2008 Saturn Aura and Saturn Aura Green Line

2008 Saturn Aura and Saturn Aura Green Line 2008 Saturn Aura and Saturn Aura Green Line
Review

Introduction

The Saturn Aura was introduced in 2006 as a 2007 model and was named North American Car of the Year. Like the Pontiac G6 and the Chevrolet Malibu, it is based on a General Motors global architecture that is shared with vehicles such as the European Opel Vectra and the Saab 9-3. The Aura replaced the LS sedan in the Saturn lineup and was introduced initially with two V-6 engines and a hybrid powertrain: a four-cylinder version was added for the 2008 model year.

All models are decent but involve some trade-offs. The upscale XR has a terrific 3.6-liter V-6 engine making 252 horsepower, but it becomes pricey. The hybrid Aura gets better gas mileage but isn’t as refined as the Toyota Camry hybrid. The Aura XE V-6 has good power (219 horsepower) but is a bit coarse at high revs. And the four-cylinder Aura XE is less expensive but isn’t quite as sweet as the best Japanese powerplants. In truth, the Chevy Malibu is a more fully realized version of these underpinnings.

Verdict

The Aura is a fine-looking mid-size family sedan, but it hasn’t quite been the success that Saturn hoped for, probably because it is much more expensive (and rightly so) than the woeful LS. The car handles quite nicely, and the interior quality is worlds better than its predecessor’s, but it still doesn’t quite match the best of the Japanese rivals, the Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima.

Click here to read our full review of the Saturn Aura.

Click here to read our full review of the Saturn Aura Green Line.

Click here to read our latest comparison test involving the Saturn Aura.

What’s New for 2008

The four-cylinder XE model, powered by a 2.4-liter engine that produces 169 horsepower, is new for ’08. It is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The StabiliTrak stability-control system is now standard on XE V-6 models, and XM satellite radio is now fitted across the board. A driver-information center adds real-time fuel-economy information on the XE and XR models, and, finally, there are some new colors.