DriveTech

2007 Saturn Aura XR has great European touches

Remember all those car companies that started out making inexpensive basic transportation vehicles? Many of them are now producing high-end cars.

Not to be left behind, Saturn has joined their ranks with the introduction of the Aura XR. Based on the Pontiac G6 platform, Saturn wrapped the Aura with lots of European touches to help make it stand out from the rest and has truly succeeded in doing just that.

I picked up my test Aura from Saturn of Escondido at I-78 and Broadway. It came with a beautiful "crème white" exterior with a Morocco interior with little wood simulation accents. With the leather interior, it really didn't look or drive like the Saturn I remember. In fact, the exterior does have that European look to it, right down to the turn signal lights mounted in the front fenders (a nice touch).

There's minimal chrome except on the grill and a piece of side molding that runs the length of the doors (I'm sure it's there to help protect the paint). The 18-inch alloy wheels and chrome exhaust tips really set the Aura off.

The Morocco interior resembles a baseball or football. The only thing missing is big stitches. But I must admit I liked the two-tone leather seating and if you look close, you'll see a seat heater control on the front of the driver and passenger seats. You get power adjustments and if you're a lumbar kind of person, Saturn throws that in as well.

The most unusual item I found in the Aura was the paddle shifter mounted on the leather-wrapped steering wheel. Slip the transmission into "M" and you have a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 252 horsepower and 251 pound foot of torque. You have six gears to see what the Aura will do and you'll be surprised at the Saturn's performance. But performance isn't everything. Comfort is almost as important and Saturn fills the bill, from the luxury interior to the XM radio, OnStar, AM/FM/six-CD changer/MP3 player/RDS and an auxiliary jack for other electronic toys.

Of course you get A/C, power windows and door locks, inside rear view mirror compass and automatic dimming features, plus universal lock features for the garage door, gate or lighting. You also get audio controls for the rear passengers with their own wireless headphones. The dash is very well done and the climate controls and radio are very well placed, plus you can operate the audio system from the steering wheel. I like keeping my hands on the wheel at all times, including when talking on the cell phone. The Aura has a built-in system so you can talk hands free.

The back seat is very comfortable and I had plenty of headroom for my six-foot frame. Getting in and out is a breeze.

Saturn didn't skimp on safety. It has eight air bags, daytime running lights and Stablitrak for added safety during turns. You also get a tire monitoring system. Did you know one of the major causes of freeway accidents is low tire pressure? This monitor is a needed feature. Our weather doesn't really need remote starting but if you like that feature, Saturn has it and it's very smart as well. Depending on when you start, your Aura decides whether it should turn on the A/C or the heater, according to the outside temperature.

If you're afraid that if you remotely start your Aura, someone will jump in and drive it off - the system will not work unless the car is unlocked. If someone did get in and slammed it into drive, the car would die. The key must be in the ignition before driving off.

All this isn't bad for under $27,000, plus it gets 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the open road. So if you liked what you have seen, stop by a Saturn dealer and check out the new Aura. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Next week I'll review a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge from DCH in Temecula.