Saturn Vue Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year Vue should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2003 Saturn Vue has the most documented problems with a problem score of 688 — driven primarily by 1 recall, 629 complaints, and issues with POWER TRAIN.

Q: What is the best year Vue to buy?

The 2010 Saturn Vue is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 6, meaning 0 recalls and 6 complaints on record.

Q: Which Vue has the fewest problems?

The 2010, 2009, 2005 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Saturn Vue model year (2002–2010) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, injuries, and deaths. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Saturn Vue Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2003

1 recall · 629 complaints

28 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 688

#2 WORST

2008

3 recalls · 405 complaints

14 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 442

#3 WORST

2007

0 recalls · 312 complaints

7 reported injuries

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Problem score: 326

Best Saturn Vue Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2010

0 recalls · 6 complaints

Main area: VISIBILITY/WIPER

Problem score: 6

#2 BEST

2009

2 recalls · 125 complaints

Main area: STEERING

Problem score: 150

#3 BEST

2005

0 recalls · 169 complaints

Main area: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Problem score: 199

Found the right year? Verify that specific Vue with a free VIN report.

Saturn Vue — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Problem Score	Verdict
2010	0	6	6	Excellent
2009	2	125	150	Good
2008	3	405	442	Caution
2007	0	312	326	Caution
2006	0	300	320	Caution
2005	0	169	199	Good
2004	2	276	322	Caution
2003	1	629	688	Avoid
2002	2	180	200	Good

Higher scores indicate more reported safety issues across recalls, complaints, and injury data.

Saturn Vue Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older Vue models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report. Confirm all historical recalls have been completed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Vue should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2003 Saturn Vue if possible. It has 1 recall, 629 owner complaints, and the most common complaint category is POWER TRAIN. The overall problem score is 688 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Vue to buy?+

The 2010 Saturn Vue is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 6. It has only 0 recalls and 6 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Vue has the fewest problems?+

The 2010, 2009, 2005 model years have the fewest documented problems across recall and complaint databases. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Saturn Vue Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Saturn Vue.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Saturn Vue.

Check a Specific Saturn Vue VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →