Automotive Review - 2008 Saturn Aura

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brian_Lebow]Brian Lebow

We're on the Road in the 2008, Saturn Aura

The Good: Quiet ride, family friendly hauler, great looking, very safe; confident handling, 1 year On-Star Safe & Sound included, turn by turn available, American made

The Bad: Audio display washes out in direct sunlight, XR is stiff over bumps, some unfinished surfaces inside

Overall: The AURA is a well (American) made sedan that will serve you well as a comfortable daily commuter, or a weekend family tripper. Descent cabin space, passenger room is also good, as is this Saturn's styling and handling.

We're on the Road in the 2008 Saturn Aura, XR. The AURA is Saturn's five passenger sedan, built on the same platform as the Pontiac G6.

Available powertrain:

2.4 liter 4 cyl hybrid (164 hp)
2.4 liter 4 cylinder (165 hp)
3.5 liter V6 (219 hp)
3.6 liter V6 DOHC (252 hp)

Available transmissions:

4 Speed Automatic
6 Speed Automatic

Tested Model: Aura XR 4 Door Sedan, 3.6 Liter 6 Speed Automatic Transmission

The Aura is a family friendly, commute ready sedan. Nice styling make the Aura as good looking as it is practical. With the great looking models General Motors is sending our way this year, it's easy to find one to take home. Test drive the Saturn Aura and see American ingenuity on the road again! The 2008 Aura earned a "recommended" status from Consumer Reports.

Safety

The Saturn Aura scored well in crash teAURA by the IIHS, earning a five star rating *(the best possible) in front and side, driver and passenger teAURA. Also find ABS (Anti-Lock Brakes) on all models. ESC (Stability Control) comes standard on the XR and Hybrid versions of the Aura. The 5 passenger sedan also comes standard with a full compliment of airbags, tire pressure monitoring system, LATCH system for child safety seats, daytime running lights, a theft deterrent system and more. Increasing the safety quotient, is the included On-Star System (Safe & Sound, included for the first year) that will alert emergency services in event of a crash. Also ask about the turn by turn level of service, which works like a hands free nav system. You talk to an operator via the in car communication, tell them where you're headed, and they send the directions to your car. As you make your way along the route, the system announces the directions for you, as well as displays street information and distance to next turn on the radio display. If you make a wrong turn it will ask if you want it to update your route automatically for you. It's a great system, offering a simple, hands free, and non intrusive way to Go On the Road.

Driving Impressions

We tested the XR, with 3.6 liter, 6 cylinder, outputting 252 hp, the top Aura powertrain. Fit and finish are decent quality. The ride in the XR can be stiff over large bumps. Handling is very good and the Aura is surprisingly agile, and steering is quite numb.

Fuel economy vs. power If you find yourself favoring economy, test the 4 cylinder or hybrid model, which are affordably priced and will cost less initially and save you a bit at the pump. The $2,400 price difference between the 4 cylinder and hybrid might make sense if you're super intent on saving the planet, but the fuel savings will not (typically) make ($ and) sense. The 3.6 liter V6 engine (XR) packs power and performance to really make the Aura a contender in the segment. Drive the Accord, Camry, VW's Passat, then take the Aura out for a drive, it could surprise you! We like the power and performance of the less earth friendly 3.6 liter, V6.

The Way You Feel Inside

Stylin... The Aura is the bright spot in the Saturn lineup! Hop in and check out Aura's simple analogue gauge cluster. Enjoy a comfortable ride thanks to Aura's sporty chasis tuning, and spacious cabin, even by the generous standards of the midsize sedan class the Aura provides more than average space. Interior build quality is very good overall. Some of the midsize sedan's strong points include ride comfort and a quiet ride! Road noise is very well isolated from the cabin. Inside you'll find creature comforts including satellite radio (on all trims), Saturn's advanced 8 speaker audio system, audio in the rear seats w/wireless headphones, drivers information center that includes: instant fuel economy (new this year); tire pressure monitoring; trip computers; outside temp, and more, We like the accent lighting, the back lit door handles, and available power moon roof, and power adjustable pedals.

Some of the available options for the Aura include: Power adjustable seats, heated seats, remote vehicle start, wood-grain interior trim and while regular leather upholstery is optional on the XE, the XR buyers can opt for two-tone "Moroccan" leather.

Nav?

What about a navigation package? Saturn is a GM brand, and hence comes with an initial trial of OnStar, and you can opt up for Turn by Turn service which is helpful.

Whenever you need directions think of someone being there to help route you, providing audio cues as well as a visual display on the radio, counting you down to your next turn... "350 yards". Using On-Star is so simple! Push the button, tell the operator where you're headed (even if you don't know the location or name of the business) and they route you there. One day, in a town about 60 miles away from home the urge for Thai food hit us, we hit the On-Star button, and asked to be routed to the nearest Thai Resturant, even though we had no idea the name or location. Simple! The friendly On Star operator routed us there, sending the directions to the car, all we had to do was listen and follow audio directions and savor the flavor of the Pad Thai. It could not have been easier! On-Star, Turn-By-Turn directions can take over the clock and radio display, which can be a little bothersome, but nothing major. Overall On-Star turn-by-turn is highly recommended, especially for folks that are not tech oriented (not that you need a degree in engineering to operate most nav systems these days, but they can be confusing for non-tech folks). And the On-Star Safe & Sound (free for the first year) is also a great feature. Imagine your wife is driving a few hundred miles by herself, if the unthinkable were to happen, you'd want to have her protected with On-Star's, Safe & Sound. We like On-Star, both the Turn by Turn package and the Safe & Sound. They work well, and beyond helpful and practical, they could be life saving!

Stowage

The Aura has room enough for a lot of baggage. If your family of 4 is going on vacation, unless you have several over packers, the Aura's large trunk will more than accommodate you. The trunk space is 14.9 cubic feet.
By the Numbers

The EPA rating system changed for 2008, so it's not possible to compare previous years fuel economy to '08s. By the new 2008 fuel rating the AURA XR sedan (3.6liter V6) is rated at 17 city / 26 highway, and we averaged just under 21 MPG on regular fuel, between city and highway driving.

Sticker

The entry price for the Saturn Aura (w/2.4 liter 4 cylinder) is $19,745.
The Aura XE (w/3.5 liter 6 cylinder) MSRP starts at $20,895
The Aura 2.4 Hybrid starts at $22,140
The Aura 3.6 (w/3.6 liter 6 cylinder) starting at 24,845

Automotive Reviews, expert advice from a mechanic and great automotive content available online from Go On The Road, brought to you by LeBow Media, LLC. www.GoontheRoad.com

Brian LeBow, LeBow Media, LLC is the original author of this new car review. More infomation about LeBow Media, LLC is online at http://www.LeBowMedia.com and our automotive review site is online at http://www.GoontheRoad.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Lebow http://EzineArticles.com/?Automotive-Review---2008-Saturn-Aura&id=1005496

Are you looking for a saturn aura? Then you might want to check out LemonFree.com Cars

saturn | subaru | suzuki | toyota | volkswagen