CTC Review: 2008 Saturn Astra

[hoodlum]

I suspect the Civic would perform slightly better than the Astra due to 100lb less weight and a 5 vs 4-speed automatic.  This care was designed with the manual transmission in mind.  The manual astra actually revs higher on the highway than the automatic even though it has one more gear.

[airbalancer]

I'm sure it says that -- whatever it drove me bonkers.  The light is good enough for me.  Of course fumes would enter I smell them when I drive my mazda3 with the hatch open, but I don't call Mazda and complain I just deal with it.

I hope you are opening your front window also to clean out the fumes so you do not pass out

[si]

I drove one of these 1.8Ls when I was in Australia.. and it was outright boring with the 4speed automatic, but a decent product. 

They have also got diesel versions, wagons, and convertibles too..  and their SRi Turbo models are quite eye openers!
http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=26009

I'm not sure if NA versions do this, but in OZ, they have those 'helper' type indicator switches that flash three times at a minor tap.  This, combined with it being on the wrong side of the steering wheel made me go bonkers.

[wing]

Yes the 3 tap is a euro car thing -- merc / bmw / audi / vw / chrysler all do this too.

[carcrazy]

Yes the 3 tap is a euro car thing -- merc / bmw / audi / vw / chrysler all do this too.

The 07 Outlander has it too in addition to the conventional way. I had no idea until I discovered it by mistake ....

[airbalancer]

Win a lease for a year, need to go on a test drive
http://www.astra365.com/register/

[Speedy]

Win a lease for a year, need to go on a test drive

This is only for residents of Quebec.

[airbalancer]

That is crazy

[scooke]

I own an Astra and I have to agree that 32/43 mpg (city/highway) is optimistic. That being said, my car currently has about 2100 kilometers on the odometer and I am seeing better gas mileage then I did when the car was spanking new. My first 2 tanks of gas didn't average much better then 9L/100KM. Recently I have seen an average of 8L/100 kilometers and that is combined city and highway. For pure highway driving, I now regularly see 35 mpg, and I have the auto tranny. I just need to keep it between 95-100 km/h. So far I really like this car, despite its tendancy to relax while taking off. But keep in mind it is made to be a high quality econo coupe and not a rocket like and SRT-4 or ION Redline/Cobalt SS.
So far, this car is worth my hard earned cash. If you are thinking of test driving one, go and do it for sure.

[Diesel Advocate]

This is a good car. I drove one in England and IMO it's one of the best cars on the NA market, bar nearly anything Japanese.

The only problem I have with the Saturn Astra is that GM saw the need to change the rear turn signals from Amber to Red. What was the point of this? I cannot understand why in North America, car manufacturers choose to supply vehicles with Rear red turn signals, especially when they sell the same vehicle in other countries and they all have Amber signals. Red Rear Turn Signals are unsafe and should be illegal in North America as it is in the rest of the world.


It boggles my mind further when manufacturers sell some models with Amber turn signals and some with red (Mercedes, BMW, VW, Hyundai etc).