2009 Saturn Aura

Bendable plastic fenders and funky designs have long been a trademark of GM's funky/cheap Saturn brand. Their reliable engines and cheap price made them a hit, but younger buyers tended to outgrow their SL's and move on to mid sized offerings from other companies. In an effort to keep current owners in the fold (as well as attract new customers), GM decided to replace the mid size Saturn L-Series with a car that would actually sell.

Based on GM's Epsilon platform (think Chevy Malibu and Saab 9-3), the new Saturn Aura is a sophisticated, pseudo-sports sedan designed to go head-to-head with the Camry and Accord. Like its worthy competitors, the Aura features stand-out styling and a comfortable, upscale interior. Unlike its competitors, the Aura is priced to compete.

The Saturn Aura's crisp, modern styling is matched to the highest quality interior ever seen in a Saturn. No longer an exercise in plastic, the Aura's interior is feels like it belongs in a much more expensive car. Faux wood and metal trim accentuate an interior design that easily could've come from an Audi (minus the fake wood of course). Then there's equipment like satellite radio, power adjustable pedals and heated seats to add to the up-market feel.

This Saturn Aura drives well too. Huge wheels and tires provide adequate grip, but the vague steering and soft brakes quickly remind you that this is a cheap family sedan. The ride is smooth and bumps aren't too painful, but you get the feeling that this is a very middle-of-the-road kind of car. It's not bad, but it's not especially good either.

The engines aren't too bad. The base 2.4L 4-banger is slow and the Green Line's hybrid 4-cyl is even slower. Electric motors are used to supplement the 2.4L's power under certain conditions and the whole setup returns about 22 mpg combined. Sort of impressive. A 3.5L and a 3.6L V6 are also available. The 3.5L has acceptable power, but the peppy 3.6L is noticeably more powerful. However, in 2007, the 3.6L is known to experience premature timing chain failure.

While this is certainly the nicest car to ever wear a Saturn badge, it isn't quite on the drivability level of its competitors. But on the used market, the Saturn Aura is one heck of a bargain. . COMMON PROBLEMS FOR THE SATURN AURA: The check engine light may come on due to the timing chain stretching. Have this checked out immediately (2007 XR 3.6L). Accessory electrical problems are common and the transmission control module can malfunction limiting the engine to 4,000 rpm (2007).