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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  Aura gas mileage. - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By marvin - October 15 - 9:50 pm

  Because I average around 30,000 miles per year it was important to me that I got at least what the sticker said I would get on highway miles per gallon. For the first 2000 miles I have driven the car, I have averaged 30-32 miles per gallon on highway at 65-72 mph, around 1700 RPMS. (sticker said 30 MPG Highway). Comfortable ride, handles well around curves.

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  Nice car - 2009 Saturn Aura
  By straydogger - September 20 - 8:46 am

  I bought my 2009 in 2010 with 33000 miles. The only problems Ive had are the trunk light has never worked for me. Ive checked the bulb and fuses and no go. Ive replaced the windshield wiper linkage twice. Not the motor..just the linkage. Its not a very good design I think. A metal ball in a plastic socket that is packed with grease. A rubber boot keeps the grease in but when it wears out it dries out and then the linkage falls off. Need to buy motor and linkage to really fix the problem. Drivers door speaker doesnt always work. Left rear door lock wont lock/unlock with the key fob. Small problems. All in all the car starts everyday and gets me where I want to go. Thats what counts.

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  XE - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By D van Galen - September 17 - 9:43 am

  After 10K miles on this car I have to say it has been one of the best cars I have owned.I will put 18k-25K rep yr on the miles. A real pleasure to drive. I average 2-3 years on a car.The ride it the best feels like a BMW sport sedan. Comfortable and has style. I would have prefered the simulated wood trim to the silver interior trim but it is clean. Radio is great. Not bad on mileage 22-26 around town, 25-30 on highway. Very quiet ride for a $24K car.

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  Great Car - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By ValKilmer - September 13 - 1:13 am

  This car is slick. It is powerful and very good looking. All of my friends are so surprised when they find out its a Saturn.

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  New 2 week old Aura XR - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Bob - September 10 - 6:40 am

  After turning in a 2004 Caddy this car is lots of fun. Very surprised so far. Gas mileage in town is not good! Highway was much better. Only problem, rear of XR should have rear seat armrest and also a AC duct for rear A/C to get to! Minor additions but great value to rear passengers. Sound system is great! Only interior part that looks cheap is the interior door panels, other than that great car for the money. Cant compare that to anything out there.

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  Saturn Aura XR - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By cyclist - September 6 - 1:20 am

  The Saturn Aura, especially the XR trim package, is an exceptional vehicle. The car does not feel like an American sedan. It has the look and feel of a European sedan, and it drives like that way as well. The suspension is taut but not too harsh. The cabin looks like it belongs in a luxury car. All this for a car in the mid-$20s. In short, I love it.

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  Pleased and Dismayed - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Pleased and dismayed - September 5 - 12:50 am

  After several Volvos I loved, I was impressed by the new Aura and felt it was a good value. Ive owned it 6 mos. now and overall, this is a fantastic car - too many things to list that I like. Details like quiet and ambient lighting, OnStar all excellent. I have had a lot of trouble with the 19" tires, dealer replaced all of them at least once, and they just cannot seem to get balanced smooth - the car rides crappy at 60MPH or higher, and I have been so disgusted with this that all the good things get overlooked. Its a shame, either the tires or my dealer cant get it right - they say its the way the car was designed-yeah right! GM always designs cars to vibrate at 60MPH

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  I Would Buy It Again - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Eugene Dunning - September 3 - 8:00 pm

  The styling, performance and price of this vehicle is outstanding. I have always liked to drive a car that turns heads, and this one certainly does. I purchased the chrome hub cabs which makes the car look even nicer and no one can believe they are hub caps and not wheels. This car rides smoothly and handles exceptionally well.

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  Awesome! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Massachusetts - August 25 - 1:36 am

  I previously owned a VUE. I went in for an oil change at my local dealership and saw the Aura in the showroom. As I was sitting in the car checking out all of the fancy styling, the salesman asked if I wanted to take a test drive. After about an hour, he told me to take it home to show my husband. Well, the manual shifting on the steering wheel along with the performance and comfort sold him. We went back to the dealership and bought the fully loaded beauty on the showroom floor!

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  Hands down best value - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By SB - August 22 - 2:10 am

  I traded a BMW 540i (V8) for this car. I am still in disbelief at how much better the Aura handles than my bimmer did. The BMW would win in raw power, if you really stomped on it, but for normal driving, the acceleration feel is the same and the Saturn takes curves like it is literally on rails. I bought the base model because we are forcing ourselves to be thrifty this year, but the beauty is that even the base model has enough features to feel like a much more expensive car. I tested the Camry/Altima/Sonata/Fusion, and this car drove much better, came with more safety/convenience features, and was cheaper (plus better warranty) than all of them. Great stereo too even in the base model.