
Saturn Aura: Competitive Midsize Sedan
It took nearly a decade before a second Saturn model was released, a midsize sedan and wagon called the L Series. Based on Opel technology, the L Series gave Saturn loyalists who wanted more room, a model to trade up too, but when they got there, the car wasn't particularly inspiring. A few years later the L Series was retired, replaced by another Opel inspired model, the Aura.
Unlike the L Series, the Aura had a fighting chance when it came to midsize sedans. The midsize segment is the most competitive of them all, offering dozens of models and variations of the same to consumers. The Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Ford Fusion are among the top selling cars in this class, tough competition for the Aura. Fortunately, the Aura offered much more promise for Saturn then did the L Series.
Though the Saturn Aura was built in the US and underpinned by GM's Epsilon platform, this five passenger sedan offers a well-defined European centric look thanks to its curving C-pillars, generous sized wheel wells, fully wrapped tail lights and shapely nose piece. Lift the hood and the engine choices included a 2.4L I-4 or one of two V6 engines with displacements of 3.5L and 3.6L individually.
The Saturn Aura was a nicely appointed sedan, chock full of amenities that today's drivers want including a six-disc CD player, XM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity and GM's ubiquitous OnStar navigation system. Plush leather seating was available on higher end models, though the Aura had a knack for including GM staples such as simulated wood trim. Plenty of tough plastics were placed in the interior door panels, underneath the dash and for the back of the trunk which features 60/40 split rear seating.
One area where the Saturn Aura exceled is with its storage capacity. Many cars in this segment offer fairly limited trunk space, but that wasn't the case with the Aura. And, With 60/40 folding rear seating, larger items could be placed in the trunk and passed through to the cabin area.
Briefly, GM sold a hybrid Saturn Aura, but that car was pulled midway through the 2008 model year. Offering no good comparison to the hybrid Toyota Camry and the later Ford Fusion Hybrid, the model did little to bolster sales thanks to its nearly indifferent fuel economy and premium price.
The Saturn Aura was pulled from production in 2009 when GM decided to end the Saturn brand. That's too bad because as a midsize car, the Aura was competitive, offered luxurious amenities in top of the line models, and was priced right.
