower portion of the body black. The six-spoke 17" wheels are also tasteful. The paint was littered with orange peel and many of the body panels had large or uneven gaps. As a note of interest, this is the only Saturn that does not have polymer body panels.
Interior styling
 |