2008 Saturn Astra XR Coupe

There has always been a significant rift in quality, performance and styling between the small vehicles offered in Europe and those for sale in North America from the Big Three. For reasons that aren’t quite clear, across the Atlantic Ford, Chrysler and General Motors have long stocked their showrooms with fun to drive compacts with excellent fuel mileage, leaving American consumers to pick over re-badged Korean imports and poorly thought out home-grown variants. It is possible that the glut of compacts and sub-compacts in Europe have meant that U.S. car companies must offer more value in order to compete. Another frequent excuse has been the fact that historically, American consumers have not been interested in paying a lot for prestige-oriented small cars – witness the failure of the BMW 318ti.

However, with rising gas prices putting fuel economy squarely in the minds of drivers all over the world, and with the slow decline of SUV sales, domestic automakers have come to realize that they are sitting on a winning lineup of vehicles whose time has come. One such vehicle is the 2008 Saturn Astra XR Coupe. This 3-door hatch is sold by Opel in Europe, and it has long been coveted by state-side buyers. The vehicle is powered by a 4 cylinder Ecotech engine. Displacing 1.8 liters, this motor produces a healthy 140 horsepower, and while it won’t light any performance fires in the hearts of boy-racers, when matched with a 5-speed manual transmission, the Astra XR is peppy enough to provide an engaging driving experience. For those who don’t like to do the shifting themselves, a 4-speed automatic is available, although vehicles outfitted with one will see a drop in both fuel mileage and overall performance. The 5-speed translates into 24 miles per gallon around town and up to 32 miles per gallon on the highway.

For the price, the interior of the 2008 Saturn Astra XR Coupe is better than average. Saturn has decided to keep the car under $20 000, and the base price for the Astra is $18 375. The insides of the car are identical to that of the Opel model still on sale in Europe, and the basic layout is simple and flows well. A three-spoke steering wheel helps give a sport feel to the small hatch, and since the XR is the top-level trim available on the vehicle, more aggressive seats help keep driver and passenger in place during hard cornering. These seats can also be ordered with heaters for those in northern climates. The coupe is too small for the dual-panel sunroof seen on the sedan version of the Astra, but it does get steering-wheel mounted controls for the entertainment system, folding rear seats and power locks.

The 2008 Saturn Astra XR Coupe is not a vehicle which is going to revolutionize automotive design or have people lining up to visit the showroom just to catch a glimpse. What is should be able to do, however, is transform General Motors from an also-ran into a contender in the compact car market. GM would love for the Astra to be able to eliminate any lingering memories that consumers might have of Chevrolet Cavaliers, Cadillac Cimarrons or Saturn SC1’s. While it is still too soon to tell, the fact that Ford has put off importing their European edition of the Focus for at least a year gives Saturn a sizeable jump on the competition. After the dismal sales of their previous compact, the Ion, Saturn could definitely use a winner on American shores. Hopefully, together with the popular Sky roadster, the Astra can help reinvigorate the brand.






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July 7, 2008, 9:07 am