Teresa’s View
Well, would you look at Saturn. The General Motors subsidiary is off on a tear, promising to introduce several new vehicles following the successful launch of the stunning Sky roadster.
Evidently ethereally named Saturns will be the new rage, so the newest addition, the Aura, follows the Sky’s atmospheric spirit. Appropriate for a car manufacturer named for a planet, don’t you think?
The all-new Aura family sedan was brought in to replace the ill-named L-series in Saturn’s line-up. Like its predecessor, it shares the same platform as the Pontiac G6, and by extension, the Chevy Malibu and Saab 9-3. (GM owns all four companies.)
The Aura’s two trims — the base XE and upscale XR — are differentiated primarily by their engines. No four-bangers here. No, both sport virile V-6 engines under the hood. The XE gets a 3.5-liter, 224-horsepower version that is, unfortunately paired with an anemic four-speed automatic. The XR’s 252 hp, 3.6-liter power plant is much better matched with a six-speed automatic transmission — that includes Tapshift, a steering wheel mounted shift control — for a broader range and smoother shifts.
Inside the cabin, materials are — for the most part — upscale and well executed. Fake wood trim — or plastic trying to look like metal — detracts from an otherwise lovely ambiance.
Our XR tester adroitly handled various road bumps and potholes, and capably kept exterior noise to a minimum — something that was a bit of a problem in the past. The difference, apparently, is the use of steel body parts instead of polymer panels, which were excellent at preventing dents and dings, but not so great at shielding passengers from outside clatter.
What Is It?: The 2007 Aura is an all-new five-passenger, four-door, midsize sedan. Prices are a very reasonable $20,595, including destination charges for the XE; and just under $24K for the XR.
Gadget Rating: 7.5 out of 10. Kudos for the well-placed, good-sized buttons and knobs. They operate a long list of features such as air conditioning, stereo with CD/MP3 player, the cruise control and power windows and door locks on the base trim.
The Back Seat: Rear-seat wireless headphones are just about the only bone tossed to back-seat passengers. Sure, they have windows that roll all the way down, but there’s no pull-down armrest and, more importantly, no head restraint for the middle-seat occupant.
Safety: Standard features include one year of OnStar, 24-hour roadside assistance and a 30-day or 1,500-mile vehicle exchange, plus anti-lock brakes, daytime running lamps, remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitor, theft deterrent system and six airbags, including side curtain airbags. Bonus: The Aura scored a best five-out-of-five in government safety tests for both frontal and side crashes.
Look For It: Saturn promises an Aura Green Line later next year. The ecologically friendly version will feature a 2.4-liter Ecotec-based hybrid, making it GM’s first hybrid passenger car ever.
So, Where Are Ya From?: The Aura is assembled at Saturn’s Fairfax Assembly Plant, in Kansas City, Kan.