2008 Saturn Astra

The 2008 Saturn Astra is available as either a two- or four-door hatchback. Both versions are very small cars, with Motor Trend saying that the "Astra is a true subcompact" at "167.3 inches long for the five-door." For those who love European styling, Car and Driver brings good news, saying that "the only differences between the Astra built by GM's German subsidiary for sale in Europe and this new Saturn edition are its badges and minor exterior trim" changes.

Revamped styling for the brand doesn't stop on the outside of the Astra; Saturn’s interior sports a fine design that Road & Track claims "exudes an aura that is definitely not of this continent." Edmunds raves about the interior, claiming that "the cabin is the Astra's strongest point" and noting that "Opel clearly had Volkswagen in its sights when it designed the Astra's interior." ConsumerGuide takes a more middle-of-the-road approach, adding, "While Astra's interior does nothing to impress in terms of style and design, it's pleasant overall, if a bit bland."

When bringing the Astra over from Europe, the people at Saturn decided to make life easier for the indecisive among us; accordingly, "a 138-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder is the only engine" available on the 2008 Saturn Astra, according to Cars.com. While occasionally underpowered, the Saturn Astra's four-cylinder powerplant holds up well around town.

And while the 1.8-liter engine doesn't provide a lot of oomph, the 2008 Saturn Astra is a wonderfully composed car on the road. Edmunds finds that the Astra is "pretty fun to drive...thanks to its European-influenced suspension tuning." ConsumerGuide also points out that even "base-suspension models offer better than average overall control." One drawback of the Saturn Astra's sport suspension is that ConsumerGuide feels that it can "make for a rough ride on nearly all types of pavement." Kelley Blue Book reviewers write that "the Astra's steering is firm with good on-center feel and the handling is sporty with excellent stability." Harnessing the Astra's momentum is "a good-sized set of discs at all four corners with standard ABS" that Car and Driver says give the 2008 Saturn Astra "better than average" braking performance.

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2008 Saturn VUE Hybrid

It shouldn't take a Nobel Prize in economics to realize that buying a hybrid to save money isn't always the wisest financial decision. Put simply, the price premium associated with all that high-tech gasoline-electric wizardry would take years to recoup with fuel savings alone. Federal tax credits aid some models, but the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line has more going for it than just the generosity of Uncle Sam.

The Vue essentially shares the same unsophisticated, "mild" hybrid technology found in the Aura Green Line sedan and Malibu Hybrid. Compared to the systems found in the Ford Escape Hybrid or in Toyota's various vehicles, the Saturn electric motor provides very little assistance during acceleration and does not have enough juice to power the Vue by itself. Instead, the electric motor is mostly used to automatically restart the gas engine when it shuts down at a stop, which is where most of the fuel savings originates. However, while the related Aura Green Line sedan provides a meager 2 mpg advantage over the standard four-cylinder Aura, the Vue Green Line betters its gas-only edition by 6 mpg.

So the Vue Green Line is more fuel efficient than the regular Vue, but how does it do against its true competition? Well, the hybrid Vue is on average about 5 mpg more efficient than four-cylinder competitors like the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4. The Vue has a slightly higher base price, but when comparably equipped, the four cash out for about the same. But, with a $1,550 federal tax credit, it's technically cheaper. The Vue may not be a class leader (especially in terms of space), but this newly redesigned crossover still boasts solid road manners, a lengthy features list and a high-quality interior.

For now, though, the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line makes a lot of sense. It gets significantly better gas mileage than its primary competitors and costs less when you consider tax credits, while still being an attractive, well-built compact crossover. It doesn't take a Nobel Prize in economics to view the Vue Green Line as a wise decision.

© Source: edmunds
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2010 Saturn Aura Spied!

First we saw it in the south of France, then in Germany, later in the States, and now in Sweden: a prototype of the production version of Opel’s GTC Concept, which made its debut in Geneva in 2007.

By adding two doors to the concept, this becomes the next generation Opel Vectra, which is now known as the Insignia. Here in the States, we’ll likely be calling this the next generation Saturn Aura. And even under the busy camouflage, one can easily see that the front styling and overall feel of the design slightly mimics Opel’s GTC Concept, as well as Saturn’s new face.

These photos also include the first interior view of the new Aura, which shows a careful evolution of the current car’s cabin.

Based on the new Epsilon 2 platform, our sources are telling us that Opel’s version will go on sale in late 2008 as a 2009 model, but we may have to wait a bit longer here in the States to see the new sleek Saturn make its debut.

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2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2 Mode Preview

The four-cylinder Vue and Aura Green Lines have been on sale for months, offering drivers a practical, low-cost green option. An even greener choice (in terms of MSRP) will be the Vue Green Line 2 Mode. It arrives in dealerships later this year, and showcases GM's first front-wheel-drive application of their two-mode hybrid technology that was co-developed with BMW and the old DaimlerChrysler.
The 2009 Green Line 2 Mode is built on an excellent foundation. You likely know the Vue is an unrepentant clone of the Antara sold in Europe through GM's Opel division. Our miles spent in the Vue/Antara have been singularly pleasing, and based on our experience in GM's full-size SUVs with the two-mode technology, we have high expectation for the more sophisticated Vue 2 Mode.

While we can't comment on how the new Vue hybrid drives, we can tell you what GM told us leading up to the little ute's Detroit auto show introduction. The powertrain combines GM's corporate 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6 with variable valve timing (as in the Cadillac CTS) with a pair of electric motors rated at 55 kilowatts each. Fuel economy is claimed to be up to 50 percent better, compared to similarly equipped V-6 Vues. By our estimates, this would put city mileage at 24 mpg. Highway mileage won't increase by 50 percent, but it would be reasonable to assume that 28 mpg is attainable, as Saturn did boast a more than 500-mile range from the 18.4 gallon tank - do the math.

This type of mileage increase is in line with the gains seen on GM's full-size two-mode SUVs. The hybrid system in the Vue Green Line 2 Mode works its fuel economy magic by turning the engine off at idle; using electric-only low-speed propulsion; by cutting off fuel to the engine during vehicle deceleration; by using regenerative braking via its four-wheel discs with anti-lock control; by incorporating energy-efficient accessory systems such as electric power steering; and by providing electric assist at city and highway speeds.

Energy to power the 55-kW motors comes from a 1.8-kWh, 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack, which consists of 22 nickel-metal-hydride modules packaged behind the second-row seat below the cargo floor. Interestingly, reverse is driven by the electric motors.Saturn knows that those attracted to the Green Line 2 Mode want more than just economy. These buyers want a full-function, no-compromise SUV. The newest Vue is rated to tow 3500 pounds and is expected to run 0-60 mph in approximately 7.3 seconds

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2008 Saturn Astra XR Five-Door Road Test

While the current immigration conflamma has O'Reilly frothing, Pelosi gnashing, and Home Depot's stock tumbling, it's good to know that legal border crossing still rocks it out as the foundation of America itself.

Nowhere will that be more obvious than at a Saturn dealer early next year, when the Anglo-Saxon-bred Astra makes its way across the waves via Belgium to the U.S. in three- and five-door form.

When the Astra arrives, it'll do a couple of things for Saturn. It will give the 17-year-old nameplate the freshest lineup in the GM universe, with its oldest car being the two-year-old Sky roadster. And it will give a final shove-off to the plasticky, inspiration-free Ion, one of the last cars to emerge under GM's old, fusty way of killing cars by committee.

There's almost none of the old domestic GM in any cupholder or storage bin in the Astra. It's a smart, savvy small car with a great price tag that probably will give Saturn the kind of boost that Ford got from the Focus lineup at the beginning of the decade.

But is the five-door XR really up to the global standard set by cars like the Mazda3 and Volkswagen Rabbit? TheCarConnection.com drove the newest Saturn to be put into orbit and found out exactly how its European breeding matches up to Saturn's thoroughly American attitude.

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2008 Saturn Aura Hybrid Vehicle Overview

Introduction
Thomas Jefferson may object, but all hybrids are not created equal. They are each endowed by their creators with different unalienable capabilities, which affect emissions, fuel economy and the pursuit of green envy. The 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line wears a hybrid badge and features a gasoline-electric power plant, but its capabilities pale in comparison to other hybrid-labeled sedans. Acceleration, emissions and most importantly, fuel economy, are far below average. This Saturn is the cheapest sedan (not counting the Prius) to wear a hybrid badge, but like so much in life, you certainly get what you pay for.

To prove this, let's look at some cold facts. At the heart of the Aura Green Line (and its underwhelming performance) is an electric motor/generator that provides only 4 kilowatts of electric boost to the 164-horsepower four-cylinder engine. The motor is capable of motivating the Aura on electricity alone up to 3 mph, but it's mostly used to start the engine when it automatically shuts off at traffic lights and other stopping situations.

By comparison, the Camry Hybrid features a 30-kilowatt electric motor that can power the vehicle by itself under light acceleration to speeds of almost 30 mph. This difference is key in city driving and stop-and-go traffic, where the Camry and other "full" hybrids like the Prius and Nissan Altima Hybrid rely heavily on electric propulsion. The Aura's electric motor doesn't have enough juice to sufficiently boost acceleration or fuel economy, resulting in disappointing results for both.

Independent of its hybrid system, the Saturn Aura is an attractive family sedan that provides plenty of space, features and style. Its interior quality is a little hit or miss, but in general, most buyers will find it a pleasant way to get around. Sadly, most of the regular Aura's European-bred handling capabilities have been sapped out of the Green Line. Smaller wheels and tires can be blamed for this, along with the lifeless electric power steering (versus hydraulic) that makes driving it as much fun as taxation without representation.

© Source: edmunds
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