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Saturn is getting it right: The new Aura is a major domestic threat to the Camry and Accord
Tony Whitney and Tim Dimopoulos
FOR A RELATIVELY NEW NAMEPLATE, Saturn has certainly had more than its fair share of ups and downs. But right now, there seems to be something of a renaissance under way at this most intriguing of GM divisions.
Saturn has gone through many stages—running the automotive gamut from a cult brand with strong customer loyalty, to a struggling nameplate with a range of very forgettable products. But now things are stirring at Saturn and most of the buzz is around the much-praised 2007 Aura sedan—a vehicle described by many critics as the first serious domestic threat to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
Already, the Aura has gleaned a fair number of awards, including accolades as North American Car of the Year, an increasingly prestigious title much coveted by automakers worldwide. The Aura edged out the Toyota Camry and Honda Fit in a contest judged by North America’s top automotive journalists and broadcasters.
My first experience with the Aura convinced me this award was very well earned. A handsome and roomy sedan with a vast trunk to please business buyers, the Aura has a nice purposeful stance and the overall design is very well-balanced and European.
It manages to be interesting without resorting to gimmicks. It’s as though, after much effort, Saturn has finally hit the design target right in the middle. The fit of the body panels is outstanding.
Business users
Saturn is offering two models: the XE and XR. The XE comes with a 3.5-litre V-6, mated to a four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, developing 224-horsepower. The more upscale XR boasts a 3.6-litre V-6 with 252-horsepower and uses GM’s first six-speed automatic transmission.
With the latter transmission, the driver can select a semi-manual mode and shift through the gears using steering wheel mounted paddles. Both engines are smooth, refined and responsive, though the larger unit certainly offers brisker acceleration and improved mid-range performance for passing or highway entry.
More than likely, business users will opt for the smaller engine, as it still offers commendable power and refinement to go with its thriftier fuel economy figures.
Handling is aided by an impressively stiff and robust chassis. The car’s fairly long wheelbase enhances ride quality. Suspension is tuned to offer a good combination of handling agility and ride comfort. On the road, the Aura feels very “tight” and responsive.
For most people who climb into an Aura for the first time, the interior is a major surprise. All too many domestic contenders in this class haven’t quite made it when it comes to interior looks, fit and finish and general materials quality. The combination of textures, fabrics and soft-touch surfaces has not matched up with those aforementioned Toyota and Honda products, but this is not the case with the new Aura.
A well-optioned leather-trimmed Aura interior is a delight and even the base car has one of the best cockpits we’ve ever seen on a domestic product. The mid-brown leather seats on my tester could have come straight out of an upscale Italian sports car.
The instrumentation is similarly well done with the main dials set in deep, reflection-proof pods. Even the steering wheel seems to have been very carefully thought out and after all, this is the driver’s main link with the dynamics of the car.
Of course, winning awards is only the first step towards market success, but this new Saturn deserves very close consideration from buyers who may have thought the mid-size sedan market wasn’t worth a glance beyond the Camry, Accord and Nissan Altima. fm
Tony Whitney is an automotive journalist based in Burnaby, BC. Tim Dimopoulos is publisher of Purchasing b2b.
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