1996 Saturn SL2 Better to look at, easier to love. By Marcia Ruff, New Car Test Drive .com

When the first Saturn cars made their debut in 1990, the automotive press wished

the fledgling carmaker well but dismissed the cars as noisy, buzzy and crude.

In the years since, Saturn has grown steadily. It built its one-millionth car in

the middle of last year, and has regularly announced sales records and growth

increases.

The company also has attained the highest loyalty rate in the business--that's the

number of Saturn owners who come back and buy another Saturn. It has achieved

extraordinary levels of customer satisfaction, routinely ranking at the top of the

list with luxury marques such as Lexus and Infiniti.

Did Saturn accomplish all this by revamping its cars into superb examples of

automotive achievement? Not really.

The lesson of Saturn is that you don't need great cars to be successful. If you

build a reliable car that provides all the basics, is priced well, and is pleasant to

buy and own, you're set.

For 1996 Saturn has revised its sedan and wagon for the first time since their

introduction. (The coupe model won't be revised until the 1997 model year.) The sedan

and wagon are now quieter and a little more stylish, with a more attractive interior

and some additional safety features. Saturn owners have always loved their cars. Now they have nicer cars to love.