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The five-door Astra comes in two models — XE and the betterequipped XR. The three-door, the sportier of the two, comes only as an XR model. This is not a stripped, base-model vehicle. It has fourwheel disc brakes with antilock, and the Stabilitrak traction control system is standard. Stabilitrak works with the brake system to keep the car moving in the right direction under bad road conditions and emergency situations. You also get things such as remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitor, ra...

From The Vail Trail: New to Saturn's lineup is the Astra, a small three- or five-door entry-level automobile which has a very international history, is imminently affordable and, while not a screamer in the power department, provides a positive replacement to the completely forgettable Ion. Manufactured in Belgium with a Hungarian-made engine and an Austrian transmission, the Astra is simply an American re-badge of the European GM Opel brand. Astra has kicked around in various global variatio...

The 2008 Saturn Astra is a compact car with decent fuel economy, attractive styling and, of all things, a European flair. Get behind the wheel of this lowest-priced Saturn and you’ll notice such European cues as firmly supportive seats, thick steering wheel, different style of radio controls, exemplary steering and competent handling. Best of all, the Astra’s starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination and delivery charge, is $16,495 for a 2008 five-door XE model ...

Say adieu to the Saturn Ion and welcome the Astra, which has been a big hit in Europe as the Opel Astra. The European inspiration is evident in the front-wheel-drive car's exterior and interior. The car offers decent acceleration and smooth shifts that result in a comfortable ride and secure handling. A 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine develops 138 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 125 pounds-feet of torque at 3800 rpm. A variable-valve timing boosts fuel efficiency and the engine's power output. ...

Saturn's successful strategy of importing Opels from Europe and rebadging them as Saturns continues to work. First it was the Vue sport utility. Now its Saturn's new entry-level car, the Astra. This should be a hit. Astra is a fine small car with good fit and finish, a solid feel and excellent fuel economy. There are a few issues, but overall, it's GM's finest small car yet. Astra was designed by Opel in Germany, and the car is built at a plant in Antwerp, Belgium. It already has been successful...

From The Province: The all-new 2008 Saturn Astra is the latest example of the rewarding product-sharing alliance with the company's German cousin Opel. The former maker of plastic-sided cars was going nowhere fast, but it is now, with its Euro-style range of good-looking and economical vehicles. Other examples of the win-win co-operative venture include the Sky Roadster, Aura sedan, VUE sport-ute and Outlook crossover. All these models have rolled out in the last few years, making the fresh-l...

As gasoline prices continue to soar, U.S. drivers will probably start buying more small, European-style cars. The new Saturn is virtually identical to the Continental European Opel Astra, the British Vauxhall Astra, and the Australian Holden Astra. That's a good thing when it comes to handling. This car's driving dynamics are a huge improvement over those of the Saturn Ion, the unlovable staple of rental car fleets that the Astra is replacing. Under the hood is a 1.8-liter, 140-hp, inline four-c...

The Belgian-made Astra never suffers from a lack of ride comfort or handling over its peers, and the only complaint you'll ever hear handling-wise is from stoplight racers with body piercings and noise violations. But come on. This is an economy car … and a damn fine-handling one at that. Between corners, there's sufficient power to crush eggs after grocery shopping. Now, if you decide to read other reviews on the car, the tester will probably say power from the 1.8-litre Ecotec four-cylinder ...

The 5-door Astra gets XE and XR versions, but the 3-door is only available in the more expensive clothes. Although both cars looks good, clean and svelte, the 3-door proposes a more aggressive demeanor, owing to its lower roofline and some other minor differences. In short, both cars offer versatility, but if you're planning to carry passengers or cargo frequently, the 5-door will definitely make more sense. And yet, climbing in back of the 3-door doesn't require a chiropractor afterwards, and o...

General Motors has been doing a lot of things right the past few years, and the Saturn Astra should be added to the top of list. For years, GM’s European Opel division has built some excellent small cars, but until the Opel Vectra was used to make the Saturn Aura a couple of years ago, we didn't get much for GM's European holdings. Now there is the Saturn Astra that is simply a rebadged Opel Astra, which happens to be the No. 1 selling 3-door hatchback in Europe. I think it was a brilliant mov...

From MarketWatch.com: Our Black Sapphire/Charcoal top of the line XR was well built, fun to drive and economical. Judging from our rather emphatic e-mails of late, this is just the car many people say they are looking for. At 170.5 inches long, the Astra is shorter than one of our favorite compacts, the Honda Civic, but longer than another fav, the VW Rabbit. It comes in three-door and five-door models. The five-door is available in the base XE and jazzier XR models, while the three-door settles...

The all-new Saturn Astra is a terrific compact car. Enthusiasts know it is German-built and imported to your local Saturn dealer, a product of GM's Opel subsidiary. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is a remade Saturn Ion. It's much better and is waiting to be discovered. Get a deal before the market recognizes this gem.

The Astra makes a strong opening argument with its oversize headlamps, steeply raked windshield and stylish flared hips. It comes as a two- or four-door hatchback; the cars are almost identical in size, with the four-door’s roof rising 1.5 inches higher. I drove both models over eight days of testing. Inside, the Astra presents an intelligent yet somewhat dour face; the coldly metallic center control panel reminded me of an old Marantz stereo. Yet the Astra does well by features, safety and cr...

The Astra drives oh-so-nicely. Though the engine is slightly smaller and less powerful than the Focus' and must motivate more weight, it has a sweeter feel and loves to zip up to the red line. It has a feeling of quickness, although the speedometer reading wasn't impressive at the end of the full-blast on-ramp sprint in the Test Drive routine. The manual transmission in the hatchback test car let you know via slight mechanical resistance each time you slipped the lever into gear. It was not th...

Despite the very tight and tidy exterior, the Astra says "willkommen" with ample room inside. Backseat passengers get plenty of space for their heads and legs, though the flat triangular rear windows make it feel cozy in there, or claustrophobic, depending on your predisposition to such things. It's the perfect place to sit if you need to elude the paparazzi or slip through a border checkpoint. Up front, you'll be forgiven if you start speaking in a phony accent while driving, as long as you're ...