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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  My 2007 Saturn Aura - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Denise Fuller - August 16 - 2:46 pm

  At first, I did not think I would be driving a Saturn. I test drove so many cars in the $40,000 range, from BMW, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes. For the money, I found my Aura to stand right up there with them, as far as performance and style. It has the bells and whistles of any of those cars and more. The car looks rich, feels rich, is sporty and conservative at the same time. I love my Aura.

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  Not my Impala - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By lb0456 - August 16 - 12:43 am

  I sold my 2000 Impala and bought the Saturn Aura XE 6cyl. My Impala got 30mpg on the freeway at 70mph. Im a bit disappointed in the Aura. Its supposed to get 32mph highway. If I keep it at 60 it might get that but who drives 60 anymore? Right now Im getting about 27mph. Not impressive. I find it hard to get a comfortable temperature with the heater also. Love the XM radio and OnStar and the interior is very nice and comfortable. And I still prefer cloth seats to leather even with the heated seats so wish I had cloth. Very roomy trunk. Good visibility. Good get up and go when passing.

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  Awesome Bang for the Buck - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By AC - August 2 - 8:10 am

  Have owned 2 other "economy" Saturns and this one beats them all hands down. Looked at the Subaru models and simply could not justify the pricing. Fell in love with the size, styling and features. All things considered I love driving this car and feel like I finally own a luxury car.

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  Im in Awe of my Aura - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By John Russell - July 27 - 5:00 am

  I have back problems after two painful surguries and the Aura was the only car that was really comfortable for me to drive in. The heated front seats are a major blessing for anyone disabled like me. The comfort of the ride is awesome. No side to side movement, and my back lets me know that this existed in all the other cars that we tested. The 3.6 litre engine with 6 speed transmission makes gear changes so smooth. This car is more like a limo in feel and ride. As much fun as a Porsche with its standard option of manual shifting with steering wheel mounted touch paddles to up and down shift. If you dont want that fun, you just use the great automatic transmission with the smooth ride.

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  surprised for sure - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By wayne - July 17 - 9:50 pm

  I have been in the market for a new sedan for 6 months. I have been very picky about what to buy, because I tend to drive cars for several years. I drove the new versions of Mercedes C- Class, Accord, Camry, Passat, Saab 9- 3, as well as the TL and a Fusion. I couldnt decide on what I liked best. Then on the way home one day I saw a used TL sitting at a Saturn lot. I pulled in- didnt like it, then saw some promotions on the new Aura. I loved the way the car looked on the outside, but I am also no real fan of Saturn- in the past, they have had some of the ugliest cars on the road. Once I drove it, I knew immediately I would buy it that day. This is, hands down, the best car I have ever bought

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  Aura is Great - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Bob - July 13 - 5:26 pm

  I think this is a good car. It is fun to drive, has great performance, good 0 to 60. Love that it is a 3.5 engine standard

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  Great Used Car For The Price - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By andrew_aura1 - May 31 - 3:20 pm

  The Saturn Aura is a very well put together vehicle. It has great handiling capibilities but the steering lacks feedback. Power is adeqaute but more would be nice. The gas mileage is fair in the city I average around 21-23 mpg in the city and on the highway 30-32 mpg. The ride is very smoth and it feels like a cadillac compared to a honda with road and wind noise. Overall it is very nice and drives well for 71,200 miles and I hope to get it over 150,000 miles. They are quite a bargin compared to used malibus and accords.

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  American Cars are Back!! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By jackflash - May 16 - 3:03 am

  Thank you Saturn for building a car that that finally shows that America is back. As a owner of Japanese cars for the past three years I thought that was the best you can get for a 4 cylinder. The Aura proved me wrong, this car is a quality built vehicle with attention to detail. From the chrome trim rocker panels to the solid closing trunk lid, ambient lighting, trim details, XM radio, smooth shifting, comfortable and supportive seats this car is impressive. The exterior color midnight blue with tan interior and wood trim is awesome for a car in the price category. The paint job is excellent to go, the ride and handling is like the car is on rails, way to go. Plus this car turns heads!!

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  Awesome Car - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Netray - May 15 - 11:36 pm

  So far so good. I have owned 2005 VUE for the past 2 years and it seem to be cheaply made, the Aura so far from I can tell is a well built car and worth the $21K, I looked at other cars with the same options that were in the $30K range and not as nice to drive, Saturn has a winner with the Aura. The Aura handle nicely and is very comfortable, seems to have a lot of power with good gas mileage, Very quite car when on the highway doing 80 mph, and big bang for the buck.

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  Best car for your money - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Andy - May 14 - 6:30 pm

  Ive had the Aura XR for about a month now and I still cant believe I got this car for less than $30K. The performance is great. Power comes across the entire rpm range, and it handles very well for a larger wheel base car. If youre in the market for a new car, I would get to your nearest Saturn dealer and give the Aura a test drive.