2005 Saturn Relay Driving Impressions Review at Automotive.com
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Saturn
Relay
2005

2005 Saturn Relay Review: Road Test

Below is a full, detailed 2005 Saturn Relay review and road test from New Car Test Drive. A full evaluation of price, equipment, the driving experience, and specs are all here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with limitless e ...     read more
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2005 Saturn Relay Review

New family utility vehicle is a well-mannered minivan.
Driving Impressions
The Relay's V6 engine is relatively quiet and relatively smooth, but not particularly powerful so you have to leave extra time and space for passing maneuvers. The 3.5-liter V6 is rated at 200 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, a cast iron engine with a long pedigree of continuous improvements. This ancient V6, dating from 1980, still gets the job done, but isn't exactly rippling with musculature.

The automatic transmission worked flawlessly. GM's high-capacity 4T65-E transaxle has only four forward speeds, not five like some of the competition.

The Relay has a nice, light, easy touch and effort at the steering wheel, making it easy to maneuver in crowded parking lots. The four-wheel disc brakes with ABS were powerful and progressive at the pedal. The suspension provides a good amount of body roll in fast corners, which is nature's way of telling you to slow down. It's smooth-riding and quiet. There's clearly not as much sound insulation in the Relay as there is in the Buick Terraza, but the ride in the Relay is still pretty quiet and it feels substantial at nearly 4500 pounds.

Review Sections
• Introduction
• Lineup
• Walkaround
• Interior
• Driving Impressions
• Summary & Specifications
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The Versatrak all-wheel-drive system on the Relay 3 AWD model is lightweight, quiet and efficient. It works full time. The driver need do nothing. If one or both front wheels lose grip, the system goes into action, with no buttons to push or levers to throw. Whenever the front wheels lose grip, the system transfers power to the rear tires. But it also apportions power from side to side between the rear wheels, an ability not found on most all-wheel-drive systems. Next Page


2005 Saturn Relay