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mkaresh · 09-08-2006, 09:46 PM

Turning circle varies directly with wheelbase, all else being equal. Since the Aura has a long wheelbase...

I drove an XR today. Much more impressed with the chassis than I expected to be. While not quite fun, it feels very solid and composed, like that of a premium car. The ride is never harsh, yet the car never wallows over bumpy pavement, either. Tuning is pretty much exactly as it should be for the intended buyer. Torque steer was only evident with a lot of throttle at low speeds, and even then there wasn't much of it.

I did not note much road noise. On the highway noise levels were about equal to a Camry, so pretty low but not amazingly so.

I drove a 2007 G6 convertible a few weeks ago, and noted a similar feel. Maybe it's in my head, but I think they might have retuned the suspension and steering of the G6 for 2007. While the steering still isn't crisp, and the car still feels large and heavy, the steering seems to react more quickly than it used to right off center.

Negatives:

1. Shoddy interior (they haven't learned how to avoid this yet). The styling is pretty mainstream, with a couple interesting details, but the execution is lacking. Details to come when I post my full review. One for now: the door-to-dash gap on the left side is so tight a credit card won't fit into it. But the same gap on the right side is quite wide--about a quarter-inch--and the trim doesn't come close to lining up. This was the case with both cars I examined.

The TL has a much higher quality interior. Of course, it also costs much more.

2. Seats a bit flat and slippery, provide no lateral support

3. Unresponsive transmission, even when using the buttons. This can make the engine feel weak and lethargic. Sometimes in fifth or sixth it seemed like the transmission wasn't even in gear, pushing the accelerator initially yielded no response.

But get the transmission into the right gear, and the engine feels about as strong as those in the competition. Sadly, 252 horsepower isn't what it used to be. Five years ago and it would have been outstanding. Now it's just price of entry.

2 & 3 will generally only be issues for enthusiasts.

09-08-2006, 09:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
mkaresh 6.0 Liter L76 V8 Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,395	Re: ConsumerGuide reviews the Aura Turning circle varies directly with wheelbase, all else being equal. Since the Aura has a long wheelbase... I drove an XR today. Much more impressed with the chassis than I expected to be. While not quite fun, it feels very solid and composed, like that of a premium car. The ride is never harsh, yet the car never wallows over bumpy pavement, either. Tuning is pretty much exactly as it should be for the intended buyer. Torque steer was only evident with a lot of throttle at low speeds, and even then there wasn't much of it. I did not note much road noise. On the highway noise levels were about equal to a Camry, so pretty low but not amazingly so. I drove a 2007 G6 convertible a few weeks ago, and noted a similar feel. Maybe it's in my head, but I think they might have retuned the suspension and steering of the G6 for 2007. While the steering still isn't crisp, and the car still feels large and heavy, the steering seems to react more quickly than it used to right off center. Negatives: 1. Shoddy interior (they haven't learned how to avoid this yet). The styling is pretty mainstream, with a couple interesting details, but the execution is lacking. Details to come when I post my full review. One for now: the door-to-dash gap on the left side is so tight a credit card won't fit into it. But the same gap on the right side is quite wide--about a quarter-inch--and the trim doesn't come close to lining up. This was the case with both cars I examined. The TL has a much higher quality interior. Of course, it also costs much more. 2. Seats a bit flat and slippery, provide no lateral support 3. Unresponsive transmission, even when using the buttons. This can make the engine feel weak and lethargic. Sometimes in fifth or sixth it seemed like the transmission wasn't even in gear, pushing the accelerator initially yielded no response. But get the transmission into the right gear, and the engine feels about as strong as those in the competition. Sadly, 252 horsepower isn't what it used to be. Five years ago and it would have been outstanding. Now it's just price of entry. 2 & 3 will generally only be issues for enthusiasts. __________________ truedelta.com More useful reliability research -- need more GM vehicles! Real-world fuel economy Price comparisons, quick and thorough Last edited by mkaresh : 09-08-2006 at 09:49 PM.