Review Car

2011 Saturn L Series Wagon

Echoing the changes to the exterior, The 2011 Saturn L Series Wagon is dressed up as well. Head-curtain air bags, automatic headlamps and ABS with traction control are standard on all models. Options include On Star and a DVD entertainment center that’s a segment exclusive. Floor mats and anti-lock brakes are optional, however. Saturn’s legendary customer service also remains, a key attraction for buyers who want a pleasant buying experience and a friendly service. For 2011, the Saturn L-Series is streamlined with two versions of the sedan and two versions of the wagon.

Sedan and wagon come in L200 and L300 levels. A 135-horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine powers wagon. The L300 and 2011 Saturn L Series Wagon is equipped with a 182-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. All come standard with an automatic transmission.

Brushed nickel trim now decorates the interior, providing a more expensive look combined with new silver-faced gauges. On the other hand, flashing from the molding process can be seen and felt around the interior. The seats are roomy and comfortable. 2011 Saturn L Series Wagon designed them to provide big-car accommodations without a sofa-like experience. As a result, they are supportive without being restrictive. The steering wheel is nicely contoured with finger grips and feels good to the touch, as do other interior surfaces. The steering wheel spokes are set low at each side, which allows for easy use of the correct 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock hand positions. Wood trim in the center dash area looks out of place, however, and the two-tone door trim and mouse fur roof liner are not up to the standards of this class. The sound system is located above the heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls. Audio controls are nice big, clearly labeled knobs that are easy to operate while driving. Driver and front passenger air bags are standard, of course, but so are front and rear side curtain air bags, a feature not even optional in most competitive cars. For 2011, the plain faces of the earlier models have been replaced with a grille with more flash and a brighter Saturn badge. The grille lattice, if one looks closely, is formed from small arcs of the Saturn planet-and-ring logo. At either end of the grille are standard projector beam headlamps with clear lenses framed by chrome trim. Optional fog lamps are inset in the new front fascia. 2011 also brings a higher hood to the keyword cars. 2011 Saturn L Series Wagon is based on the same structure as the Opel Vectra. Unlike Saturn’s smaller S-series sedans and coupes, The 2011 Saturn L Series Wagon cars use steel for the rear fenders and trunk lid. Saturn engineers felt that a large car demands a large cargo area and that this area must have the added rigidity of steel. When refueling we noticed that the fuel filler door is plastic and feels flimsy, though it may well be quite durable.