the mazda, we just didnt like… the camry has a crappy transmission… the accord i liked a lot but too pricy and no tap shift and not as fast

btw, tire size does not make a car adhere to the road any better… tire size is for heat… motorcycles have little tiny tires and corner faster than any car… if you watch a motorcycle in a turn there is only like an inch of tire on the road- just fyi guys so you dont look stupid

also, 18″ rims dont do anything for handling, they just make this car look badass

I'm wondering if I'm the only one here who owns an AURA. I have an AURA XR.

The car is fantastic.

I still don't know what the fake stitching thing everyone talks about is…I can only assume the little things that are barely visible on the outer edge of the inside door handles.

The car is such a great value and it feels quality made…

I'm very happy with my purchase.

While those two cars have nothing that set it appart from the pack, Saturn has a unique dealer and service system.

I have owned several new cars; German, Japanese, American and even Korean, all had some kind of service problem during it’s time with me, only Saturn treated me and my car in what I would describe as an ‘outstanding’ manner and at least two other companies turned me off to ever buying from them again.

That’s Saturn’s hook, their service, now they have a really good car to go along with it.

I hope the Outlook is as good and they do something about the Relay (My wife needs a bigger car next).

I guess that’s where we differ. I keep a bit of speed when cornering most everywhere and parking is wide and ample where I live. A few extra 3-pt turns are a small price to pay for flat cornering. :-)

And yeah, its still an enthusiasts car…because its got the chassis/suspension/powertrain nailed. This is the car you recommend to friends/family/significant other so you still enjoy the time away from your (insert your automotive passion here).

I like a car that handles well, too, but in the Real World, jamming the car into a parking space or maneuvering around a parking ramp is a real test of real handling.

And the Aura, with FWD an no stick IS an enthusiasts’ car?

The Aura’s turning radius didnt feel out of place, but I don’t doubt the Camry is easier to park.

That’s a small price to pay for one of the best ride/handling packages out there at any price point.

The Camry LE I tested is not an enthusiast’s car, nor is it even a competant handling car (massive understeer, crazy body roll) so I’m willing to sacrifice the four feet in turning radius for a REAL car any day, any time.

You take my words out of context. I know what I said, and not once did I say that the Aura has a better turning radius than the Camry. I simply said that as my opinion, I didn’t like the turning radius of the Camry. I did however like the turning radius of the Aura. So please don’t take my words out of context. It could have been the locations where I was driving them, Baltimore for the Auras and Washington DC for the Camry, that may have something to do with it, I don’t know. Being that it was my friend’s car, he did have the power steering pump go up in it a few months after I drove it that time, so maybe that had a part in it as well. But don’t forget that it was my opinion, not fact, not anything else, just my simple opinion.

“I like to start my opinions from a basis of objective fact. Things that can be measured and compared. Fuel economy, capacity, turning radius.

When you take the time to publish an opinion that’s the opposite, in significant measure, from objective measurement, I have to wonder why. Whether, for instance, you are an American-brand die-hard or just a careless observer?” -dhathwea

I’m not disputing your facts. I’m defending my opinion. I don’t do my opinions on facts, because in the past I’ve had a lot of problems getting reliable facts. This is why I base things on what I like and what I don’t like. I am not an American-brand die hard, nor am I a Foreign-brand die-hard, I am in the middle. I am an observer, yes, but careless, no. I chose my words carefully, but if you want a debate over the turning radius, then fine – I give up, you win. I don’t care about the numbers of it all and which one has the better turning radius based in fact. I care about what I like when I drive a car for the first time, be it features, styling, or turning radius. Am I saying I won’t own a Camry, no, i’m not. I’m just saying that I didn’t like the turning radius of my friends car. Granted I did say, “that my next car will probably be an Aura,” I didn’t say it definitely would. Besides, I have a while to think about what I want my next car to be, because I just bought a car last fall.

Sure. But I like to start my opinions from a basis of objective fact. Things that can be measured and compared. Fuel economy, capacity, turning radius.

When you take the time to publish an opinion (the Aura has a better turning radius than the Camry) that’s the opposite, in significant measure, from objective measurement (the Camry has a better turning radius than the Aura), I have to wonder why. Whether, for instance, you are an American-brand die-hard or just a careless observer?

There must be some mistake, the Camry’s turning radius is noticeably the better of the two at 36′1″ while the Aura’s is 40′5″.

I know which one I’d rather try to parallel park.

Also, I saw that no one in here mentioned the other reason for the quiet ride in the Aura, the quiet-steel technology. This was used so that the sounds of the engine don’t reverberate on the steel and make for a loud drive. Now, I’m one of those people in the middle. It doesn’t matter what I drive as long as it’s a car. But I can tell you this, my best friend drives a Toyota Corolla, my father-in-law drives a Honda Accord, and my other best friend drives a Toyota Camry. My neighbor drives a Ford Fusion, my sister, a Ford Escort, my mom has a Kia Optima. The company I used to be with had 3 Accords, 1 Acura TSX, and a Honda Civic. All these are 2003 and up models. I’ve driven all these cars, numerous times including on highways.

I didn’t like the Civic, the Corolla, or the Optima, too small, not to mention the fact that each car couldn’t get out of its own way, even if it tried. I didn’t like the Fusion or the Escort, alright size, not enough power. As for the Accords and the Camry, they are nice cars, good power, comfortable ride, and I do note the reliability, only a few minute problems, the turning radius and roaring loudness when speeding up. Now, along comes the Aura, after an XE and XR test drive. Here is a car that has ample interior room, great power, a comfortable ride, exellent overall handling and turning radius, and it’s quiet on start, speeding up, and on highway. I’ll give you that the interior does look a bit cheap, but it’s good enough for me. So, i’m one of those people in the middle, and if I am a target for this kind of car, then it’s working, because my next car will probably be an Aura. The dealer did tell me that there will be a full-blown hybrid version in Spring 2007 and a Redline version sometime as well., which is when GM is releasing most of their hybrid versions. The only downside to the Aura for me is no manual transmission. It is a fun car to drive, and I like fun cars. So, to Sajeev, good, honest review. Granted it’s nice to read reviews, anyone who hasn’t taken one for a test drive, really should. It’s a nice car, even just for a test drive.

Did you really read the same article? It sounded like Sajeev liked the Aura except for a few interior quibbles.

Maybe you need to drive one for yourself. I did, and really liked it.

In addition, I live in the single most important automotive market in the US-California where roughly 10% of all vehicles sold in the country are purchased. All the major car manufacturers have either offices or design centers in California because it is so important.

Opinion is one thing but the fact of the matter is Toyota is now outselling all of GM in California. Domestic brands generally use rental car companies as a crutch to keep up their sales. Chrysler has only recovered due to their being purchased by Daimler Benz. GM and Ford are loosing billions of dollars year after year while their overall market share continues to shrink. If you think GM (which includes Saturn) builds a great product, you are obviously in the minority at this point in time. American cars have made great strides in quality, but they sadly lack the resale of the top Japanese brands. There is absolutely no question, that the majority of Japanese brands, even though many are built in the US require less maintenance and last longer than most US branded vehicles. I have seen MANY Japanese cars with owners keeping them beyond 300,000 miles-this is almost unheard of for American makes. It does appear that GM (as well as Ford) could be on the road to recovery, but only time will tell if they get it right before it is too late.

I share most of your sentiments, but using a bullhorn (with disregard for the English language, I might add) to express your views doesn’t help the cause. It just lends credibility to the American-car-buyer stereotype of the redneck beer-swillin’ good ol’ boy that despises anything furrin’ ‘cuz they ain’t AMERICAN. The Aura stands on its own merits, without needing the inebriated endorsement, or playing the ‘Patriot card’.

Take off the badges and the 85th-percentile American would think the Aura could easily be Japanese or European.