Joyrider

With all the hype and marketing going around about the Astra these days, it makes us want to take a closer look at the car and what it offers to you.

The price is fairly low, it seems to be stylish, and it seems to be a solid value overall.

While I am not completely sold on it, the Astra deserves some consideration at the least.

Has anyone has thought about buying one, and what do you like best about it?

Born2Be

I have considered buying an Astra instead of the one I got. What attracted me most was the low price and I liked the way it looked.

Joyrider

The Astra is one of the best and most affordable cars of it's kind, and I have been doing more than a little research on it over the next few days.

The next time I go shopping for a new car, it is definitely near the top of the cars that I am considering purchasing, and really...why wouldn't it be?

perfectvue

I am more than willing to consider anything Saturn puts on the market. Anything that is fuel efficient is obviously closer to the top of the list. Unfortunately I live in an area that requires an SUV so the Astra isn't a smart choice to replace the SL2. I already worry about losing a tire in holes, I can imagine how the Astra would fair.

_lilpouty

i like the 3 door xr i'd deff if i was in the market for a new car, trying to talk my wifey into getting one, to complete our saturn family

madmon

I think when car shopping you need to look at your needs for the vehicle. Does it do the gas you need for the price you need? Is it comfy? It really depends for many people. While there are tons of things we "want" in a car, they should be second to our "needs" of the car.

Joyrider

Mileage has always been one of my top concerns, and the Astra isn't terrible in that regard either.

While I would not go so far as to call it "fuel efficient" it still gets the job done nicely enough for me.

Anyway, I have decided against getting an Astra for the time being. While I like it a lot, I don't think it's exactly what I need right now.

MudMan

I personally think that dropping the ion, was a bad idea! They finally got all of the bugs worked out of the ion, only to discontinue it!? But what they did replace it with is NOT made in America, costs more money to purchase the base model, and gets WORST fuel economy than the ion! Oh, but it does have more interior room. I did not see the need for that, I'm 6'5" and 240 lbs., I fit in my ion fine. That was one of the resons I purchased mine, a car that gets great mileage, is cheap to buy and own, and I can actually get in it and drive it in comfort! The composite panals is also nice because I live in the salt belt, where 2 and 3 year old vehicles have rust already. It's also much easier to get my young daughters in the back of a four door than my lifted wrangler. All saturn did, like so many other companies, is put more working American families out of a job! Not saying I'm right, just my opinion.

jrrida

i like how it look and drives, but i would wait a little to see what reliability issues it may have. There are always things they add/change after the first production model.

John Davey

It might be useful to understand the history and origin of the Astra. See MadBrad's excellent post here. It is an unmodified (apart from the badge) Opel Astra also sold as Vauxhall and Holden Astras, currently at generation H - the 8th generation - and has been around some time. In fact the 9th gen or Astra "I" is scheduled for release in Europe next year. Whether Saturn will get the new ones at that time or be used as an outlet for unsold gen H'ers, I don't know.

So this is far from a "first production model", quite the opposite in fact. Here's some pics of the next Astra, just as a tease!

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