2008 Saturn ASTRA XR Sedan

Pros

Great styling, comfortable interior, great handling, decent fuel economy....etc.

Cons

Initially confusing controls

Purchased As New

I can't believe that Saturn/GM does not adequately market this vehicle. I was in the market for a smaller car and thought I would see what Saturn had since my daughter has a 2007 Aura (great car!!). Found the Astra, but little information on it from Saturn. Asked to drive it for a weekend and the whole family loved it, including a very picky son. But it was my research on European websites (Opel Astra) that sold it to me. This is the second best selling car in Europe, but has many more drivetrain options there that need to be introduced in the US. So far it has performed better than I expected and I have recieved compliments from strangers. Definitely a car for the young and a very good value, especially now with the deals that Saturn is offering. Really feel that I have a $25,000 value (almost fully loaded XR) for $16,000.

I have visited cars shows for the past 5 years looking for cars that turned my head, this one finally did. Handles like a sports car, somewhat under-powered, very elegant and simple interior, 4 wheel anti-lock disk brakes, air bags all over, tightly constructed, smooth lines, decent (25 MPG in the city, not exceptional) gas mileage, great luggage volume.....etc. Try it and enjoy. GM has a gem here and does not realize it....read morehide

Pros

Sharp styling, excellent/ride handling, excellent fuel economy, Value

Cons

6-speed manual, XM radio, and OPC performance options not available in the U.S.

The Astra is a great car for the money. My loaded XR 5-speed sedan, although a bit underpowered, is a blast to drive. The Performance Handling package option is highly recommended. Had it since August and am consistently getting 26 MPG around town; higher than the EPA rating!. As for the 2-door, Opel/Saturn/GM missed the boat by not engineering a sunroof option for the coupe. The U.S. versions of Astra manual transmission models would greatly benefit from a 6-speed for interstate driving. GM & Saturn really need to continue improving and marketing Astras and also bring the Astra Twin-top (hardtop convertible) and some of the OPEL high performance OPC models to the U.S....read morehide

Pros

Superb handling, quality build, comfortable front seats, supple ride

Cons

lacks armrest, Mp3 jack, useable cup holders

I had researched this vehicle for about a year on American and European websites. One thing stood out--every last one remarked the handling was very good. I was looking for a fun, somewhat unique car to replace my 2003 Mini-no easy task! nothing really quite handles like a Mini--it's like you're in a different world than most other cars. Well.. I have to say, the Astra XR with Sport suspension (17 in. wheels) comes pretty darn close, and is actually better in some ways. Obviously, there is more room for passengers and cargo.You can corner with a little more power in the lower gear bands, and the ride is incredibly smoother over broken pavement and bumps.
Some might be put off by the starkness of the interior, but I like Scandinavian/Teutonic minimalism...nice clean look..rather serene.
My 5-door XR also has the double sunroof, manual transmission, heated mirrors, cruise, and audio center buttons on the steering wheel.
With the GM employee discount, and a $1000 rebate, I bought my Astra for under $17G---not a bad deal for a German engineered sports hatchback, which costs between $25,000 - $35,000 n Europe! Since the Astra has been on sale in Europe since 2004, it's safe to assume they've worked out the bugs. While GM is losing money on each Astra sold in the US, they still come out on top. Why? Because, all the R&D has been already done, and they don't have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars retooling their American factories.
I also like the fact that I have yet to see ONE of these cars on the road! When I first got my Mini, hardly anyone had one. Now, they are popular with suburban teenage girls! Granted, they're still great cars -- but have become more common, and they are BMW=expensive to maintain, and as mine seemed to be falling apart, I had some concerns about its longevity. At least for now..I am quite pleased with my decision to go Astra, which is actually an Opel Astra. My first sporty car was an Opel Manta, and it rocked!...read morehide

Pros

Handling, Ride, Equipment, Value

Cons

Controls

This is a nice car for the money. Lots of standard safety features, reasonable performance, excellent ride and handling. On-Star is a plus for a car in this price range. Additionally, the Saturn dealer experience is definitely refreshing. Have not had the car long enough to comment on reliability but so far everything seems to be working well and holding up. For those looking for a inexpensive, well-built, nice-handling, thrifty on gas vehicle, the Astra is a good choice. Those looking for a near luxury european pocket-rocket should look at a different price range....read morehide

Pros

hasn't failed to start.....yet

Cons

All possible cons, too many to list

Single biggest regret I've ever had was buying my Atsra. DO NOT believe the positive reviews and DO NOT beilieve the automotive writers reviews. They only test for a day or two. After only two months since purchase, my Atsra has more rattles, buzzes, squeaks, etc. than a car thats been sitting in a junkyard for ten years. Both the engine compartment and the interior are full of rattles and buzzes. These are not small rattles, but very loud noises that should never be heard from a new car. I've taken it back to the dealership, but of course, they just make excuses and/or claim they dont hear it. I have learned my lesson - ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS avoid any product of any domestic manufacturer. DO NOT make the same mistake I did....read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy, On Star, Interior, Comfort

Cons

None at this time

I had the car for two months and am getting 27 miles per gallon in all city driving. Can't beat that!!

Pros

Fuel Economy, Standard Features, Proven European Vehicle

Cons

Underpowered, Cup Holders

Just got my Astra XR Sedan full loaded with everything except the automatic tranny. The gear shifts are smooth as silk and I am learning how to improve my throws! Overall, this car is a great value, it is reasonably priced, very attractive, and has features car in the near luxury and luxury class have for a fraction of the cost. Plus dealing with Saturn everything is above board and transparent no bait and switching! I sugguest everyone do through BJ's or AAA auto buying clubs to get the best deal on the car but there is not much mark up on this vehicle because I believe GM is trying to use this the help pull up Saturn's falling sales.

You cannot go wrong with the car and also too there are not many on the road for now unlike the Hondas, Hyundias, Nissans and Toyotas. This car is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale market. I looked at all these cars and cars cost alot more than the Astra but this car won me over and with gas prices escalating as we speak it is a practical solution....read morehide

Pros

Great fuel economy (34+ mpg), Fun to drive, lots of room, brakes work really well

Cons

Too few cupholders, hard to understand controls, brakes work really well

I LOVE this car! I was looking for a 4 door hatchback and searched the entire market, no matter the price range. The Astra falls on the upper end of that range, but it's worth it. I'm getting 34-36 mpg on my way to work, all local highway, and about 32mpg in town.

For $18,000, I have heated seats, rain sensing wipers, traction control, and oh yeah, the BEST suspension I've ever driven. My husband, who previously owned a BMW M3, and his uncle, who owns a Mercedes AMG, both agree that the Astra's optional sport suspension (which I also chose) is better than their luxury cars'.

The Astra's horsepower is lower than the VW Rabbit's or the Mazda3's but you get better gas mileage, and it's still got more spunk than most other hatchbacks. It doesn't get blown around in the wind like the small hatchbacks (Yaris, Fit, Aveo), but it's still a few thousand dollars less than the VW, Mazda, or the Mercedes 2 door hatchback.

The seats are comfortable and adjust enough to fit both me (5'10" or 6' with heels on) and my husband (6'4") very well. The steering wheel is telescopic, which helps when you have to have your seat back a ways from the dashboard to fit your legs! Even the rear seats have enough room for either one of us to sit comfortable for a long drive.

Brakes work great and are HUGE - helpful when you're going fast around a corner and realize you're scaring your passengers, not so helpful when you just barely touch them and they jerk your car a bit.

So many safety features: airbags everywhere, pedals drop to the floor in a head-on collision to save you from breaking your legs, head restraint comes forward in a rear end collision to prevent whiplash, complimentary On-Star for a year (maybe more?), ABS, traction control to help you stay on wet/icy/snowy roads.

Dislike #1: one cupholder for the front, two for the back seat. Yes, Europeans don't drink in the car like we do, but when you import a car to America, you should make those small but important updates that will make people happier.

Dislike #2: the radio/board computer controls are really hard to understand at first - very cryptic coding that you have to read the manual to fully understand. Once you memorize which button is which, then it's fine. But it takes a couple weeks to get used to.

Dislike #3: the cruise controls. They are on the end of the stick for the blinkers and high beams and are confusing, hard to adjust, and sometimes make me accidentally shine someone in the face with my headlights or make the person behind me think i'm turning when i'm not.

The only other thing I can think of is that the blinker is a little funky. Push up/down softly and it goes for 3 blinks then turns off. Push up/down hard and it stays on.

Oh, and fyi the shifting is REALLY smooth and fun on the 5 speed manual :)...read morehide

Pros

good handling, crispy manual transmission

Cons

little bit underpower

Need to have a 2.0 Liter Engine (150 hp and 140 lb of torque) as optional engine for XR or XRS trim. I am current own a Mazda 3. I would trade for Astra XR sedan immediately if Saturn offers optional engine. Design is much better looking(front to rear) than Mazda 3. Sadly no optional engine at this time....read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy is good, handling is much better than any other U.S. badge in this price range

Cons

would be nice to have an mp3 socket for an iPod

I own an Astra with the Easytronic gearbox (I drive an OPEL Astra). This is a fantastic clutchless gearbox which unfortunately is not available in the States. Perhaps GM should consider adding the Easytronic for the U.S. market.
It gives the economy of the standard shifter, retains the FUN of shifting on demand while it can glide thru traffic as a fully functional Automatic transmission.
GM Good Choice to bring the Astra to the US !!!....read morehide