2008 Saturn Astra consumer reviews

I bought a 2008 Saturn Astra XE 4door hatchback in 2012. When I got it it had 67000Kms on it and the asking price was less the 20,000. I put a lot of mileage on my cars and this one was no exception. Until the Radiator came apart recently I had no significant issues with it. At almost 242000kms I have no complaints. When you put on 175000kms in 3.5 yrs that is alot for any vehicle. It had great fuel economy, great handling and tended to make you feel like you were in a bigger vehicle then you actually were. The headlight sensors were great but the rain sensor sometimes didn't swipe enough or swiped too much but that was easy to overcome. I loved the traction assist as I had to used it periodically, just don't leave it on while driving it consumes a lot more fuel. The traction control worked beautifully as did the breaking assist when going down steep hills. I loved this car and will miss it. Will definately recomend it to other drivers!!

The Saturn Astra is a great car. I accidentally set up an appointment to drive an Astra thinking is was an Aura. This was an oversight on my part. The car was a most pleasant surprise. It handles great! It is fun to drive and gets wonderful gas mileage. My only complaints are that the cruise control functionality is unique and there is no plug for my MP3 player in the car. My favorite things about the Astra are its excellent gas mileage, excellent handling, comfortable interior, and excellent exterior lines. I am happy to have made the purchase.

I bought my Astra XR 5 Door 5 Speed with 66,5 on it in 2012. I love this car. The features offered on this car are unbeatable at this price point. The panoramic sunroof, steering wheel audio controls and six CD changer. There are some small annoyances that can be overcome, I installed the after market armrest from Boomerang with great success. I have the opera 40 CD player, while the car has 7 speakers the 7th one is NOT a sub woofer as I assumed it would be, however the stock speakers are pretty good. That being said the stock amp will turn the music down automatically to save the speakers, I'm used to it now and the steering wheel controls make it easy to counteract this. The rain sense wipers are a bit odd, living in SoCal I haven't really had a chance to use them. The engine like most four cylinder engines is slow off the bat and really takes off in higher RPMs, I agree with most reviews that a sixth gear would be nice for MPG but the way it's geared with only five gives it great passing power for a smaller engine. If anyone is complaining about the reverse gear grinding try throwing it in 2nd before reverse. Engine is a BIT noisy but road noise is very minimal especially for a compact. This car is packed full of random ways to make driving easier, steering and cornering is a breeze, braking is a dream with the 4 disk brakes, let out the clutch and the car takes off even up hill and stop and go is an easy process. The turn signals also have a highway passing feature which took me a day to figure out. Overall awesome looking and awesome driving car. I haven't put any money into it aside from washes and oil changes, could not have made a better purchase.

The dealership treated me with great hospitality and helped me out in every way they could. Very pleased with this car.

What a great little car. Mine is the XR 3 dr coupe and I can tell you that this is no Saturn. It's made by Opel and unlike its only competition, the VW GTI and Audi A3, it is 100% made in Germany. Handleing is superb and it has many features you either pay extra for or can't get on the competion. It is not as powerful as the other 2 but I average just under 30 mpg and have seen 38+ on the highway.At $3.50 gal, I'll take less power. GTI & A3 both require premium gas so there is more savings than just mpg's. By the way, the best mpg I ever got with my GTI was 27 hwy. The Astra 3 dr hatchback looks better, rides and handles just as nice and demands respect. For those who are brand name snobs, go by a VW or Audi. If you know and want a better quality car, check ou the Astra

The 2008 Saturn Astra XR, besides having cool, sleek European style, is a blast to drive. The handling is tight and the power just right. Manufactured in Belgium, this is not your Father's Saturn. Sporty and fun, this little car zips around town. Forget the four-door (b-o-r-i-n-g) you'll be surprised at the roominess inside this hatchback, the back seat is amazingly functional. Sad to see Saturn out of business but happy to get an incredible deal on a sporty 2008 vehicle with 36,000 miles. If you drive this car you will understand why this is one of the best selling cars in Europe.

I love my Saturn Astra coupe. I am getting better than advertised mileage between 32 and 39 MPG! I enjoy have a rather unique car and am sorry that the Astra has such a short run in the US.

We initially purchased a Honda Civic for our teenage son. It was a money pit, and instantly needed a replacement. After months of driving the ailing Civic around we found the Astra for 9,990. I was skeptical, but hopeful it was not another cheap peice of junk. Went to dealership, and test drove and was surprised by it's old school VW like drive. We purchased it, and never looked back. Right now, the teen and I share it. I use it during the day for a small maid service and average 27 miles to gallon in mixed driving. On road trips I have averaged 32 on the automatic tranmission. I will be permantely handing it over to son in May and I really wish I did not have to. The car note is cheap, and it drives better than my "luxury" kia borrego. The interior is basic, but the seats are top notch. I have back issues and have driven long trips without an issue. If you are reading this review b/c you are unsure if you should buy one, do not hesitate. This car runs like a luxury german car, without the high price tag. How many cars will you find with traction control in this price range??? I am searching for one now, so that when I hand the keys over to him I have my own set for my new Astra. That's saying something. I am very hard to please, after all I am a woman. ;)

This car has been good so far. I must admit, the reviews I read prior to purchase all said the car could use another gear, and they're right. 3400 rpm @ 70 mph is not excessive, but not needed. GM should bring this car back to the states again, but this time make the six speed an option. The turrbo' d and cooled 2.0 would be icing on the cake. The car handles very well and pulls strong to redline. The seats are very supportive with lots of side bolstering for support when things get twisty. As far as winter traction is concerned, I don't have experience there yet. The car has uniroyals on it and dry and wet traction are very good. And for fuel economy, it hasn't disappointed either. The last six fillups have netted 31.3-33.7 m.p.g. my one complaint is the base sound system. There is no bass response @ lower listening levels. Even at higher levels, although it improves, there's still no thump. Overall, if someone I knew were loooking for a small, fun car, under $15000; I would suggest they look at the Saturn Astray 2 door.

I bought a 3 door Astra XR, it has unbelievable handling with the 18" summer tires, could use a little more power, but with the 5 speed manual, it's pretty fun to drive anyways. Enough cargo room to make it versatile as well!