CTC Review: 2007 Saturn Aura XR

[KD]

I don't know why James keeps comparing this care to the IS350, this is not a luxury car. Compare with the Camcords and Fusion. It would be helpful to also look at the base model which is probably going to be 80% of AURA sales.

[wing]

It would be helpful to look at the base model but that is not what was supplied unfortunately.  I compared it to the IS350 2 times and both said the Aura was better, shouldn't that be a good thing. 

I won't get a chance to compare all the features in my blog so I'll say it here:
Compared to the Camry/Accord this car is just as quiet and comfy, interior fit and finish is not as high though I would say it is better than the Fusion for fit and finish on the interior.  The engine in the Aura is great although thirsty I'd say the camry V6 is better.

Worth driving all of them for sure if your in the market, the Aura feels larger inside and all of them.

[scottmcphee]

For the money, if you're a GM fan, wouldn't you just for a Buick Lucerne?
Seems like a better car in class.   Once again, GM does it to itself.
Although GM always wanted to compete Saturn to Japanese, it seems
GM puts up enough competition itself to blow Saturn out of the water.
A different kind of car company: extinct.   GM can't afford to experiment
with this brand forever.

Scott

[sirAQUAMAN64]

The Lucerne is far too large of a car for my liking, but nice nevertheless.

I thought the Midnight Blue (or white) exterior would be my choice, till I saw a Bronzed Pewter (bronzy-brown) XR at Home Depot over the week-end. Went really well with the XR's alloys, and the paint just stood out for me very well.

This dealer site has a bunch of Aura photos but the Bronzed Pewter doesn't quite look the same as it does in person. http://www.autobase.com/cgi/list.exe?make=Saturn&model=Aura&type=new&newsite=1

This one looks kind of close but still not the same effect.
http://www.autobase.com/photos/large/02873057.jpg
I'm into certain browns lately, but doesn't look so hot in the photos. Decisions, decisions... glad it's not me deciding.

[Mr. Meow]

The Lucerne is far too large of a car for my liking, but nice nevertheless.

Dated as hell too.......
.

[barrie1]

I still am driving a older Saturn with around 205,000 klms on it and the only reason I have this car listed For Sale is the size of the car.I have a lower back problem which causes me to move back to a larger car again.  It still runs perfect and the body is as new with perfect gaps and fit as well. It does not use any oil and will pass all safety and emission tests with ease. Mine is a 1994 with the 1.9 engine and the 5spd standard tranny in it. Its been a great little car to take anywhere at any time as well. I would not hesitate to recommend this make of car to anyone from my own personal experience as a owner. 

[safristi]

I was "INTRIGUED!!" with the initial Pics and descrip of the Aura...butt now I feel (after reading Wing Commanders soft brakes and floppy cornering and limp paddle observations)other GM Prods run rings around it(at least in Canadian Pricing)Up Up up and AWAY..to URANUS....and beyond ....man look at the GAP in that one.....

[BikerGolf]

At 2.9% lease, Saturn has a shot at getting some inventory out.  I would seriously consider an XR if the lease rate went down to 0% (year-end incentive?), but acknowledge the residual will be lower compared to Japanese.

I agree with the review about GM brakes.  They still feel like they did on my Dad's '76 Olds 98 Regency.....couldn't stop that either.  Pedal feel is terrible.  My wife drives an '03 Venture (lease takeover) and complains that she has to stand on the pedal for real stopping power.  Japanese autos (various) I have driven all have superior  brake performance, IMO.  Inital bite is greater, requiring less effort with good feel.  Is this so hard to copy?

[Nimbus]

I sell cars for a living and I have driven hundreds of different cars and almost every kind out there. I had the opportunity to take the Aura XR out for a drive on a small roadcourse with a couple of passengers and have to completely disagree with the assesment of a lack of sportyness. The car tracked incredibly well, side to side transition in an S-curve was very controlled, bodyroll was minimal and the brakes though new worked quite well. Compared to many luxury sporty cars from Mercedes to BMW the feel was not out of place. Compared to new Honda's, Acura's, Mercedes, Toyota's whatever, there isn't a noticeable lack of competence other than like those other cars- each have there own feel to them and are all different from eachother.

The steering gave me more than enough feedback to know what was going on with its quick ratio and comfortable size. The paddle shifters come straight from the C6 Corvette and are very intuitive, quick and are easy to get use to due to their large size and weighting.

I had a customer who drove a new Honda Accord EX-L V6 and an Aura back to back and even though acknowleged that the Saturn was better in handling, sound levels, interior comfort, space, visual build quality, and ride quality he still purchased the Honda because he couldn't get around to believing an American car was overall better, of course he had owned Honda's and mentioned how bad his American cars were from 15 years ago. The price was higher so you got what you paid for was his excuse.

I think mental perception will take some time to change. It is strange that obvious defects on many more well thought about vehicles get no mention and if mentioned are not dwelled upon to the extent they are in this review. Could the Aura be improved- you bet. Could some Honda's and Toyota's be improved- well according to many reviewers out there their faults just are not... faults, they are brushed aside. It is really unfortunate that balance in reporting seems to not be a priority and something that is actually quite good is shaded in a different light.

And to add about pricing on the Aura to the Accord to the Camry with "similar features" (you have to add a bunch to match the Aura not including 18" alloys that are not available on the Honda) the price of an Accord without Navi is $38,400. A Camry is $41,835 including 18" wheels but not the tires which you have to pay extra for. The Aura is $35,500. Check it out and if I am wrong correct me.

[wing]

Welcome Nimbus. 

I don't feel I overly nit-picked I feel the car is good, but at $35k for a Saturn it needs to be BETTER than the competition or like your customer people will go elsewhere.  The reality is that if GM wants to be a leader they have to not MATCH Japanese quality they have to SURPASS their quality in every respect at the same or lower price.  Unfortunately when you are not a leader the only way to get back on track is to LEAD not follow.

I simply cannot agree the Aura is sporty in anyway what-so-ever.  A great cruiser it is and if the Corvette does indeed use those same paddle shifters GM really is out to lunch, downshift goes on the left the push for upshift is ridiculous.

I understand the car might feel sporty in the testing environment you described, I know the dealer test environment very well, and courses are designed to show how a car excels.  The average driver will be impressed and honestly almost every single new car on the road today does well in these tests.

[wing]

Actually scratch most of that.  My review was fair, I re-read it to see if I was overly negative, and I certainly was not negative at all about the car.  I mentioned downsides and plus sides to the car and was overly fair.  Of course a reader will read what they want instead of the words present. 

Love the Aura then it looks like I hated it

Hate the Aura then it looks like I loved it.

[Nimbus]

The track isn't anything special and needs a bunch of work done to it. I could do what I did because there wasn't any traffic to get in the way. It is all that there is in Calgary. However I have driven the Aura on public roads and feel the car is very competent. It holds the road very well that you cannot tell how fast you are going around a corner to merge and its brakes are good enough I cannot for the life of me see the point of mentioning it in a negative fashion. I have not seen another review mention it. Though I haven't read them all for sure.

If you want to mention quality then mention items like the ripples in the welds on Accords and the caulking like finishing in various places throughout. Not to mention the easily dentable metal used. Hail loves Honda's.

Do I love the Aura- No. Do I think it is better than its competition well in many areas- yes. It is definately not worse. My perception is mine for sure but it is not clouded. I do not like when others of influence give different weightings (if that is a word) based on what brand they are looking at.

[wing]

Fair enough Nimbus, we all have different opinions I try to be non-biased, I certainly have nothing against Saturn nor GM and try to evaluate all cars with as fair of a stick as I can.  Of course I have driving preference and I lean towards sporty and have some experience on track and auto-x to substantiate sporty driving qualities.

  I haven't seen these horrible qualities on the Accord although I have not had one for test drive for a long while.  I will keep an eye out.

Welcome to the forum Nimbus look forward to your opinions.

[airbalancer]

 "downshift goes on the left the push for upshift is ridiculous."
I do not understand what you are writting
It appear to me, that you push in on the top to up shift, push down on the bottom to downshift
Both paddles were the same

I just sat in the car. Did not drive it.

[wing]

pull forward to downshift, push to upshift.  EVERY other paddle box (VW/Audi, Merc, BMW, Ferrari, Honda, etc etc etc)  They all use right paddle upshift left paddle downshift.

[airbalancer]

Just because they do it differently means they are out to lunch.
Early step in BMW was push to shift up and pull to downshift, then they change it.
The best way is whatever  you get use to

[wing]

It's also hard to do, which is what makes it out to lunch, I personally had a very hard time to reach the plus button with my thumbs.  The point is rather moot since for the most part paddles are useless as they are just too slow.

[Simple]

And to add about pricing on the Aura to the Accord to the Camry with "similar features" (you have to add a bunch to match the Aura not including 18" alloys that are not available on the Honda) the price of an Accord without Navi is $38,400. A Camry is $41,835 including 18" wheels but not the tires which you have to pay extra for. The Aura is $35,500. Check it out and if I am wrong correct me.

THe Accord EX-V6 is $34,200 and Camry SE V6 package is $36,945(form their canadian websites).  Where did you get your prices from?

[mdxtasy]

Pusing a paddle is not ergonomic nor easy to do.  Like wing says, one side is upshift, other is down...pull in both instances....not hard.

[articsteve]

 Fuel mileage is not stellar from the 3.6L engine in the city: I averaged 13L/100km over the week

The fuel tank on this car is 61 liters or 13.4 IG.  That is to small.  Since ppl are comparing to Camry, the Camry's tank is 70 liters or 15.4 IG.   Significant difference considering the Camry V6 is rated more fuel efficient.   

Saturn should lay off the glitz (18 inch mags and paddle shifters) and apply more substance to the engineering, a common weak point in GMs.