2009 Saturn Astra

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

Critics are pleased with the Saturn Astra's performance, and agree that the car's European roots contribute to its fun-to-drive persona.  

• "Its growling four-cylinder may not produce the quickest car out there, but what the Astra lacks in straight-line go, it supplants with twisty-road fun." -- Edmunds
• "The Saturn Astra is a mildly entertaining car to drive. While you may equate speed to entertainment, the Astra delivers a nice overall balance, with balanced brakes, steering and handling that invite you to really drive if you wish or just get there as easily as possible if that's your preference." -- New Car Test Drive

Acceleration and Power

The Astra's 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine isn't the best of the class, but it has enough power to make the Astra class-competitive. What's more, it performs well with either the standard five-speed manual transmission or the four-speed automatic.

• "Power comes from a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder that drums up 138 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 125-pound-feet of torque at a bit more than half that speed. ... Idling or pushed to the limit it is smooth and lacks any annoying buzzing; you'll hear the noise but it will never scare you into shifting early and, given what Europeans can and do do to their engines we'd have to call this GM's best small engine in the American market." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Both manual and automatic versions have more than adequate power around town. The automatic's timely downshifts furnish more power when needed. A fuel-saving feature has the automatic transmission shifting into neutral at stops. The feature works as advertised an d without driver intervention." -- Consumer Guide
• "Both the manual and automatic versions are geared for good top-end punch on passing, geared so that the engine is still making good torque at speeds between 70 and 80 mph. The manual gearbox is slick and easy to use, and the automatic has a new feature called Neutral Idle. When you come to a stop with the brake pedal depressed for two sedonds, the transmission goes into neutral, disconnecting the torque converter from the engine to save fuel." -- Popular Mechanics
• "Coupled with the rev-resistant four-cylinder, it makes for less-than-inspiring fuel efficiency, frequently averaging 22-24 mpg ... over our one-week stay with the car. Nevertheless, if the worst fuel mileage you see out of the car is still in the low-to-mid 20 mpg range, it's hard to complain." -- Motor Authority

Handling and Braking

Test drivers are impressed with the Saturn Astra's balanced ride, thanks to a fine-tuned chassis that made the Opel Astra such a popular model across the pond. Reviewers also report the Astra's four-wheel anti-lock brakes are proficient at bringing either the three-door or five-door hatchback to a composed stop. 

• "Excellent ride-and-handling balance." -- Car and Driver
• "Pretty fun to drive -- particularly the two-door -- thanks to its European-influenced suspension tuning. In our instrumented testing, the Astra performed superbly, matching the handling and grip numbers achieved by more performance-oriented nameplates." -- Edmunds
• "As one would expect of a European transplant, the Astra's steering is firm with good on-center feel and the handling is sporty with excellent stability. ... Despite having a big wheel-and-tire package, the Astra returns a pretty smooth ride with very little road noise intruding into the passenger cabin." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Four-wheel discs and ABS provide better-than-average braking, and the McPherson struts up front and twist-beam rear axle are all fitted with premium shocks to provide excellent handling." -- Car Gurus
• "Braking is strong and smooth." -- Consumer Guide