First Drive Review
In 2006 Saturn tore a page out of Pontiac's playbook and introduced its own, restyled version of the Solstice, named the Sky. Saturn's touch gave it an edgier look and it also came with more equipment. Now for 2007, Saturn tore again, and reskinned the Pontiac G6 to give us the Aura, a mid-size sedan taking aim at the top-selling Honda Accord and Toyota Camry with a base price of $20,595.
In the case of the Aura, we think Saturn outplayed Pontiac in exterior styling. The G6 sedan has a plain, wedge-looking nose and rounded rear end, a combination that isn't bad, but not as stylish as the Aura's chrome-bar grill and aggressive angular headlamps that make it look sporty and hip. And its rear doesn't stick out like J.Lo's.
Not as great on the inside
Once inside, we noticed our enthusiasm fade. It's not a bad interior, in fact compared with previous Saturn models the Aura benefits from nicer materials and better fit and finish, bar none. But it still doesn't stand up against the best interiors in the class, like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Kia Optima. However, it is ergonomically sound. All the radio and HVAC controls are easy to reach and use. The front seats offer firm cushioning on your back side. And it's easy to find a comfortable driving position thanks to adjustable seat height and lumbar, as well as a tilting-and-telescoping steering column. Our only complaint is the lack of padding for resting your elbows on the door and center column.
Only comes with a V-6
The Aura comes in two trims levels, the XE and XR. Both come equipped with V-6 engines and automatic transmissions driving the front wheels.
The base level XE gets a compelling $20,595 base price, and a surprisingly smooth 3.5-liter pushrod V-6 that produces 224 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. That's impressive horsepower for the money, but its performance is limited by a less-than-impressive four-speed automatic. However, since Saturn has priced this car to compete with its rival's four-cylinder models, the XE's performance is near the top of the pack. EPA fuel economy is a decent 20 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway.
The top-level XR comes with a DOHC 24-valve V-6 displacing 3.6-liters and producing 252 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. It's bolted to a smooth-shifting, six-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. That combination is enough to give the XR plenty of pep. From rest, 60 mph is only 6.2 seconds away. That sporty package starts at $24,595, $1200 less than a V-6 Accord.
