![]() Headroom is good for medium-height adults–but only without the available sunroof clearance is slim beneath the housing for a regular sunroof, and very tight with the multi-panel version. Three grown-ups should not complain on shorter trips. Legroom is ample in the back, even with front seats well back. Visibility is just adequate dead astern and to the right rear, but no problem otherwise. Seats are firm and well padded, though some testers would prefer more support in aggressive cornering. The standard manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel should help any driver. Optional power-adjustable pedals would be a plus for shorter drivers. Long seat tracks cater to the lankiest riders. Aura cabins please with soft-touch surfaces and quality materials, but test models have shown a few disappointing panel gaps and unsightly seams, along with rough edges and some downscale plastics.įront seats offer good six-footer headroom, though the available sunroof cuts a bit into space. Controls are mostly handy and intuitive, though some testers have found steering-wheel controls a bit small for easy use. The Green Line’s four-cylinder has to work hard to keep up with traffic, and is generally more intrusive. Still, neither is as smooth as class leaders. Both V6 engines sound pleasant enough, and don’t intrude except near maximum rpm. Also, moderate wind rush occurs at highway speeds. Their main demerit is marked coarse-surface tire thrum. Strong, stable braking is marred by oddly dull, heavy pedal action.Īuras aren’t totally quiet. The XR’s standard antiskid system is a plus XEs should have offered it, too. Steering produces quick response, but not all testers have been pleased with its weighting and road feel. Expect modest cornering lean and good grip, regardless of tires. Riding on the smallest wheels, the Green Line sedan has the most comfortable ride of the trio.ĭelivering near sports-sedan agility, an Aura XE and XR always feels balanced and well-planted. Virtually no comfort deficit is evident between the XE with its 17-inch tires and the XR with 18s. Body control is generally good, though some jiggle and body drumming may be noticed on rippled surfaces. All models provide a firm but agreeable ride. ![]() Little difference in suspension tuning is noticeable between the XE, XR, and Green Line. A Green Line model averaged 22.1 to 26.9 mpg. Test XRs have averaged 20.4 to 21.8 mpg in city/highway driving, 26.3 mpg in mostly highway driving, and 17.3 mpg in tests that included gas-eating performance runs. Operation of the hybrid system is almost imperceptible.įuel economy is passable. An Aura Green Line is significantly slower than any V6, but copes reasonably well with traffic. The XR’s manual-shift buttons can be useful, but a console lever with shift gate would add to that convenience. Both automatic transmissions are quite smooth and responsive. A test XR accelerated to 60 mph in a swift 6.5 seconds. XR models are livelier in all situations. ![]() ![]() With the Aura, Saturn competed against major midsize sedans, including the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry.ĭuring the 2007 model year, Saturn introduced a Green Line sedan with a hybrid (gasoline/electric) powertrain, consisting of a four-cylinder engine and battery-powered electric motor.Īn XE-6 delivers reasonably brisk takeoffs and decent highway passing punch. Options included leather upholstery, power-adjustable pedals, a sunroof, and a “panoramic” sunroof with a tilt-up front section and three rear-sliding panels. So were automatic climate control and OnStar assistance. Front side airbags and curtain side airbags were standard. An antiskid system was standard on XR, but unavailable for the XE sedan. Saturn’s XR got a 252-hp V6 with a six-speed automatic, with steering-wheel paddles for manual shifting.īoth models included antilock braking and traction control. The XE had a 224-horsepower V6 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. This V6 sedan shared a wheelbase and front-wheel-drive architecture with the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx hatchback and Pontiac G6 models, but differed in styling and price. Aura bowed for 2007 as the first midsize car at General Motors’ Saturn division since the demise of the slow-selling 2000-2004 L-Series. ![]()
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