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We recently had the opportunity to sample the six-speed/four-cylinder cominbation in the Saturn Aura XR, where the combination is newly standard for 2009. The top-end Aura XR's sticker price drops a little over $2,000 with the deletion of two cylinders. In 2008, the only non-hybrid Aura you could order with a four-cylinder was the base XE, which came with a four-speed automatic. The addition of two cogs has potentially never been more remarkable: Not only does highway fuel economy increase by th...

Wait, you don’t have to compromise and purchase a sub-compact car to achieve more than 30 mpg. You don’t have to squeeze into your new ride to squeeze out the most mpg. The new, 2009 Saturn Aura XR mid-size sport sedan gives excellent mpg and more. With the 2.4 liter Ecotec inline four-cylinder engine mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission, you can expect to get EPA mileage rated specs of 22 mpg city, and 33 mpg highway, the best of any mid-size sedan. To further enhance fuel savin...

David Volkmann would like to see GM's Saturn division make one improvement to help its Aura sedan. He'd like Saturn to advertise the car more, so more people visit his dealership to test its qualities. After all, when a panel of 48 car journalists from across America first tried the Aura, they selected it Car of the Year for its inaugural 2007 model run. Volkmann, sales manager at Saturn of Haverhill, has already seen the mid-size four-door win over some owners of models that engage serious driv...

Quickly reacting to the jump in the world price for a barrel of crude oil, and the corresponding leap at the pumps, GM has come out with a four-cylinder version of the upscale Saturn Aura XR that was introduced just last year. Built in Kansas, Aura uses GM's global Epsilon platform, developed by Opel in Germany and Saab in Sweden. Aura is based on the Opel Vectra. you get a well-equipped car with six airbags, power windows/locks/mirrors, air, keyless entry, cruise control, plus an automatic with...

For drivers seeking a competitive, fuel-efficient, and reasonably priced American-made midsize sedan, the Aura offers a worthy option, even though Saturn borrowed many of its components from the European-made Opel Vectra. Still, with its flashy exterior styling, roomy interior, well-equipped cabin, and wide range of safety features, including standard StabiliTrak, the Aura has a lot to offer drivers on a budget.

General Motors has its Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas, working overtime to meet increased demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles. Jeff Manning, president of United Auto Workers Local 31, said employees worked mandatory eight-hour Saturday shifts on June 21 to meet demand. Manning said that was the last opportunity to add extra production for the 2008 Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Malibu. The plant is switching production to 2009 models, with a goal of being up and running by Friday. ...

Saturn offers a four-cylinder or V-6 engine in the 2009 Aura, and both of them team with six-speed automatic transmissions. While the good gas mileage of the 169-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder will be appealing to many, the frugal fuel use doesn't come at the expense of acceptable performance, which is what this engine delivers. Choosing the 252-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 gets you a very strong engine that's also quite smooth. It emits a muted growl when accelerating hard and has plenty of power lef...

The five-passenger, front-wheel drive Aura now provides buyers with the availability of four trim lines and three engine choices, two of which achieve an EPA fuel economy average of 33 mpg or better. One of the new trim lines added to the lineup this year is the Aura XR 2.4-liter I-4 engine. Generating 169 horsepower and 160 lbs.-ft. torque and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel, the Aura XR has an EPA fuel economy average of 22 mpg cit...

I had almost forgotten how nice the Aura is inside. While there are no dramatic interior changes to for the 2009 model, there are some additions. The steering wheel now includes standard controls, and it's wrapped in leather. The dash still has that cool, gentle line pushing across it, and the wood trim still adds a touch of sophistication that many $25,000 cars lack. It's simple and elegant; not offering too much, but just enough. The seats include a double stitch that I thought I might notice ...