Overview & Reviews

For years, Saturn built mundane cars that looked and felt -- for lack of a better word -- cheap. Its midsize family sedans were no exception. Not too long ago, rumors swirled regarding the demise of the brand. But the opposite has happened. General Motors has hooked Saturn up to the rejuvenation machine, and the brand is in the process of reinventing itself and moving upscale in style, performance and features.

The new Saturn Aura is a cornerstone of the Saturn turnaround. The euro-influenced Aura has a distinctly sporty edge in both design and performance. And after years of bringing up the rear in the midsize sedan market, Saturn finally has a true competitor.

Current Saturn Aura

Available in two trim levels -- XE and XR -- the Saturn Aura is one of the more distinct midsize sedans on the market. It is built on a stretched version of General Motors' "Epsilon" platform, and has a surprising amount of legroom in the rear seats.

In fact, there are many things that will surprise buyers, including the Saturn Aura's excellent design sensibility. The cabin is nicely styled with just the right amount of (faux) wood trim or metallic accents. And to show how far Saturn has come, there are two sunroof options, including a four-panel panoramic sunroof.

The attitude isn't just skin deep. Both Saturn Aura trim levels are equipped with strong V6 engines and sporty features and equipment. The XE trim comes with 17-inch wheels (alloy wheels are available as an option) and a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 224 hp. A four-speed automatic transmission is standard. Air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, StabiliTrak stability control, traction control and a six-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input for digital music players also come standard.

The XR gets a more powerful 3.6-liter V6 engine, which bumps power up to 252 hp. The standard transmission is a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters, two words that you would never have thought could be associated with Saturn vehicles. But this is a different era for the company. Other standard features on the XR include 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seating, a power driver seat, heated front seats and a premium stereo with eight speakers and a six-CD changer. Interestingly enough, a navigation system is not available with the Aura, even as an option.

In reviews, our editors found the Saturn Aura matched up well with other cars in its class. In many areas, it runs at the front of the low-$20,000 midsize market. The pickup from both V6 engines is strong, but especially so in the 252-hp XR. The Aura offers a nice balance of tight, precise handling characteristics and comfort. The XR is even more of a treat to drive, thanks to its smooth, even power band and agile chassis. Steering is well weighted and road noise is low.

Our editors' one serious bit of criticism regards the XE's four-speed automatic tranny, which was found to be poorly suited to the base engine. The six-speed automatic in the Aura XR, however, is wonderful. Other complaints were limited to nitpicking interior fit and finish, a reminder that, while the Aura is miles ahead of previous Saturn offerings, there are still some things that could use more attention.

User Reviews:

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  terrible - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By sbrke13 - March 30 - 7:45 pm

  Nothing bur problem after problem with this Car. Doors wont always open. Locks on rear doors dont work. Nothing but electrical problems. On top of tht ems computer needs to be taken apart every cpl months and add dielectric grease. Car will randomly wont start due to vacuum leak caused by ems computer.it will pulsate and stahl out. Temper gauge freaks out to. and thts just the start of the problems. All in all worst car out there. Extremely cheaply made

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  Absolutely love this car!!!! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By lbaldwin - March 10 - 6:57 am

  I bought this car 1 month ago with 40,000. I owned a Saturn Ion 2 and put 100,000 on it and I loved that car. I actually went to the dealership to buy another Ion that they had with 36,000 but when the loan came through he had put it through for the Aura to surprise me. Omgosh I am so glad he did. This is a luxury car without the luxury price. I am soooo happy with this car. And to go along with the other reviews you definately get second looks. And the people at work think I paid a lot more than I did for it. It is far above my old ION.

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  Great Car - 2009 Saturn Aura
  By Michael - February 27 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Saturn for over 2 years and its been great. The ride is smooth and it gets good gas mileage for a v 6 @25 a gallon. Love the bluetooth and XM as well as the onstar directions so much car for such a great price to bad Saturn is no more another bad move by GM.

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  Best vehicle by Saturn yet! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Phil - February 23 - 12:36 am

  Before this car I had a 2000 Saturn LS1, that I had bought new. I was very happy with that car overall. It was very dependable, so when it came time to get a new car I felt I needed to check the new Saturns. I test drove the Aura and it felt nothing like my LS. Everything was different, from the power to the anti glare mirrors. The Aura has much roomier back seat which is great for my 10 year old daughter and her friends. It is extremely quiet on the highway.

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  Value wise, a much better choice than Malibu - 2009 Saturn Aura
  By golftango - February 22 - 6:15 am

  I purchased my Aura new in Nov 2009 just as Saturn was exiting the business. Therefore I got an amazing deal. Options are the Comfort and Convenience packages which include power seat, auto dimming rear and side view mirror with compass, Homelink, Power Sunroof and Bluetooth. To date I have put 53K miles on my Aura. The only issues I had were a bad strut and faulty seat frame. Still on my original brakes and second set of tires. It still looks new inside and out. Quality materials have held up well and the paint is nice as its thick and durable. The Aura is one of the quietest vehicles Ive driven. It eats up highway miles and I never get uncomfortable or fatigued.

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  Not Bad for the Money - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Nic - February 20 - 10:30 pm

  The one reason I bought this car was because for the price you cannot buy a car with this kind of HP, fuel economy and reliability. If youre looking for a car that has a good drivetrain for little money than youre good. If youre looking for sophistication or quality design than look elsewhere.

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  A Luxury Saturn! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By glvstnboi - February 20 - 4:50 am

  The looks got me to the dealership on this car but it was the handling on the windy roads that sold me. I feel more like Im in a European version of a Caddie than a Saturn. The gas mileage is proving to be as predicted. Im not certain on the power yet but I suspect that the vehicle and I havent finished adjusting to each other.

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  I love this car! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Aimee - February 13 - 5:36 pm

  I went to the dealership originally to replace my 07 Pontiac G6 but I saw this car and I knew that was my new baby! It drives great, looks even better, has a ton of room and on top of that it gets great gas mileage. I get about 22 in town and 33 on the interstate. I love the power of the v6 too. The only flaw with it is that I have had to get my rotors turned twice already and the grey cloth seats stain very easily. Other than that, I really cant say enough about how much I love this car!

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  New Owner - Report - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Glen - February 12 - 4:06 pm

  After test driving Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai and Subaru. I choose the Aura XR. The Aura looks better and handles better than the other brands. By the time you compare the features or extras the Aura XRs price is the same or less then the other brands. Glad I made this choice and so far have no regrets.

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  Almost like an import - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Bill S. - February 7 - 4:46 am

  Weve owned the car for a few weeks and really like it. Its a comfortable car to drive and handles well. We like the electronic features and the handy information screen below the speedometer. We also like the OnStar and mobile phone. We got the 0% financing and so far have been satisfied.