Saturn's big sedan is an unruly beast in some ways--spinning its front wheels from a standing start--and it also features a decent stereo. Too bad about those door panels.
We like the feel of the rubberized material covering the top of the dashboard. The glossy plastic faux-wood accents are passable, used in many other cars, but plastic panels designed to look like stitched leather on the doors are atrocious.
The head unit module is similar to what we saw in the Buick Lucerne. In the Aura, it includes an MP3-friendly six-CD changer. The display does a decent job of showing ID3 tag information. Navigation and in-car telephony are available only through OnStar.
The Aura surprised us with its rear entertainment system, a set of separate audio controls for the backseat, complete with wireless headphones (and headphone jacks, just in case).
The shifter controls a six-speed automatic. Move it to the M position, and the transmission can be shifted manually from paddle shifters on the steering wheel spokes.
To shift with the paddle shifters, push for an upshift and pull for a downshift. Because the paddles are attached to the wheel, they are difficult to shift during tight cornering.
The variable-valve-timed V-6 turning the front wheels of the Aura XE is so powerful that it easily overcomes the traction control. The less-expensive XR trim-level Aura uses a 3.5-liter V-6 that is less technically advanced, along with a four-speed automatic.
