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From the outside, the Astra 3- and 5-door models both have a strong European flavor from their distinctive roof lines to sculptured front and rear fascias. The fit and finish was noticeably uniform and tight, and that impression was reinforced over a variety of road surfaces by the rock solid ride and quiet interior. Saturn made only small changes to the Opel grille and rear end to give it a Saturn identity. Astra comes in two hatchback body styles - the five-door and the three-door. The interio...

As for safety, Astra is right up there with some higher priced vehicles. There is a dual frontal "passenger sensing" air bag system, head curtain side air bags (front and rear), side-impact air bags for the driver and front passenger, active front head restraints, and all seating positions have three-point restraint systems. There are also three tethers in the rear seat area for child safety seats. Since tire pressure is also a factor in driving safety and fuel economy, there is a tire-pressure ...

Saturn has always been the GM division that's different. From the beginning, it disassociated itself from GM and went through its early life as almost a separate company. You can do that with GM behind you. Now, however, the division is a true GM division with all the good and bad that entails. Saturn has developed its own cars on non-common GM platforms. It has shared platforms for some vehicles. And it the case of the Astra, it has "raided" GM of Europe for its vehicles. The Astra, which repla...

With gas prices now hovering right around $4 a gallon, the Saturn Astra couldn't be coming at a better time. Although the sport compact is nothing new to the world – it has been on sale in Europe under the Vauxhall/Opel nameplates for nearly two decades – we're sure quite a few American will be glad General Motors decided to send the Astra on holiday to the Colonies. What is it? A sports compact that has attended finishing school on the winding roads of Europe. In keeping with Saturn's lates...

Jill Ciminillo from the Chicago Sun Times: The exterior lines of the Astra are very sleek and smooth, both in the five-door and three-door models. I liked the bold Saturn grille, but it's the taillights that seal the deal. As another journalist passed me in the fast lane, I had a moment to ponder the (cough) Astra, and it was stunning. The chromed outline on the taillights connected by the chromelike bar create a very nice posterior profile. With a plethora of standard features and a fun-to-driv...

Daniel Barron from Autonet: Nickelback, Transformers and McDonald's are proof that just because something isn't critically acclaimed, it can still do well financially. On the other hand, Arrested Development, The Shawshank Redemption, and Sony's Playstation 3 are examples of things that have received plenty of great press but were cancelled, bombed at the box office, and can't turn a profit, respectively. The Saturn Astra is another example of a good product that got cancelled because it didn't ...

David Chao for Canada's Surrey Now: In general, cars designed in Europe and modified for North American consumption don't survive the transition very well. That's both unfortunate and fortunate, because the vehicles often lose a lot of what makes them exciting, but gain improved bumpers and other equipment to meet our stricter safety and emissions requirements. The Saturn Astra defies this generalization, meeting our standards while maintaining the fun-to-drive spirit that has made it such a hit...

The sporty styling happily rubs off on the Astra's dynamics. The car handles adroitly, thanks to a sport-tuned suspension that's firm even by European standards. The sprightly little four-banger adds to the driving fun. Equipped with 16 valves and variable valve timing, the Astra engine develops 138 horsepower. While that doesn't exactly sound like an afternoon at Pocono International Raceway, it was quite enough to let me enjoy myself in the test car that, at a modest 2,833 pounds, doesn't requ...

The market has shifted from trucks and SUVs to small fuel-efficient cars. This puts the Big Three automakers in a bind to retool back to cars and churn out fuel sippers to battle Honda, Hyundai, Mini, Suzuki and Toyota. Well, one domestic brand does not have to scramble to bring a new line of small fuel-efficient cars to the market. Saturn dumped the forgettable Ion and ushered in the all-new Astra. This model line is the intro into the Saturn brand and comes in three-door and five-door persuasi...

The North American Astra should prove to be as successful and popular among driving enthusiasts and fans of the original, euro-flavored model. GM boldly chose to offer the Astra as a hatchback only. The exterior styling is clean -- sleek, but not simplistic. Traditional Saturn design cues were used, such as the front grille, but the Astra did not lose its European flair. Inside, there are even more reasons to be impressed. The spongy plastic dashboard is more sharply executed than that of most r...

After taking the Astra for a drive, I have to agree with GM; there isn't any need to make serious changes. They got it pretty much right the first time. My test unit was a five-door XR model. XE five-door and XR three-door versions are also available. As a five door, the doors are a bit smaller than on the three door, but getting in and out of the front is just as easy as with a three-door. Getting in and out of the back is just about as easy with the three door, but I give the edge to the five-...

After adjusting all mirrors and fixing the form-fitting driver's bucket in a comfy position, we crank up the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, shove the short stick of a manual transmission into first gear and head south on Broadway for a few blocks before turning right on Clay to catch a freeway leading west on Route 26, the Sunset Highway, up a steep slope past Washington Park. To merge into the multi-lane flow of traffic, we step on the throttle and Astra's engine responds with a surprising sur...

The tester model that I received was the 5-door XR model (a 3-door coupe with hatch is available). It came in a bright red color with leather interior and other semi-luxury niceties like a one-touch moonroof that extends to the back seat. The Astra is definitely a step in the right direction for Saturn. Gone are the days of completely uninspired comatose-like driving. The new line of cars, Astra included, are giving Saturn a jolt of excitement for the first time. With the Astra, they've managed ...

The Saturn Astra XR is an excellent example of what a "driver's car" ought to be. It's just fun to drive. A driver's car doesn't have to be fast off the mark or styled like a bullet. All it needs to do is bring a smile to the operator's face. Astra produces that in a three-door hatchback coupe. Like those Autobahn-influenced cars, the Astra comes alive at high speeds. It dawdles a bit away from the stoplight--just 9.6 seconds from 0-to-60 mph via a four-speed automatic transmission. That's about...

Available in a surprisingly roomy, and practical 5 door and 3 door hatchback, the Astra receives it's power from a sweet little 1.8 liter mill churning out 138 HP to the front wheels. This may not sound like much, but it's how that horsepower is channeled through the autobahn tuned chassis that impresses! The Astra has the usual kit of power windows, door locks, etc. What really makes this car shine is it's heritage. When thinking of high speed cruising cars, our minds turn to the Corvette, Merc...