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. Saturn offers a four-cylinder or V-6 engine in the 2009 Aura, and both of them team with six-speed automatic transmissions. However, the latest 2009 Aura XR I drove was equipped with 17-inch wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires that could get noisy on the highway. I previously tested an Aura XR with 18-inch wheels and tires and found its cabin to be quiet. The rim of the tilt/telescoping steering wheel is overly large, too it feels a little bit like you’re driving a bus. Unfortunately, the driver isn’t given much feedback in return for the added effort. In keeping with the sporty dynamics of the chassis, it takes some effort to turn the steering wheel. It’s a setup that’s likely to appeal both to buyers looking for a sporty feel in their sedan as well as those who just need a means of transportation. The suspension is tuned for firmness, but it’s fairly good at damping bumps in the road, too. The four-wheel independent suspension has front and rear stabilizer bars, and when cornering, the XR model remains impressively flat for a family sedan body roll is well controlled. The Aura’s road manners are a pleasant surprise. Here’s hoping the Aura will eventually get a high-performance Red Line variant with the bulging fender flares, side skirts and gaping lower grille that gave the concept so much presence. While its styling is appealing, I miss the aggressiveness of the concept version from a few auto shows ago. The uplevel XR gets 17-inch aluminum rims when powered by the four-cylinder engine, and it has 18-inch aluminum wheels when equipped with the V-6. The base XE model has standard 17-inch steel wheels. It features subtle fender flares, a naturally arcing roofline and a short rear deck. Like the Pontiac G6, the five-person Aura is built on an extended-length version of GM’s midsize-car platform along with the Chevrolet Malibu, it’s one of the better-looking sedans using this design. While Saturn has the right idea for these volatile times, the Aura still comes up short in terms of cabin quality, where it suffers from fit-and-finish problems. The brand introduced a hybrid model and a four-cylinder version for 2008 and has tweaked the four-cylinder model for 2009 to make it even more fuel efficient, with an EPA-estimated 22/33 mpg city/highway (see a side-by-side comparison with the 2008 model). Saturn has tinkered with the Aura lineup since we last looked at it. The car impressed on a few fronts, with capable V-6 power and handling performance that was above-average for the segment. When it was launched for the 2007 model year, the Saturn Aura served as a replacement for the forgettable L-Series and marked a renewed attempt by the brand to establish itself in the midsize sedan market.

Saturn aura