For a company named after a planet, Saturn specializes in down-to-earth virtues, such as simplicity, economy, comfort and, yes, performance. Even Saturn's innovations are earth-bound practical: dent-resistant composite-plastic side panels, for example.
Add its focus on customer relations, and Saturn has drawn a very loyal band of followers to its compact S-Series cars. The L-Series, launched in 2000, gives those loyal owners a mid-size alternative at trade-in time. In keeping with the Saturn tradition, both sedan and wagon styles are offered.
For 2002, the L-Series packs even more value than before. Head-curtain airbags, automatic headlamps and ABS with traction control are now standard on all models, and all but the base-level L100 have four-wheel-disc brakes. New options include OnStar and a DVD entertainment center of the kind found previously only in minivans and SUVs. Other options have been grouped in new Value Packages for convenience and savings.