2002 Saturn L-Series Review
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By Ron Moorhead

Overview

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.

Model Lineup

Saturn offers three versions of the L-Series sedan and two versions of the wagon.

The sedan comes in L100, L200, and L300 levels. Wagons are designated LW200 and LW300, with equipment levels very close to those of the corresponding sedans.

A 135-horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine powers the L100, L200, and LW200. The L300 and LW300 are equipped with a 182-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. The four-cylinder engine can be ordered with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, while the V6 comes with the automatic only.