According to Scott Burgess, auto critic of The Detroit News, General Motors Corporation has been successful in bringing their award-winning Astra over from their European brand Opel to their American brand Saturn.

Besides some minor tweaking for compliance with U.S. regulations, the Astra only had its labels changed, as it is already such a fine ride. “It just goes to show you,” stated Burgess, “an Astra by any other name is still an Astra.”

Looking like a low-lying puma just before that fatal pounce, the Saturn Astra has its wedge shape silhouetted by clean and crisp lines for that distinctive athletic appearance. More aggressive than most of the other compact cars around in the market, it really looks as fast as it is.

For a 2,900-pound compact, the 2008 Saturn Astra packs a lot of punch by sporting a 1.8-liter dual overhead cam four-cylinder engine with 138 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. This power is matched by the stability brought about by the combination of the MacPherson front struts and torsion-beam rear together with the vehicle’s rigid frame. The auto critic “gleefully whipped the Astra through corners and tight turns” and let the shocks and gas-charged struts absorb the bumps without having to sacrifice a tight line. Moreover, the Astra’s electro-hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering allows the driver to feel the road and thereby maneuver the car with precision.

Burgess describes his enjoyment as “kick-in-the-Astra fun;” and claims that, with a price tag starting just under $16,000, the 2008 Saturn Astra is “more than a deal, it’s a steal.”

Source: The Detroit News: Autos – reviews (detnews.com)