2008 Saturn Astra

Ever wonder why GM and Ford rarely bring their best European products across the pond to market here? Several good reasons: With European fuel prices way higher than ours, Euro cars typically offer smaller size, less room, less performance and fewer features, yet are priced well higher than U.S. models. (As fuel economy requirements ramp upward, this is the future for us as well.) Their roads, rules and driving conditions—and therefore buyers’ tastes—are substantially different. Dollar vs. Euro currency rates and incompatible safety and emissions standards raise costs even higher. And the few modern-day tries at Americanizing European cars for sale here—German Opel-based Saturn L-Series sedans and wagons, for example—have been unsuccessful.

Model Line-Up

But now GM’s Saturn, long known for stellar customer treatment but (until recently) prosaic products, is giving it another serious go. Recent U.S. Saturn and German Opel products now share virtually identical styling, and these 2008 Astra three-door and five-door hatchbacks are essentially Opel Astras (assembled in Antwerp, Belgium) mildly modified to meet U.S.-market rules. Two other carbon copies are the Vue compact crossover, a virtual clone of its Opel counterpart, and Saturn Sky Red Line roadsters sold in Europe as Opel GTs. Saturn today boasts the industry’s youngest lineup. The Sky, which debuted in March 2006, is its oldest vehicle. The all-new Aura sedan, Outlook full-size crossover, Vue, and now these youthfully stylish new Astras all have been added to Saturn showrooms since then.


Five-door Astras come in base XE and sporty XR trims, while U.S. three-doors are all XRs. Like their Opel brethren, all roll on a taut, Euro-developed suspension that delivers sharp, responsive handling and surprisingly smooth ride. For now, they offer only one engine, a 1.8-liter DOHC four good for just 140 horses. That makes ’08 Astras, though pleasantly responsive and fun to drive, a bit underpowered, especially when fully loaded.

Performance and Economy

The payoff comes in fuel economy: 24 city, 32 highway EPA mpg with the crisp-shifting standard five-speed manual, 24/30 with the optional four-speed automatic. The latter automatically shifts to neutral during stops to eliminate converter drag on the engine, and downshifts immediately at wide-open throttle for quick performance when needed. Electro-hydraulic power rack-and-pinion steering emulates the solid, linear feel of conventional (hydraulic) power steering, but enhances fuel efficiency by operating the electric pump only when necessary. The base steering ratio is 15:1, but a quicker 14:1 sport ratio is standard on three-doors and available on five-doors. Three different wheels are offered: base 16-inch steel; 17-inch aluminum optional on five doors, standard on three-doors; 18-inch alloys with performance tires optional on three-doors.


The strut-type front suspension’s control arms, stabilizer bar and steering rack are mounted to the sub-frame with bushings that minimize noise and vibration. Rear suspension is semi-independent torsion link with a double-U axle beam doubling as a stabilizer bar. The three-door XR sits 15 mm lower on a sport suspension with quicker steering. GM StabiliTrak stability control with traction control (standard on three-doors, available on five-doors) works with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes to enhance control in slick conditions and emergencies.

Styling and Interior

Both body styles are clean and contemporary with wheels pushed to the corners and fender flares wrapped tightly around the tires for a poised, athletic stance. Like Opel’s, Saturn’s signature styling cues begin with a bright upper grille bar with a prominent centered logo. Unique front and rear fascias conforming to North American bumper standards distinguish U.S. Astras from European ones. A complimentary bright bar and large, wraparound clear-lens taillamps bring up the rear, and the center high-mounted stop lamp uses instant-on LEDs.