The 2005 Saturn Relay represents another solid, if unspectacular, effort at breaking into a new market: the crossover SUV-minivan. However, do not let the prominent roof rails and defined exterior fool you. The 7 seat interior, sliding door, and abundant cargo space give away the Relay's true identity as a re-vamped minivan. The Relay comes in 3 trims: Relay 2, Relay 3, and Relay 3 AWD. All trims use a 3.5 L, 200 hp V6 engine with 4 speed automatic transmission that runs smoothly and quietly. In addition, they all have optional cd player and standard dvd player for long rides with restless passengers. The Relay 3 AWD uses the Versatrak AWD system which shifts power to the rear wheels when the front wheels lose their grip. Unlike other AWD systems, Versatrak also allocates power between the rear wheels. All trims generally get you around 18 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway. Of course, you can never end an assessment of a minivan without discussing the interior. The 2005 Relay has 3 rows of seats, all of which you can remove except for the front row. Keep everything intact and you get 27 cubic feet of cargo space. Folding down the third row and and then the second row will increase the space to 74 and 136 cubic feet, respectively. An overhead console controls the heating, lights, and entertainment system. You can even add an optional Phatnoise hard drive that holds mp3's and movies.
Overall, the 2005 Saturn Relay continues to give its customers just enough of what they need and a little bit of what they want. Families on a budget will appreciate the roomy interior and modern options. Some reviewers would like to see better handling, more gas mileage, and more standard safety features, especially curtain airbags. Despite its shortcomings, the 2005 Saturn Relay gives families on the go another solid option in a growing lineup.