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Posted April, 2007

Road Test: 2007 Saturn Aura

By Kevin S. Lowery

I used to be a Saturn snob. Own one? Egads! No! But the new Aura put that to rest. It’s one of those few vehicles that an automobile journalist could easily commit a felony for. Well, maybe not, but let’s just say that none of us at Ride&Drive got possession of the keys as much we would have liked.

The greatest part of the Saturn was the inclusion of a REAL engine. A 3.6-liter V6 DOHC VVT with real torque. In fact, coupled with the six-speed automatic transmission with tap shift, the entire powertrain is a force with which to be reckoned.

The Aura XR, for us, ushers in a whole new and different design school that is much more successful. Absent are the incongruent lines or hunker-jawed styling. Everything seemed to flow together and that is a major departure from designs of the recent past.

Saturn suspensions have always been a sticking point with me, too. They’ve been harsh in the past—and face it—Americans expect their sedans to have a softened ride. On this point, the Aura really delivers. And the handling, by far, is excellent for an “American” car. It includes Stabilitrack for traction control and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with four-wheel disc brakes.

The interior was well laid out and instrumentation easy to read. That is, if you can get inside without injuring yourself. Yes, the one defect in an otherwise wonderful automobile is—if you are like one of our staff members, tall and requiring full legroom—a flanged piece (see photo) that juts out from the B-pillar just enough to stab you in the upper thigh. Hopefully this defect will be corrected in future model years.

To the good, passenger legroom was generous, the seats were comfortable, the console had two cupholders—and a spot for your cell phone. Now, it wouldn’t hold my PDA, but not many automobiles have a slot for an ordinary cell phone so I’m not complaining.

The Aura XR comes with a generous listing of standard equipment for $23,945, including: fog lamps, folding power outside mirrors that are heated, 18-inch multi-spoke tires and dual chrome exhaust tips.

The list of interior features includes everything that one would expect from a mid-sized sedan: remote keyless entry, tilt/telescope steering wheel with radio controls, power five-way driver’s seat adjust with lumbar, A/C, rear window defroster. Saturn also includes their AM/FM stereo, six-disc CD Changer, eight-speaker system, all standard.

Option packages on our test vehicle included a leather package; an enhanced convenience package with passenger six-way power adjustable seats, and an Accessory Package including sunroof and XM Satellite Radio service. These packages total an added $2,324 to the car. With destination charges the total vehicle price is $26,919.

From headlight to taillight, the Aura emitted a glow and we were mesmerized. We think you will be, too. So, if you’re a “foreign intender” consider the car that puts “Made in America” back on the map and get yourself down to your local dealership. R&D