Aura 2.4 Test Drive

[Ambalanche]

I think Vince is pretty spot on, and fair with his assessment of the Aura. In fact, lately, he hasn't said much to set me off. His readers though, that sometimes is inline with the one's on LLN!
http://www.burlappcars.com/2008/09/2...est-drive.html

[likearock00]

Ehhhh, it was an ok assessment. Not stellar by any means.

It sounded like a typical GM product. Everything is nice, BUT.....

The high point was that it was cheaper than Toyota and Honda? Come on GM, we need to do better than that!

Who is this guy anyway? He writes like some shmuck that has never reviewed a car before.

[coaster.n3rd]

The only thing I really didn't like was how the door sounded when shut. They didn't have that solid sound that more and more cars have now.
They sounded pretty tiny. It's just too bad for a car that has an otherwise upscale feel to it.

Another change from 07/08 MY to the 09 MY. The doors just don't sound the same.

[autofan]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

Another change from 07/08 MY to the 09 MY. The doors just don't sound the same.

God, what did they de-content now??!!! My 2007 XR doors have a very expensive feeling/sounding close. I also like how they require very little effort, only a gentle pull or push. Why is GM hellbent on hacking away at this fantastic car?!

[coaster.n3rd]

Originally Posted by autofan

God, what did they de-content now??!!! My 2007 XR doors have a very expensive feeling/sounding close. I also like how they require very little effort, only a gentle pull or push. Why is GM hellbent on hacking away at this fantastic car?!

Overall the car is still extremly quiet and still quieter than the competitors, but go a head and do a side by side drive/slam door test and you will instantly notice the difference.

[caddycruiser]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

Overall the car is still extremly quiet and still quieter than the competitors, but go a head and do a side by side drive/slam door test and you will instantly notice the difference.

Wow, REALLY? I can't fathom what the heck might have changed, other than leaving out insulation somewhere inside.

Now I'm getting worried. The windshield was one thing, and I can deal with no power pedals, but a downgraded feel in various ways...no. Maybe just an anomaly? I don't know. But now I really want to do a side by side comparo.

[mbukukanyau]

Toyota pays people to flood sites with Toyota is better. Some posters are paid

[TechnoAura]

Maybe I will keep my Aura forever!

[Family Man]

I'm leasing my '07 XE V6 Aura right now. With GM out of the leasing game, I was thinking of buying a new XR 4cyl when my lease was up (if financing terms are favourable). Yet, with all of this talk of GM decontenting the Aura, I just might end up keeping my car after the 4 year lease is up. It should only have about 45,000kms (~28,000 miles on it) by the time the lease is up.

[caddycruiser]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

Another change from 07/08 MY to the 09 MY. The doors just don't sound the same.

Sorry to bump this back up...but did anyone ever hear or find out anything more on what might have bee done to the doors to cause the change in sound and feel?

I've been used to our '08 and when I started '09 Malibu shopping for myself, they seemed as nice as I was used to but the more I got in and out of a few and closed the doors, something just didn't sound the same. Riding in and driving our '08 weeks since then, the quiet thunk just seems different now.

Given that the extra layer (or whatever) was taken from the windshield, too, think it might be a padding layer or something in the doors that was nixed?

[Htay7500]

The aura seems like a good car. the down side is the dealer network. The closest is another 12+miles.

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by caddycruiser

Sorry to bump this back up...but did anyone ever hear or find out anything more on what might have bee done to the doors to cause the change in sound and feel?

I've been used to our '08 and when I started '09 Malibu shopping for myself, they seemed as nice as I was used to but the more I got in and out of a few and closed the doors, something just didn't sound the same. Riding in and driving our '08 weeks since then, the quiet thunk just seems different now.

Given that the extra layer (or whatever) was taken from the windshield, too, think it might be a padding layer or something in the doors that was nixed?

When I was doing my Malibu shopping, I noticed the same thing going on between my car and an '09 LS......test drove said '09 and noticed a bit more road noise (or maybe it was just me?).....

[caddycruiser]

Originally Posted by EldoFan

When I was doing my Malibu shopping, I noticed the same thing going on between my car and an '09 LS......test drove said '09 and noticed a bit more road noise (or maybe it was just me?).....

Test driving my '09 the few times I have so far, I've noticed more noise of some sort too--I think wind, or something. It's a very, very quiet car and still moreso than my G6, but there seemed to be a faint something extra coming in noise wise compared to our '08.

It's little and one of those things you probably wouldn't notice if you weren't in an '08--just like the newly clacky turn signal--but still questionable. I know they trimmed the windshield down vs. what it used to be and comments about the doors make it seem like something changed in there too. Disappointing, but oh well, they still seem whisper-like and creamy on the road, just a little different than before.

Then again, it's still not that great of a thing to see decontenting hit the actual innards of these cars and not just take away an extra gizmo or something.

[gmhashope]

Wait, they made the windshields thinner on the '09s??

[caddycruiser]

Originally Posted by gmhashope

Wait, they made the windshields thinner on the '09s??

Apparently the double/triple (whatever it was) lamination quietly went away in favor of a "typical" windshield. This was thought of as a great quieting feature and comparo drives of old vs. new models seem to show the difference, but it is what it is.

The door closure sound difference is another oddity, that I noticed mostly after some hear said it, but after trying more on the weekend really didn't notice. I'll have to do some back to back comparo's with our '08 'Bu once I get my '09 this week.