2008 Saturn Astra/ Quick Drive

From the 2007 LA Auto Show, Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder walks you through the 2008 Saturn Astra.

[@alexandruioanmunteanu4105]

In Europe there was a Sport version for this Astra. It was named Astra OPC and it had a 2.0l Turbo engine with 240 HP and 236 lb.-ft. It came with a 6 speed manual gear box and FWD. Unfortunately this model was not sold in the US.

[@CharisGR2023]

great car I had one 2.0turbo with 200ps 0-100 in 7,2 sec and top speed around 240km/h

[@AxlWolfGNX]

Vauxhall Astra / Opel Astra / Chevy Vectra GT / Saturn Astra / Holden Astra = Same car for example, I live in Argentina and this car is known as Chevy Vectra GT here.

[@gr3gro6]

just bought mine today. the 3dr xr is pretty sweet car guys. Went from an audi a6 to this and so far dont regret it :P next step i'm gonna debadge the saturn off and put on the opel :D

[@bennygreene1421]

Good power, looks, handling, & good fuel economy.

[@Mondyone]

You' re right. It went on sale in 2004. In 2009 will be raplaced with new model.

[@mgerdes255]

t's a german car. In europe it's an Opel Astra a very good car

[@xrecon18]

In the UK, this is literally one of the most common cars as the Vauxhall Astra 😅 one of the best Vauxhall cars I’ve seen. Apart from the 1999 Vauxhall Vectra SRI..

[@mgerdes255]

@@xrecon18 oh yes I completely forgot😅

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Also Chevrolet Astra in Mexico and Brazil.

[@Schoeppingen]

The original german car is called Opel Astra H or Opel Astra H GTC (2 doors)

[@thunderstruck665]

Not bad looking at all. I would take this over a Prius anyday.

[@dee8817]

I heard Saab will get a version of the two-door which will be called the 9-1

[@gr3gro6]

its sluggish at the start, but it is still pretty quick. i have the 5sp xr and love it. i debadged it and put the opel grille on = everyone checking out the car

[@SimbaTheGreat]

@kyuzh987 if you can find one yes. They brought this car over right before Saturn died off. I've seen 1 saturn astra 3 door since they have been brought over. I havent even seem them at dealerships or even for sale on ebay

[@5Qu1Z33r]

Yeah, and it was not designed by Saturn anyway. And a sixth speed giving more power? That's new...

[@jb1563700]

it's kinda hard to find a real dude's compact these days. but i guess a two-door in black with some big wheels is pretty cool

[@ProfessorIgor]

this car is built in Belgium, the engine is from Hungary...

[@brotherputin3776]

Mr. Worldwide

[@ProfessorIgor]

@Bob Jo try again.

[@ProfessorIgor]

@Bob Jo it was built in Antwerp Belgium.. Seriously, look it up you berk

[@ProfessorIgor]

@Bob Jo the SATURN Astra, which is what GM called it here, the A4 model was built in Antwerp, Belgium. Yes, the Opel Astra (that the rest of the world got) was built in many locations. But this video isn't about those now, is it ?? en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Astra

[@ProfessorIgor]

@Bob Jo yep, and like most other European cars, it was a pile a of excrement.

[@lesliemclean904]

where is the cam sensor located

[@Arda86ca]

Put the turbocharged engine from the Cobalt SS, give it a six speed and this car is gonna be a hit

[@blue387]

Fuel economy?

[@namashte]

when we got the ASTRA OPC !!!!... WHEN !?!?!?

[@alexandruioanmunteanu4105]

In Europe Astra with 1.8 l engine has a 6 gear manual transmision.

[@eddiefekete4532]

I am in Montreal Canada the Nissan versa which in Europe is also made by Renault (actually Renault & Nissan are 2 companies that have merged) has a 1.8 L engine not an echo tech and it has a six speed manual transmission so I wonder if in Europe they use the Renault engine instead of the echo tech engine that’s used by many GM cars? The Renault engine is only 122 hp where is the Apple deck is about 138 hp or a bit more. Does anyone know for certain if the Astra also shares parts of the Nissan versa and Renault in Europe?

[@alexandruioanmunteanu4105]

@@eddiefekete4532 Astra doesn't share any parts with Nissan and Renault.

[@juhaszpeter1577]

Jó kis Opel Astra

[@SimbaTheGreat]

@jogga123 GM stated that when they brought it to america. Any one who buys this car will know its a rebadged GM product

[@jamiesmithyboy]

yh i know wat you mean i dnt understand y you dnt do it oh well bt im tellin you i dnt know if they do the vxr out there model which has about a 240ps which is realli good. bt you wouldnt be let dwn by the car it is a gr8 car far better than alot of american cars. or as you said would be better of with volkswagen or mazda

[@bluebus270]

UK faults that have come to light recently are faulty handbrake ratchet causing car to roll, and faulty boot opener.

[@michaeldouglas26]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't this generation of Opel/Vauxhall Astra almost 5 years old?

[@disracenboi336]

a cobalt ss is not trubo chrged, it's supercharged....

[@Lynxtpm]

A pitty they didn't put the CDTI engines in the Saturn Astra. 120 or 150hp versions. They do have 6 speed gear boxes, they are faster and they have a lot more torque. This the 120hp version is as fast as the 1.8ecotec and the 150cdti will blow it of the road. Their fuel efficiency is much better too. But they are diesel. Check out the opel astra cdti 120 or 150.

[@jamiesmithyboy]

yh thats true its realli exspensive ere like £1.05 something like that just realli exspensive. yh surpose it isnt that powerful but we would go for the 1.9cdti the diesel which is powerful along with economical its a gr8 car

[@fernandopacci]

Brazilian Astra uses the name of Vectra GT, much more sportive

[@vetteslayer]

Car to show some proof to back-up that statement?

[@indy5brad]

When the cobalt ss was introduced it was supercharged, then they switched to Turbo charge for the newer models. Get your facts straight.

[@bluebus270]

Your spelling is quite good as is your punctuation. Are you sure you're a Yank?

[@fatihorkunss]

I have 2009 astra H. 1.6 115 hp benzin(petrol). İts better car than the other entry cheap class cars.

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

Engineers, please refute: A 6 speed transmission does NOT yield more power.

[@YUMAToff]

Opel Astra

[@si4632]

Vauxhall in the uk

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

CHEVROLET in Mexico and Brazil

[@GSRGOPEDRIDER247]

would this be considered a guys car?

[@swagger93]

you obviously didn't spend your teen years beating the crap out of dilapidated fwd cars with all sorts of fun alignment/general mechanical problems. 1988 9000 turbo with broken front swaybar mounts...now there's some understeer. and it's "catastrophic"

[@bluebus270]

Interesting to see minor changes from the Vauxhall - rear bumper, interior, badging. But like the Vauxhall does it suffer from leaking tyres, appalling fuel consumption and dodgy key transponder? By the way, Americans really are thick aren't they?

[@mrlovesjesus811]

I agree with the host, it needs a six speed cause 5-speeds are so old school

[@jamiesmithyboy]

yh i know i dnt realli like them that much either, there just dole cars to be honest the onli chrysler i like is the 300c bt thats it the chrysler done realli bad in the crash test over ere onli got one star out of five so bad and its the same with the pt cruiser that onli got 3/5 not the best for safty. goin bk to french cars the onli thing there good at is the safty there cars always get the highest and are always the safest.

[@swagger93]

uhhh why the hell would you want to keep it on? bc you're a poor driver?

[@Hubscharber]

VW Rabbit > Astra TopGear agrees.

[@akear]

This vehicles is not selling. Early indication is that it will be a even bigger flop than the Aura. Saturn flops again......

[@Senecca]

hehe - pix please :D

[@sspope]

Yeah, French PSA is such a crap that they make the best diesel engines in the world and sell them globally.

[@jamiesmithyboy]

they always have something wrong with them they always break dwn and they always have horrible interiors.yh we have had the smart fortwo for ages. we have onli just started getting some american cars that we never had ere before like dogde and they always have bad write ups bt i dnt mind them the new version of chrysler vodger.you call it the town nd country and also we will be getting the new dogde version of it aswell i think you call it the grand caravan

[@jamiesmithyboy]

its a great ca its the best selling car in United kingdom we call it the vauxhal astra its very good car. you in for a shock america your prob never has such a well built, well handeled car in a long time becuase you make really crap cars no offence i like them but everyone critis them i like the buick lercern good car had it for hired wen went to florida bad fuel econemy thou but good. wouldnt do very well in U>K thou crap build i could pull everything apart not good

[@plzplz12232]

no its a saturn, congratulations, there both the same thing GM owns both, so the sturn is the american version and the opel is the European,

[@kebbers]

first!

[@Mr.Worf63]

The interior is so bland. Just grey everywhere. Not much imagination. Too many little round buttons on the center stack.Whats up with the Gas gauge flanked by only a tach and Speedo. Man that looks cheap.The only good thing is the motor.I thought those childseat anchors where for hang grocery bags. that's needs big attension.Better off buying Hyundai !!!

[@sspope]

lolwut?

[@bananajoose]

PS: How is multiculturalism pathetic?

[@mss627]

Where's the beard...poser?

[@bestamerica]

' no no thank,,, i dont like this car

[@jamiesmithyboy]

you must be kiding me FRENCH cars are just as crap as american cars realli they are rubish but over the years they are slowly improving bt you never know you mite start getting some european cars soon you need some small cars out there wen i went there i never saw any small cars i saw a chevy one out there we call it the kalos i dnt know wat you call it bt thatys crap lol like we have the vauxhall corsa which is im not actualli kiding you the best lookin car there is

[@GiorgiGachechiladze02]

this is stupid wtf? its they copied opel astra! this is opel astra not saturn

[@koshsmaha971]

Giorgi Gachechiladze Gm owns both companies tho

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Also called Chevrolet Astra in Mexico and Brazil.

[@jvrdlc]

saturn astra is not a good car.. da controls r a pain, its not fast at all. with da 1.8 litter engine which it takes more dan 10 seconds to ge to 60