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2008 Saturn Astra Road Test

Few things about the car business shock me anymore, but GM's turnaround, especially with regards to its import-fighting Saturn division still has my head spinning.

Saturn is one of the breakthrough brands of the decade, and the Astra continues its momentum. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

It was only a couple of short years ago that Detroit's newest automotive brand had nothing to offer me, personally. Due to my profession I drove Saturn cars and reported on them, and while I had a great deal positive to say about the old Ion Red Line's driving dynamics, its overall fit and finish was more appalling than appealing, which, sad to say was more or less the same for the entire lineup minus the fun to drive aspect, making it so that anything with a Saturn badge didn't even register on my Euro snob-o-meter.

Fortunately for Saturn, its previous cars delivered on their promise of desirable features and dependable transportation, so when combined with the brand's exceptionally impressive dealer treatment the result was and continues to be strong customer satisfaction and therefore enviable loyalty. Not

The Astra wears Saturn's new corporate face, and a distinctively good looking one it is. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

a bad mix to build a successful automotive company on. Truly, the only thing they needed was a lineup of more enticing cars and crossovers.

This began with the 2006 Sky roadster, leading forward with a design language the entire brand would follow over the next two years. On its heels was the stylish and well-built Aura sedan, combining European handling with American power for one of the best midsize four-doors in the segment. Soon after, Saturn brought out the Outlook crossover SUV, one of the most accommodating in its segment with up to eight seats available, and among the best looking. The Vue replacement was next, a premium-level compact crossover without the premium price, once again stepping the Saturn brand up with European driving dynamics and a powerful V6, plus a seriously upscale interior. All that was left was a small car to round out the lineup, and change Saturn's brand image from one that sells on price to one that can lure in a more sophisticated buyer through the strength of its products.

The Astra is that car, without doubt. I knew it as soon as I took a seat inside after its auto show reveal, and just had it confirmed in spades during its introductory launch program in California. After a briefing that went over technical details and marketing, my colleague and I jumped into a well-equipped XR model and headed out of San Jose on our convoluted way down the Western coastline to Morro Bay, stopping umpteen times along the way to switch drivers, switch cars, take photos and eat. The first thing I remember after slipping behind the wheel was the highly unusual quality of interior materials. This is no ordinary compact car. High-grade soft-touch plastics are everywhere, as are nicely weighted,

One of the best interiors in the class. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

rubberized switches, knobs and buttons, matte silver and chrome interior trim, plus extremely nice fabrics, especially the premium-like woven headliner that wraps down and around each pillar. Such comments are normally reserved solely for Volkswagen, the interior benchmark setter amongst entry-level brands, but I have to admit Saturn now rivals the Teutonic leader.

Actually, its front seats might even be more comfortable and supportive than anything from Wolfsburg. Even after a very, very long day's drive, my often sore lower back felt just fine, helped along by the manually adjustable lumbar support on the driver's seat of the top-line XR 3-door tester, the model we finished the day off with.

I

Some of the most comfortable and supportive seats in the business. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

tested all the available Astras, from this bright red sport coupe and a blue one just like it, to a five-door with all the trimmings and another five-door with hardly any options at all. Each was good, with a distinct difference in ride and handling from bottom to top. And by this I'm not saying the lower end XE felt any worse on the fly, but rather its fully-independent suspension was set up for comfort over speed, with smaller 16-inch steel wheels and higher profile tires plus a more softly sprung ride to smooth out the day's bumps and dips ... no, not bad at all. It handles the corners well too, thanks to a tried and tested suspension setup incorporating independent struts up front and a semi-independent torsion beam in the rear, plus stabilizer bars front and back, although body lean is more noticeable than with the first car we drove that came with the Sport Handling Package, optional on XR5DR models and standard with all three-door models, integrating StabiliTrak stability control, stubbier springs for a lowered ride height, non-variable ratio, electro-hydraulic reduced rack travel steering, and a set of 17-inch five-spoke alloy rims wrapped with 225/45R17 all-season performance tires. This car was as tight as any competitor in this class, and more composed through California's twisting network of coastal roads than a number of cars that should be better due to much higher price tags. Truly, I pushed the XR 5-door through some pretty hairy turns deliberately trying to upset it by adding brake pressure mid-turn and turning in too late or too soon, but I couldn't make it break traction. We only got the tires to chirp a single time, and then only after steering the car into a really silly line that came nowhere near the apex, but it reacted well to further input and remained stable all the way through. Drivers? I think I've found your new ride.

But wait, there's more. The 138-horsepower

The shifter is superb! (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

1.8-liter engine is pure ecstasy for those who love smooth, high-revving sixteen-valve dual-overhead cam four-cylinder mills with rorty exhaust notes, as peak power comes on at 6,300 rpm, 200 rotations short of its 6,500 rpm redline. There's not much torque with a maximum of 125 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm, somewhat like Honda's Civic, but it loves to wind out in the upper ranges and thanks to variable valve timing it enjoys a fairly wide power band resulting in seamless transitions from gear to gear.

And speaking of the transmission, the only one GM supplied for testing was the standard five-speed manual, and you're going to love its sweet shift mechanism, with just enough notchiness to allow for precise, positive engagements yet a buttery smooth ease of use as good as anything from the aforementioned Japanese automaker known for near perfect gearboxes. A four-speed automatic is optional, and due to not testing it I can't vouch for it at all. Too bad, but someone on our team will get his or her hands on it soon enough and expose its merits or foibles. Being a four-speed in a market that's now touting five-speeds and CVTs is already a knock against it, but we'll reserve judgment until a thorough test has been performed.

One thing going for the powertrain that just can't be forgotten in an age of ever-rising fuel prices, the Astra is pretty thrifty. Manually equipped cars can get an estimated 33 mpg in the city and 46 on the highway, while those with an automatic can achieve 34 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. Such numbers would require a light right foot, mind you, and this car begs to be driven with gusto. Your priorities will have to be the deciding point.
A

Not bad looking for a base car. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

quick look at the Astra's standard features list makes it apparent that Saturn isn't necessarily trying to attract bargain shoppers, as they could have offered a stripped model for quite a bit less and pulled in the more price sensitive buyer who was snapping up heavily discounted Ions until late this year. While such a car may come later, for the time being GM's import-fighting brand is targeting those who want to be more completely satisfied by their ride. Therefore, the $15,995 Astra XE comes standard with a full assortment of aesthetic, performance, convenience and safety features that include body-color bumpers, mirrors, door handles and moldings and 16-inch steel wheels wrapped in 205/55R16 all season rubber enhanced with a tire pressure monitoring system. A set of 16- by 6-inch aluminum twin spoke rims are optional on the XR5DR, while the XR3DR comes standard with 17-inch alloys and 225/45R17s. The three-door can also be had with optional 225/40R18 summer-only performance tires on 18-inch rims.

Inside,

Move up to the XR5DR and it gets a number of exterior and interior upgrades well worth the price. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

the base XE features a nice charcoal metallic finish on the instrument panel, center stack, steering wheel and doors, where the more upscale XR5DR and XR3DR get a flashier silver metallic finish. The base seat fabric is nice, and the cloth in the XR is higher quality still. Top line models get perforated leather. A 60/40 split rear seatback is also standard, opening up the cargo area to longer items.

The Astra's analog instrumentation is nicely laid out and easy to read, featuring a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, service display and oil life monitor. The standard cruise control is easy to use and the tilt and telescopic steering column makes the ideal driving position much more accessible. The base XE's urethane steering wheel feels a lot more upscale than most other base wheels I've tested, but then again the leather is the way to go if you're willing to spend for the XR5DR or XR3DR model. The latter

The upscale XR5DR gets a better audio system, this one top-line. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

comes with audio and Driver Information Center controls, and they're truly upscale buttons too, like everything else in this cabin.

Power windows are also part of the base package, with express down for all four windows; most only offer express down on the driver's window. Still, why they couldn't include express up, like VW does, is anyone's guess.

Power door locks with an anti-lockout feature also come standard, but while I can appreciate a car that has an anti-lockout feature, thanks to being locked out of a car on more than one occasion, I found it a pain that the ignition has to be switched off and the key pulled out in order to

A decent amount of room in back, and the top-level leather is a nice touch. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

unlatch the door; the pulls won't engage if the key remains in place. I imagine most owners wouldn't be getting in and out to swap driver's as often as we did, necessary for my colleague and I to get equal time behind the wheel, and we did manage to get out with the engine still running, but it requires a twist in the seat to reach back to the manual lock button, and in two-door Astras this is a long way back.

That key we took out so often is of the folding “switchblade” variety, and therefore is very VW/Audi-esque (read premium-like), although there's no option for a proximity sensing, push-button start remote or GM's specialty, remote starting.

For getting inside in the first place, remote keyless entry is part of the base package, as are power, folding, dual remote, heated exterior mirrors plus rain sensing front wipers and a rear wiper to sweep the hatch.

And I didn't have much use for wipers on my warm and sunny California road trip, but contemplating how critical they are at home helped me to appreciate the Astra's heater ducts down in the rear foot wells, which bring back memories of being warmed on cold winter nights by similar vents in my Dad's '67 VW Beetle. These come standard too.

More importantly all new Astras feature power assisted front and rear disc brakes with ABS, plus dual stage front airbags, roof rail side curtain airbags, side thorax and pelvic airbags. Active head restraints for the front seats are also standard, while the front shoulder

Stylish good looks come standard. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

belts are height adjustable for comfort and optimal positioning for impact, enhanced with pretensioners. The Astra should do well in crash tests.

One of the best aspects of Saturn ownership is GM's new warranty. No, it's not quite as strong as some others that offer ten years or 100,000-mile bumper to bumper, but after its three year, 36,000-mile comprehensive warranty, powertrain coverage lasts five years or 100,000 miles, and that's with $0 deductible. Not necessarily the best if you don't put high miles on a vehicle, but perfect for those who drive a lot.

And while I think you'd agree it comes well sorted for a compact car, in typical European tradition air conditioning,

Plenty of room under the hatch, and 60/40 split rear seatbacks come standard. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

this one with pollen and particle filtration is optional, or standard with the XR5DR and XR3DR. And while I'm on the subject of oddly missing components, you can't even get an Astra with a rear armrest, so the kids will have to make due with cupholders integrated into the rear console, or in other words your littlest ones won't have control over their own cups, causing you to reach back and forth to quench their thirst.

Heated seats are also optional, but available on all trim levels. This is unusual in a good way, as most only offer heated seats with leather, but no doubt getting them with the fabric seats will be appreciated in colder climes. And speaking of leather, if you want it you need to opt for the Premium Trim Package, which includes the leather seating surfaces as well as vinyl door trim, the aforementioned manual lumbar seat adjuster for the driver, those heated driver and front passenger seats I just commented on, and ambient LEDs in the door pockets. I would have expected only the XR models would be available with this upscale package, but you can order your XE with leather and all these goodies too. I wonder how many dealers will order any of these. Not too many, I would think.

This is probably the reason the three-door hatch doesn't offer anything near as base as the five-door, with sport seats finished in the higher grade fabric coming standard, that lowered sport suspension sport suspension I mentioned earlier, fog lamps and the five-door's mid-level seven-speaker audio system as part of the entry-level package too, all for a little under $3K over base at $18,495.

So, what

The Astra takes Saturn to new heights. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

stereo does the five-door get and what's optional on either? An AM/FM audio system with a single-CD and six speakers is standard on the base car, which sounds pretty good. XR5DR and XR3DR models get the seven-speaker system I just referred to, the seventh speaker a subwoofer, plus MP3 playback. An Advanced Audio Package available on either car includes an AM/FM/MP3 stereo with seven speakers, but a 6-disc CD changer gets added and the information display is upgraded. And while all this is good, you may be disappointed to hear that there's no auxiliary plug for your external audio device, and what's more, this just might be the only GM vehicle not available with XM satellite radio (satellite radio isn't offered in Europe). GM said that they're working on a fix for the former, which will probably be an FM transmitter that plugs into the cigarette lighter/power supply. At some point you'll be able to get this at the dealer level. And why is there no aux plug in the North America Astra while one is available overseas? It seems that Saturn wanted to go with safety first by plugging its OnStar system into the slot that normally would house the auxiliary wiring. While this will be a positive to some, others would rather forgo safety and turn-by-turn navigation (a great alternative to regular navigation, by the way) for their favorite tunes. Then again, any one of many aforementioned FM transmitters can be purchased at little cost via aftermarket electronics shops, specifically designed for connecting your iPod or mp3 player to your car stereo. Considering this, and that XM players (and if you prefer SIRIUS over XM, although I don't know many who do, you won't be forced to choose when opting for an aftermarket player) can also be purchased at these same retailers, the OnStar route starts to make a great deal of sense.

There's another

The Astra is Saturn's conquest car. It'll win over many import buyers from Japanese brands. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

oddity with the Astra, although this one will be even less of a concern than the last. It seems that base models come with a flip-down sunglass holder where the passenger-side grab handle would normally go. It's a nice feature, and initially I thought that GM felt those who'd be buying the XE model wouldn't be cornering as quickly, making the grab handle less of an issue, although this isn't really the reason for swapping components. In reality the deciding factor is whether or not a sunroof is ordered. With the sunroof, a right-side grab handle is included. Go figure? Must be another European idiosyncrasy.

As you can see, I'm grasping at straws here, or at least clutching onto grab handles to come up with something wrong with this car, and I'm having a terribly difficult time doing so. Fact is that the Astra is one of the best cars in the compact class bar none, delivering thoroughly engaging driving dynamics within a sophisticated, upscale environment that should keep on looking good years after the honeymoon is over. I'm still shaking my head in disbelief, but folks you're talking to a real honest to goodness Saturn fan now. What's the world coming to?

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