What’s new, highlights, and safety info for the 2009 Saturn Aura.

Introduction

It looks a lot like its German cousin, the Opel Vectra, but the Saturn Aura comes out of GM’s North American operations. Underpinning the Aura is GM’s mid-size front-wheel-drive platform that is also shared with the Saab 9-3, Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Malibu, and the aforementioned Opel/Vauxhaul Vectra. And although the Aura looks similar to the Vectra, it shares no sheetmetal with its European relative.

Saturn offers Aura customers three powertrain options. For those seeking a balance of performance and fuel economy, there’s a fuel-efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 169 hp and returns 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. For those more interested in fuel economy, a mild-hybrid version (formerly known as the Aura Green Line) of the four-cylinder engine boosts fuel economy to an EPA-rated 26 city and 34 highway. The hybrid system is not as sophisticated as those found on the competition, but it does offer a small fuel-economy bump for a relatively small amount of cash. If acceleration is a concern, Saturn also offers a 252-hp 3.6-liter V-6 that returns 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The V-6 is pretty quick and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. Six-speed automatics are standard on all Auras except the hybrid, which comes with a four-speed auto.

Keep Reading: 2009 Saturn Aura / Aura Hybrid – Review