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2007 Saturn Aura Road Test

Aura Rising

Theres a certain glow about Saturn these days, a radiant emanation that reveals its inner health and happiness. The way I see it, Saturn can do no wrong, unless something drastic occurs, such as mass engine failures, which is clearly unlikely. As for the list of things Saturn has done right, theyve brought the Sky to market looking like a concept come true, theyve canned their "were not even going to try to make our cars look good" styling in favor of Opel-inspired curves, creases and chrome (okay, its more like Opel-direct than Opel-inspired), and journalists, blog-pros and message boarders in North America are fueling the flames of rumor as to what will replace the Ion--obviously the Astra, if you ask me. Just over the horizon is the Outlook, then the Antara-based Vue, and freshly risen is the golden child of the Saturn lineup: the Aura.

Many might argue that the Sky is Saturns guiding light, but I would categorize

Chic and stylish, the new Aura will certainly help turn Saturn around. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

it as more of a shooting star that will blaze a path across the, um, sky, while the Aura will be the car that less wishful thinkers will take home. It will sell, and sell, and sell long after the Skys sales streak is a dim memory and Saturn dealers are left with a shining beacon of hope to lure in showroom traffic before they shuffle them off in the practical and respectable Aura, and eventually the Ion.

One thing that will definitely make it easier on Saturn dealers is a great entry level price of $20,595 for the starter XE model that comes to town with a 3.5L V6 and

Auras design comes from the Europeans. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

4-speed automatic (4T45). And while its tempting to think old faithful, this pushrod engine is actually a new creation. Though its displacement is similar to the 200-hp 3.5-liter V6 featured in the G6, the Saturn gains variable valve timing to boost output up to 224 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque.

But it is in the cabin that the Aura really delivers, with all models featuring the brands vastly improved materials and design, a friendly environment that is inviting and comfortable in the American tradition, but clean, efficient and modern enough to reveal its European influence as well. A few things that might impress for making the cut on the base model are things

LED taillights with chrome surrounds and clear lenses adorn the backside of the Aura. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

like automatic climate control, built-in garage door remote, steering wheel controls for the six-speaker audio system with iPod jack, and the option to include XM Satellite Radio.

Of course every Aura comes with the Opel sheet metal that I have discussed at length in an earlier preview of the Aura (see Saturn archives in the new vehicle review section for the 2007 Saturn Aura Preview), so I wont go on about its great presence, proportions and sleek detailing that wraps it up nicely. Im a fan, and even more so after getting a chance to sniff around inside a few different models at several GM events, and every inch of the interior and exterior lives up to its European roots, right down to the firm, but

None of that wishy-washy central instrument panel; Aura has seriously cool yellow gauges.? (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

contoured seats that promise distress-free driving even on long trips over poorly maintained roads. In upgraded XR models, the features get even more luxurious, and perhaps the most flashy option is the Morocco Brown interior, which is a richly textured leather that is way above its price range in both quality and style.

Beyond the Auras tactile qualities, it implies a certain rarified air that luxury customers expect, and Saturn shoppers may be shocked but pleased to find I suppose it kind of makes sense to start giving Saturn dealers cars to sell that live up to the reputation that those dealers have established; a reputation of friendly service with none of the usual high-pressure sales tactics, a philosophy that has gained Saturn a loyal customer base almost

Long wheelbase Epsilon chassis provides excellent rear legroom. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

entirely devoid of the benefits of a seriously competitive product lineup--I guess you really have to love Saturn dealers and service as the company has built cars only a mother could love until recently--unless you count polymer panels as product.
As a midsize sedan thats almost certainly destined to haul around a family and some children, the Aura actually does fare quite well. It has plenty of rear legroom, partly due to its long wheelbase, and also partly due to its very deeply scalloped front seatbacks. On the top-level XR model, the Aura even offers separate audio controls with headphone jacks so that those in back can listen to different stations than those up front. Big deal you might think, but minivans have been featuring this for years, and when it comes to families, their designers know them back and front.

Anyhow,

Pushrod-free 3.6-liter engine revs smoothly and quietly. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

it looks like Saturn is coming out of the dark ages, and leading the Aura lineup is the XR model that gains the Australian-developed 3.6L V6, and while the small bump in displacement isnt going to impress many NASCAR fans, this engine has technology on its side. Its an all-aluminum mill with DOHC and variable valve timing on each of its four camshafts, helping it to achieve 252 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque, plenty motivation for the 3,647-lb Aura. This is the same engine running in Cadillacs captivating CTS sedan, as well as the Buick Allure in a higher state of tune, but in the case of the Aura, power is routed through an all-new 6-speed automatic, as opposed to Hydra-Matic four and five-speed automatics, which helps round out the Aura package with smooth positive shifts, and the option of steering-wheel thumb paddles to take command of the shift action. Later on, Saturn will most likely add an entry-level four-cylinder

Quality is way ahead of anything Saturns ever done before. Double-DIN stereo is a bit overused, though. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

model, and a Green Line hybrid variant will show up in 2008.

The Aura delivers on its promise of European refinement, with a steady climb in power seamlessly managed by the next-generation gearbox. While we only drove it around a proscribed road course, it was enough to show that the engine can keep up with any entry-level premium offerings from Japanese, Scandinavian or German manufacturers. Part of keeping up in that company is knowing when to keep quiet, and the Aura, under normal strain, has a soothing ambient purr that grows to a louder growl, where it starts to lose ground to any competition above its station, like the screaming revs of a VTEC-packing TSX or the turbine-like roar of a BMW straight-six. The up-level V6 does have an advantage over the older pushrod design; towards the cars top end, the engine pulls cleanly, and it sounds much more refined.

Mind you, before challenging in the entry level-premium arena, Saturn first

The car which the Aura is modeled after: Opel Vectra. (Photo: General Motors)

has to eclipse the Hondas, Toyotas and VWs of the world, as well as the Mazdas, Mitsubishis, Nissans and Subarus, all while trying to match underdog Hyundai and Kias seemingly unbeatable value. Saturn at least seems to climb onto a higher plane thanks to its styling, which puts it ahead of any of the merely pseudo-premium hopefuls in the previous paragraph, pushing them back into the 20th century, but it fails to turn the trick because of a certain inexperience: while many of the disparate elements are very appealing to touch, feel and look at, it doesnt all come together naturally. One aspect of the interior particularly disappointed, although it only caught up with me after the fact; while the many plastic surfaces are very high quality (like the dash, which is soft to the touch and dimples slightly under pressure), they meet moderately appealing switchgear that is simply too familiar to GMs crowded stable of products, weighing down the resurgent brand with a reminder of economies of scale and realities of production on a global platform. This is a bit disappointing,

Aura does have the upper hand on styling; its curves make it much nicer to look at. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

especially after the effort that Saturns design team put out trying to give the car a stylish exterior, luxurious seats, and that eye-grabbing yellow-on-black instrument panel with a cool carbon-fiber patterned background.

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