The 2008 Saturn Astra sport compact is a superb five-door vehicle that provides sound handling, interior comfort, solid fuel economy, and a price tag that makes it an attractive buy.
Our tested Astra XR five-Door (there is a three-Door XR and a five-Door base XE) proved to be both usable in-city and a genuinely pleasant road car on an extended trip.
The Astra's 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine was surprisingly powerful and offered plenty of acceleration coupled with a five-speed manual transmission. The VVT ECOTEC engine creates 138 HP at 6,300 RPM and produces 125 lb.-ft. or torque at 3,800 RPM.
For a compact, the Astra has generous interior space for driver and passenger, and seating is comfortable (headroom on the five-Door is 38.9 inches; legroom is 42.0 inches). And the cargo space is more than adequate at 19.8 cubic feet. Controls are easy to use, and the electro-hydraulic power steering made it an easy car to drive.
With a base price of $16,925 on the XR 5-Door (the XE is less) our tested unit had two options that included a Sport Option Package (Stabilitrak stability control system, sport suspension, and 17-inch alloy wheels at $695) and a power sunroof with second-row skylight ($1,000) for a total of $19,215.
Standard equipment includes such amenities as antilock brakes, dual climate control with an air filtration system, power windows/doors/locks, rear cargo cover, projector beam fog lamps, cruise control, driver information center, split folding rear seats, one year of OnStar, tire-pressure monitoring system, and much more. The pleasant audio system features a MP3 format and has seven speakers.
What's likable about the Astra is its overall performance. It's quick at the start and fun to drive. It handles well and turns sharply, and is easy to park in tight spots. Some cars just have that enjoyable feel to them, and the Astra falls into that category.
Also likable is its fuel economy. EPA ratings are 24 MPG/city and 32 MPG/highway. During our seven-day test drive, including the road trip, we averaged 25 in the city and just under 34 on the highway.
With ever-increasing fuel prices, the Astra is a great weekend getaway vehicle that allows for more than decent fuel economy.
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The throaty 2008 Dodge Avenger R/T AWD was another pleasant driving machine we recently tested, though the fuel economy was not as dynamic as the Astra.
This midsize sedan has plenty of attributes, however, including extensive standard equipment and a well-styled interior.
Powered by a 3.5-liter high-output V-6 MPI engine that screams power, the Avenger R/T has enthralling acceleration and performance (standard on the Avenger SXT and SE models is a 2.4-liter and the SXT has a 2.7-liter available that accepts both gasoline and E85 fuels).
It's mated with a six-speed AutoStik automatic transmission that allows manual shifting if desired.
The Avenger R/T has antilock four-wheel disc brakes, traction control, an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), front and rear stabilizer bars, dual exhaust, Sirius satellite radio (one year), theft-deterrent system, fog lamps, and a full offering of advanced multiple-stage airbags among its many features.
Power rack-and-pinion steering is well engineered and handling is solid with its four-wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts on the front and multilink on the rear.
The ESP senses when the vehicle over- or understeers, and the traction control and Brake Assist systems help adjust the car's course and throttle. It is an excellent accident-avoidance system.
The interior on the Avenger is very usable and seating is well designed for style and comfort. Controls and lighting are world class, including the LED recessed overhead lighting. There is a dash-mounted trunk release, power windows/doors/locks, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Base price on our Avenger R/T was $25,270 and with six options, including a premium convenience package and a power sunroof. The final price was $30,455.
Fuel economy on the base Avenger is 21/30 based on EPA ratings. The R/T AWD unit we tested was rated at 15 MPG/city and 24 MPG/highway, and during our weeklong test those figures were right on target.
Overall, the Avenger is a fun sedan to drive, offers lots of interior space, a large trunk, and the R/T has lots of performance elements.