2005 Saturn RELAY New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2005 Saturn Relay?
General Motors hypes the 2005 Saturn Relay as "a crossover sport van that combines SUV-like styling with the functionality of a mid-van." Don't be fooled by such masterful public relations spin. In reality, the 2005 Saturn Relay is an updated version of the old GM minivan trio known as the Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Venture.

Advantages of the 2005 Saturn Relay:

• Comfortable seating for six
• Optional all-wheel-drive
• Available stability control

Objections to the 2005 Saturn Relay:

• Stability control and all-wheel-drive are mutually exclusive concepts
• No side curtain airbags with rollover protection
• Based on dated GM minivan platform

Editor's Advice:
Hoping to erase the "soccer-mom" image associated with pedestrian minivans, and wanting to capitalize on consumer desires for SUV styling cues, General Motors concocted a quick-and-dirty fix to upgrade its aging stable of minivans before an all-new version arrives later in the decade. The result, says GM, is the crossover sport van. Why would Saturn introduce a new model on such an old platform? Industry news reports claim that GM won't have a new minivan platform ready until 2007. Translated, this means that the structurally reinforced and significantly updated 2005 Saturn Relay is a stop-gap measure designed to retain market share and capitalize on the public's seemingly insatiable thirst for any vehicle that looks like a 1991 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer. But don't let our marketing skepticism deter you from considering the Saturn Relay. We've always thought that the GM minivans were entertaining to drive and comfortable for the front seat passengers, and current features such as a third-row seat that folds into the floor, available all-wheel-drive and on-board DVD entertainment systems will continue in these new models.