2001 Saturn S-Series: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

S-series offers sedans (SL, SL1, SL2), wagon (SW2), and unique 3-dr coupes (SC1, SC2) with small rear-hinged left-side back door. All have dent- and rust-resistant plastic front and side body panels. SL and "1" models have 1.9-liter overhead-cam 4 cyl, "2" versions a twincam variant of that engine. Manual transmission is standard; automatic is optional on all but SL. Optional ABS includes traction control. Side curtain airbags are optional on all are unique to class.

COMPETITION

A perennial favorite, the Honda Civic, is new and better than ever. We love the wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and a high degree of civility. New last year was the Ford Focus. Though we loved almost everything about the Focus, we were reluctant to rank it a Best Buy because it was new from the ground up. After a year of living with a ZTS model, we can say that the reliability is good. Focus ranks a notch below Civic in some areas but costs less. Topping the crowded Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys as they are better than the Civic in many ways. However, they are also the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Dodge Neon and Toyota Echo, the slightly-upscale Nissan Sentra, and the roomy Mazda Protege. If you are looking for a budget buy, the Hyundai Accent offers a lot for your dollar, however, it's not as refined as more-expensive competitors.