Saturn Astra

[hoodlum]

Well, after going back and forth between the Mazda3 and Astra I made the leap last weekend and purchased an Astra. It is the XE 5dr (blue) with air, alum. rims, dual panel sunroof and heated seated. I paid just under $25k all in. The final tipping point was Saturn offering 0% financing for 72 months and $750 rebate starting a week ago. My payments worked out to $346/mth with not a penny down.

There are many great features, some I wasn't even aware of. You can tell that many of the european cars are overbuilt. GM must be loosing their shirt on selling this here. Here are some I have noticed so far that are all available on the base $17.9 vehicle.

- Flip out key in remote. Remote can also roll down all windows when walking to car.
- Front hood doesn't need stick to hold open. Shocks? (not sure what they're called)
- Auto lights, auto wipers
- tap signal switch for just 3 blinks when changing lanes.
- Sheet metal seems to be thicker than most NA cars and goes all around the window. (no black frame)


I am enjoying the car since picking it up yesterday. Nothing like that new car smell. I wish everyone well here.

[RallyPlaya]

Congrats on the Car.... Can U Post a Pic Hoodlum of your new ride

[Thunder 3]

Sounds nice! I definitely would have looked at one of those if they were out when I was shopping...

[Wild Weasel]

I saw one one of the hatches on the street on Monday for the first time. Couldn't figure out what the heck it was from the side until I noticed the Saturn logos on the center caps. Nice cars! Congrats!

[Xerox]

6 years is a long time to be paying for a car IMO but if it's 0% than I guess it's a good deal.
Anyways, congrats on the new car!

[Mafty]

i remember seeing this at the autoshow, they had there silly karaoke in it so nobody could sit in the ONLY one they had at the show, kinda dumb on saturns part especially since it was just released. but i havent seen any on the road yet.....which is weird since the autoshow claimed it to be the #1 new car, which i have a hard time swallowing, i test drove one and had to say was extremely disappointed with GM's interior (but what else is new its gm.....)

[bbell1984]

ya i love those cars, im a huge opel fan and its very similar,
anyway i remember when i bought my 3 last august and before i did i emailed saturn and ask when the astra was coming to canada, they told me fall of 2009 so i went and bought my 3, then what happened 2 months later..... astra were in canadian showrooms. UNREAL.

anyway i love those cars great purchase, the only problem with them is they have no balls what so ever, if only they had the ecotec with the turbo, one can dream i guess

[rwatt]

I was looking at the Astra as well. It drove nice enough (except that 5th gear is too short), it was quiet and rode great, but at the spec level I wanted the Mazda was a couple grand cheaper, bigger, and seems to have better build quality. Also Saturn does not haggle their prices and when I was looking they were not offering 0% financing, while Mazda was. So it was kind of a no-brainer.

The Astra is still a very nice car and I'm surprised I haven't seen them flooding the roads...I thought it would be much more popular. Maybe our Americanized brains just aren't ready to accept a Euro hatch.


the only problem with them is they have no balls what so ever
I thought that it was quite peppy for a small engine and had no trouble getting up to highway speed with 4 people in the car. You want to talk gutless, I also test drove a Honda Fit...ugh.

[hoodlum]

Performance was not an issue with me unless you're comparing it to the 2.3l Mazda3. Now I have the 5sp standard and unfortunately the auto is a step behind the competition.

[bbell1984]

Ya tru enough, i thought the same, i thought this car would take off like a wild fire, but i agree its hard for people to dig the euro touches and styling in a small car, plus i think people are still stuck on the fact that it is a Saturn, even though saturn is building top of the line cars now.

[KenYork]

From what I hear it's the exact same as the Opel just re-badged to Saturn.

[rwatt]

From what I hear it's the exact same as the Opel just re-badged to Saturn.

Yup, they are shipped in from Antwerp, Belgium.

[TheProfessor]

The Toronto Star Wheels section (from this past Saturday) compared the Astra, Mazda3 and City Golf and the rankings were as follows:

#1 Mazda3
#2 Astra
#3 City Golf

I tried to find the article but couldn't.

[dumpbear]

The Toronto Star Wheels section (from this past Saturday) compared the Astra, Mazda3 and City Golf and the rankings were as follows:

#1 Mazda3
#2 Astra
#3 City Golf

I tried to find the article but couldn't.

I posted that article here:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=25722

wOOt!

[TheProfessor]

I posted that article here:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=25722

wOOt!


Ah, thanks.

[openuser]

Did they have this one available?
http://www.channel4.com/4car/gl/gallery/gallery/450/

[bbell1984]

No, that is strictly euro, that car is a vauxhaul, which is a euro brand. And they make some solid solid cars.

[openuser]

I thought they were the same cars.. Both Opel, aren they?

[midnightfxgt]

My best friends GF just bought one.... VERY nice for a Saturn. I am not a fan of the Saturn lineup minus the 3dr Astra and the Sky. Hers was stuck in the hail, and has $3K damage :(

My one big complaint with the car is the crank seats! Thats suuuuch a poor design. My VW Rabbit has it too. Drives me nuts, but once they are set, they are set for good in my car LOL.

-John

[Swerny]

nice looking car.

I felt it was a bit down on power though and wasn't ready to jump to a Saturn (although my Mom has a 2000 SL2 which has been great).