2008 Saturn Astra Review

The 2008 Saturn Astra is offered in two hatchback body styles-three-door and five-door. Both have a 138-horsepower, 1.8L Ecotec four-cylinder engine underhood, paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The engine has continuously variable valve timing, which helps make it both more responsive and efficient.

The Astra has a strut-type suspension in front, with bushings designed to curb noise and vibration, while the rear is of a semi-independent, axle-beam design. Together with the suspension, electro-hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering helps provide sporty handling.

Inside, the Astra has sportier, more supportive seats (with more aggressive bolstering on three-doors) than most other cars in its price range, and a tilt/telescopic steering column. The back seat is also split 60/40 and folds flat to expand cargo capacity to nearly 45 cubic feet.

Safety features haven't been neglected either. Six air bags are standard, including roof-rail head-curtain air bags and seat-mounted thorax air bags in front. Active head restraints are also included. Anti-lock brakes are standard (they're optional on many small cars), while GM's StabiliTrak stability control system is standard on three-door models and optional on five-doors.

The Astra five-door comes in two trim levels, a base XE and sportier XR, while the three-door only comes in the XR trim. The base XE comes with power windows and locks, heated power mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control, remote keyless entry, RainSense wipers, and a six-speaker CD sound system. XR models add alloy wheels, variable-effort steering, 16-inch alloys, projector-beam fog lamps, air conditioning, and an upgraded, seven-speaker sound system with MP3 compatibility.

XR three-door models have all of the equipment found on the five-door XR models, plus better-bolstered high-back seats, a sport lowered suspension, exhaust brightwork, quicker-ratio steering, and steering-wheel audio controls. Options include leather seats, an upgraded audio system, a dual-panel power sunroof on the XR five-door, and flashy 18-inch star-spoke alloy wheels on the top XR three-door.
The European-flavored Astra is a new hatchback in the Saturn lineup for 2008. It is based on the Euro-market Opel of the same name and replaces the now-discontinued Ion sedan and coupe models. see less