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The Saturn Astra sports Euro style
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10:23 AM PDT on Thursday, April 10, 2008
By TOM VOELK / Special to NWCN.com
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Back in 1993 GM announced a new division to attract buyers who had defected to import brands. When sales began in 1990, Saturn was certainly a grand laboratory. Showrooms had set prices and with the no-haggle price policy, picking out a car was akin to shopping for a pair of pants. Plastic body panels meant no more door dings. These cars were built in a happy place called Spring Hill and buyers attended annual pilgrimages to celebrate the birthplace of their automobile and chow down on barbeque. Even the ads had a feel good glow.
It all started out so well, but soon GM stopped delivering new products and the line up became as barren as the ringed planet itself. It seemed the end was near when GM folded the once independent Saturn into the corporate structure. Hey, everyone knows that the behemoth that is General Motors isn't nimble enough to deliver relevant product. Right?
Well a funny thing happened. GM got its mojo back and in the last year and a half this division has been reborn in a breathtaking manner. All of the cars parked in the showroom are new and some of the models, like the large Outlook crossover and Sky roadster, compete in segments that Saturn never dreamed of before. Now comes Astra, which replaces Ion and completes the makeover. Remember, Saturn's original mission was to conquer the imports and their current ad slogan is "re-think American." Astra was designed in Germany by Opel and built in Belgium. Oh, the irony.
Ultimately this is all good. Astra has been well regarded across the pond and it makes sense for The General to use its resources wisely. Our new Vue is the Opel Antara and the Aura is largely based on the Vectra. The U.S. reciprocates by shipping the Sky to Europe where it's badged as the Opel GT. But Astra is different in that it retains a very thick Teutonic accent. Consult your Berlitz book for the controls because the unusual symbols on the steering wheel and instrument panel are like nothing we get have in the states. There's a button labeled BC. What’s a BC? That’s "board computer" to you Dieter and it's essentially a trip computer not a reference to the Stone Age. Nudge the turn signals slightly and you get a BMW-esque three blinks for lane changing.
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NWCN
With its useful hatchback design, Astra competes against cars like Matrix, Vibe, Mazda3 and Rabbit.
More evidence of its mother country origins? The seat backs have precise but slow wheel adjustments for rake, power lock controls are on the instrument panel, and the flip out key reminds me of the ones used by VW. The cabin with its decent plastics and faux aluminum trim is all business.
Not all that is Euro is good though. Our distant cousins don't tend to eat or drink while driving let alone apply makeup or catch up on their reading. Perhaps because of that there's only one cup holder for those up front to squabble over and it's an awkward reach backward for the driver. No closed center console storage either. I'd like to see red and blue color coding for the temp controls and apparently the Germans don't have iPods since there's no audio input. The quality of the info display for the BC is rudimentary. Finally, there's no built in Bluetooth handsfree for cell phones.
Generally cars from Deutschland are rewarding on the road and in corners the front drive Astra is fun and flingable. Opt for the $695 Sport Handling Package that's on my tester and StabiliTrak Stability Control, lowered sport-tuned suspension, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with performance tires come along for the well controlled ride. The cabin is moderately quiet at freeway speeds but getting up to cruising velocity will take a little longer than some of the competitors. All Astras are powered by 138 horse 4-cylinder. It would be more fun with 20 more pferde (that’s German for horses). Stay out of the left lane on the autobahn, OK? Standard anti lock brakes do a nice job of securely scrubbing off speed. OnStar service is standard too (the Safe and Sound package is free for one year). The standard transmission in my tester is a 5-speed manual, the optional automatic at $1,325 is a 4-speed. For those keeping score, these gears are one short of many of the competitors
Sun worshipers will take a shine to the huge panoramic sunroof that you won't find on cars two or even three times the Astra's price. It would be a shame to pass on this huge glass panel, it can be yours for only $1,200 plus the price of the rest of the car of course. My tester happens to sticker for $21,500 and remember that Saturn has a no-haggle price policy. Say auf wiedersehen to those plastic body panels though, all Saturns wear sheetmetal now.
Four grownups will be quite comfortable in the Astra, the moderately bolstered cloth seats are well done. Put a fifth adult in the rear middle seat and they should be on the thinner side to keep personal space issues to a minimum but really it's not bad. There's no center armrest in the rear (or the front for that matter) but at least there's a headrest. Basic cup holders that pop out of the rear cushion look like they will lose when going up against my kids. Naturally the seats do what cars in thippeals to many. The euro hieroglyphics in the cabin are beginning to feel familiar after my week's stay with the entry level Saturn. With a starting price of 16 grand for the XE, 18K for the XR and $18,995 for the XR 3-door, a bunch of Astras should get their passports stamped here in the states.
The Saturn Astra sports Euro style
10:23 AM PDT on Thursday, April 10, 2008
By TOM VOELK / Special to NWCN.com
Video: The Saturn Astra sports Euro style
Back in 1993 GM announced a new division to attract buyers who had defected to import brands. When sales began in 1990, Saturn was certainly a grand laboratory. Showrooms had set prices and with the no-haggle price policy, picking out a car was akin to shopping for a pair of pants. Plastic body panels meant no more door dings. These cars were built in a happy place called Spring Hill and buyers attended annual pilgrimages to celebrate the birthplace of their automobile and chow down on barbeque. Even the ads had a feel good glow.
It all started out so well, but soon GM stopped delivering new products and the line up became as barren as the ringed planet itself. It seemed the end was near when GM folded the once independent Saturn into the corporate structure. Hey, everyone knows that the behemoth that is General Motors isn't nimble enough to deliver relevant product. Right?
Well a funny thing happened. GM got its mojo back and in the last year and a half this division has been reborn in a breathtaking manner. All of the cars parked in the showroom are new and some of the models, like the large Outlook crossover and Sky roadster, compete in segments that Saturn never dreamed of before. Now comes Astra, which replaces Ion and completes the makeover. Remember, Saturn's original mission was to conquer the imports and their current ad slogan is "re-think American." Astra was designed in Germany by Opel and built in Belgium. Oh, the irony.
Ultimately this is all good. Astra has been well regarded across the pond and it makes sense for The General to use its resources wisely. Our new Vue is the Opel Antara and the Aura is largely based on the Vectra. The U.S. reciprocates by shipping the Sky to Europe where it's badged as the Opel GT. But Astra is different in that it retains a very thick Teutonic accent. Consult your Berlitz book for the controls because the unusual symbols on the steering wheel and instrument panel are like nothing we get have in the states. There's a button labeled BC. What’s a BC? That’s "board computer" to you Dieter and it's essentially a trip computer not a reference to the Stone Age. Nudge the turn signals slightly and you get a BMW-esque three blinks for lane changing.
With its useful hatchback design, Astra competes against cars like Matrix, Vibe, Mazda3 and Rabbit.
More evidence of its mother country origins? The seat backs have precise but slow wheel adjustments for rake, power lock controls are on the instrument panel, and the flip out key reminds me of the ones used by VW. The cabin with its decent plastics and faux aluminum trim is all business.
Not all that is Euro is good though. Our distant cousins don't tend to eat or drink while driving let alone apply makeup or catch up on their reading. Perhaps because of that there's only one cup holder for those up front to squabble over and it's an awkward reach backward for the driver. No closed center console storage either. I'd like to see red and blue color coding for the temp controls and apparently the Germans don't have iPods since there's no audio input. The quality of the info display for the BC is rudimentary. Finally, there's no built in Bluetooth handsfree for cell phones.
Generally cars from Deutschland are rewarding on the road and in corners the front drive Astra is fun and flingable. Opt for the $695 Sport Handling Package that's on my tester and StabiliTrak Stability Control, lowered sport-tuned suspension, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with performance tires come along for the well controlled ride. The cabin is moderately quiet at freeway speeds but getting up to cruising velocity will take a little longer than some of the competitors. All Astras are powered by 138 horse 4-cylinder. It would be more fun with 20 more pferde (that’s German for horses). Stay out of the left lane on the autobahn, OK? Standard anti lock brakes do a nice job of securely scrubbing off speed. OnStar service is standard too (the Safe and Sound package is free for one year). The standard transmission in my tester is a 5-speed manual, the optional automatic at $1,325 is a 4-speed. For those keeping score, these gears are one short of many of the competitors
Sun worshipers will take a shine to the huge panoramic sunroof that you won't find on cars two or even three times the Astra's price. It would be a shame to pass on this huge glass panel, it can be yours for only $1,200 plus the price of the rest of the car of course. My tester happens to sticker for $21,500 and remember that Saturn has a no-haggle price policy. Say auf wiedersehen to those plastic body panels though, all Saturns wear sheetmetal now.
Four grownups will be quite comfortable in the Astra, the moderately bolstered cloth seats are well done. Put a fifth adult in the rear middle seat and they should be on the thinner side to keep personal space issues to a minimum but really it's not bad. There's no center armrest in the rear (or the front for that matter) but at least there's a headrest. Basic cup holders that pop out of the rear cushion look like they will lose when going up against my kids. Naturally the seats do what cars in thippeals to many. The euro hieroglyphics in the cabin are beginning to feel familiar after my week's stay with the entry level Saturn. With a starting price of 16 grand for the XE, 18K for the XR and $18,995 for the XR 3-door, a bunch of Astras should get their passports stamped here in the states.
