At the media preview for the all-new 2008 Saturn Astra, they handed us a bag with the press kit inside and various gimmicky buttons on the outside. My favorite: Kiss my Astra.
That's a pretty bold statement for a new car. It evokes images of taillights (because that's all you'll see as the car passes) and owners hugging their cars (because they love it so much).
2008 Saturn Astra
Available in three-door or five-door models, the Saturn Astra is an Americanized version of the European Opel Astra.
Pricing: five-door XE, $15,995; five-door XR, $17,545; three-door XR, $18,495.
MPG (city/hwy): 24/32 (manual transmission); 24/30 (automatic transmission)
Engine: 138 horsepower, 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder
Length: 170.5 inches
Width: 69 inches
Height: 55.8 inches, three-door; 57.4 inches, five-door
Standard features: four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, six airbags including roof rail head curtain airbags, OnStar with one year of Safe & Sound, rain sensing wipers, tire pressure monitoring, remote keyless entry, cruise control, express-down power windows, air conditioning
From what I've seen of Saturn recently, I thought both scenarios were entirely possible before sitting my (cough) Astra in the driver's seat.
I wasn't disappointed.
You might think that a 1.8-liter engine that delivers 138 horsepower would be slightly underwhelming. Amazingly, it wasn't. Whether it was mated to a five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic transmission ($1,325), the Astra seemed perfectly powered for a compact, entry-level car. Up hill and on highways, the Astra had no difficulty kicking it into gear to keep up with the steep inclines or go into full-on passing mode.
I liked but didn't love the five-speed manual transmission. I was able to wring a good amount power out of the engine with the manual shifting, but both my driving partner and I had a hard time with the gearbox itself. When shifting to third, we'd end up in fifth, and trying to downshift to fourth would engine-screetchingly shift us into second.
The automatic transmission I loved. In addition to shifting into neutral at a stop, which helps with fuel economy, the Aisin automatic transmission allows the driver to "kick down" the gas pedal. By pushing the accelerator all the way to the floor, the transmission then downshifts to give more power for passing or quick accelerations. I also noticed that the transmission downshifted on sharp declines after tapping the brakes. Another great feature for hilly terrain so that you don't burn your brakes too fast.
In addition to being peppy, the Astra delivers incredibly decent fuel economy ratings. For the manual transmission, EPA city/highway estimates ring in at 24/32 mpg. The automatic brings in slightly lower highway numbers with estimates of 24/30 mpg. My driving partner and I were only able to gauge our average economy in the five-door Astra with the manual transmission and the base radio, and we achieved an impressive 29.8 mpg in combined driving.
Astra enters the compact entry-level segment with three models and very attractive price points -- especially considering all the standard amenities included on even the most basic model. The base XE only comes in the five-door body style, and has a starting price of $15,995. While I would have liked a sub-$15K price for the base model, there are certain standard features that definitely make the price worthwhile. Every Astra will come with: antilock brakes, traction control, six airbags including roof rail head curtain airbags, OnStar with one year of the Safe & Sound service, rain sensing windshield wipers, remote keyeless entry, cruise control, express down power windows and air conditioning.
The five-door XR has a base price of $17,454, and the sporty three-door XR has a base price of $18,495. Both XR models add up-level audio systems with seven speakers, steering wheel controls and fog lamps. The three-door XR additionally adds 17-inch alloy wheels (16-inch wheels are standard on the five-door), a lowered sport suspension, high-sport seats with manual lumbar adjustment, stability control and quick-ratio electro-hydraulic power steering.
The three-door XR was my favorite Astra. I liked the compact Euro look with the sporty suspension and simple interior. My driving partner -- also a petite female -- and I loved the well-bolstered, body-hugging seats in the three-door, but our larger male counterparts grumbled about the tight fit and expressed a better liking for the less-supportive seats in the five-door.
I had a blast driving the three-door on curvy roads, and I thought it was incredibly maneuverable in traffic and around corners. The downside is that back seat space is minimal. Also, the car I tested had the optional 18-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, which caused a considerable amount of road noise. My driving partner and I weren't exactly shouting at each other, but we weren't speaking using our "inside voices" either.
The five-door is a little less sporty, and with 16- or 17-inch tires, the road noise lessens. While the five-door and three-door are the same length, the five-door adds (obviously) rear doors and about 2 inches in height, which makes entry to the back seat much easier.
The interior of the Astra is very simple, and the fit and finish is well done. I liked the slightly angled dash, which echoes the exterior lines on the front and rear of the Astra.
The control panel was not the standard GM interface, which I liked, but ... I did have one itty bitty bone of contention: the information screen. It's unlike anything that I've seen in a U.S. car thus far. And that's probably because the Astra has its roots in the European brand Opel. Saturn execs made no bones about the fact that the Saturn Astra is simply the Opel Astra with badging and grille replaced. I think they should have pondered replacing the info screen as well.
The basic screen is very digitized and looks like something you would have seen on a computer in the 1980s. It's clean and readable, but very unattractive. The up-level info screen is confusing, difficult to understand and utterly foreign. I needed someone from Saturn to give me a 5-minute explanation of how it worked. From the audio controls to the "Board Computer," it just wasn't intuitive. Saturn execs assured me that it would become intuitive after using it for a while, but I have to say that sounds amusingly reminiscent of the BMW iDrive.
The basic cloth seats were solid black on the bolstered edges, with black inserts that had attractive white flecks. They were comfortable and a size that would suit a wide variety of people. All the vehicles we drove had heated seats, one leather and two cloth. This was the first time I'd experienced cloth heated seats, and I was impressed by how well they worked. One of the main reasons I'd upgrade to leather is because of the heated seats, so it's nice to know there's a less expensive option ($250).
The exterior lines of the Astra are very sleek and smooth, both in the five-door and three-door models. I liked the bold Saturn grille, but it's the taillights that seal the deal. As another journalist passed me in the fast lane, I had a moment to ponder the (cough) Astra, and it was stunning. The chromed outline on the taillights connected by the chromelike bar create a very nice posterior profile.
With a plethora of standard features and a fun-to-drive sensibility, the Astra hits the market at a time when buyers are looking for more car at a lower price. The hatchback makes it utilitarian and the Saturn styling makes it attractive. While Astra doesn't hit the sub-$15K mark, I think it's worth it for the extra $1K.
Overall, I thought this new entry from Saturn was kick (cough) Astra.
VIDEO: Jill's bloopers
