Some dumb Saturn questions

[NeonLX]

I checked out some Saturns earlier today and I have to say I like what I saw. But I have a couple of questons that I wasn't able to ask the "knowledgeable salespeople", mainly because the dealership was closed. So youse guys will have to indulge me here:

1. The Aura XEs on the lot had two different EPA fuel economy ratings in spite of (apparently) being equipped with the same powertrain. About half the cars were rated at 20/29 MPG, while the other half had 20/30 MPG ratings. They had similar option loads and the sticker showed the 3.5L VVT & 4-speed ATX in all cases. OK, so it's only one MPG, but I'm just curious where the difference in the rating might be coming from.

2. Some Aura XEs had wood trim on the dash & door panels (me likey!) while some had the brushed metal look (me not likey so much). Does a customer have the option of either/or with the trim? If so, that would be most excellent.

3. Is the Saturn Ion based on the same platform as the Chevy Cobalt? If yes, I might be very interested because the Ions seem to be priced better than the Cobalts. Looks like the powertrain is the same as the basic Cobalt setup from what I can tell (2.2L I4 & 4-speed ATX).

Thank ye.

[haypops]

3. Is the Saturn Ion based on the same platform as the Chevy Cobalt? If yes, I might be very interested because the Ions seem to be priced better than the Cobalts. Looks like the powertrain is the same as the basic Cobalt setup from what I can tell (2.2L I4 & 4-speed ATX).

The ION is the same platform as the Cobalt(delta). When my youngest was car shoping last year we looked at mostly Cobalt and ION. Even though we had a huge GM card rebate available, she much prefered the ION and that's what we got.

[Flybrian]

1. The Aura XEs on the lot had two different EPA fuel economy ratings in spite of (apparently) being equipped with the same powertrain. About half the cars were rated at 20/29 MPG, while the other half had 20/30 MPG ratings. They had similar option loads and the sticker showed the 3.5L VVT & 4-speed ATX in all cases. OK, so it's only one MPG, but I'm just curious where the difference in the rating might be coming from.

AURA XE (3.5l) - 20/30

AURA XR (3.6l) - 20/28

Those ratings are from fuelconomy.gov. I can't explain the difference unless you mistook XEs and XRs.

2. Some Aura XEs had wood trim on the dash & door panels (me likey!) while some had the brushed metal look (me not likey so much). Does a customer have the option of either/or with the trim? If so, that would be most excellent.

XEs with gray interiors come metallic trim while tan interiors come with woodgrain. Fabric or leather matters not. You only have a choice of metallic or woodgrain with the XR, which either have the black cloth/leather or Morocco brown leather. The good news is the tan/woodgrain combination is available on all colors, so its just a matter of finding the one you want.

[Drew Dowdell]

Maybe what you were seeing was the "base engine" and if you looked over on other side of the sticker under packages you may have seen the 3.6 and 6speed.

[NeonLX]

I went back to look at the stickers again and indeed, some of the Aura XEs with the 3.5L/4-speed were rated at 20/29 MPG, while others with the same powertrain (and options) showed 20/30 MPG. And all were 2007 models. I'm wondering if some were earlier production models and had some sort of estimate shown for the fuel economy before the actual testing was completed...

[Aura XR]

Don't bother looking for an Ion, Saturn has stopped production of them at the end of March to make way for the new Astra (which, IIRC, is also a Delta-platformed car).

[Northstar]

Are some of the 3.5s in the XE FlexFuel engines (I don't think they are but I could be wrong0? Maybe that's what the difference is, or it could have been re-adjusted. You should wait for the XE Special Edition (it's posted in the Saturn section) I think, unless you just want a basic model.

[loki]

maybe the 29 highway one has an "aftermarket wing" that's invisible a large, strong cardboard peice on the rear? just jokin..

maybe it's an upgraded wheel thing?

[PurdueGuy]

Don't bother looking for an Ion, Saturn has stopped production of them at the end of March to make way for the new Astra (which, IIRC, is also a Delta-platformed car).

That doesn't mean people can't still look for/buy them - they'll still be on dealer lots for months. The Astra should be nicer, but it's also more money. Lots of things to consider...

[Intrepidation]

Cobalt > Ion

[NeonLX]

Don't bother looking for an Ion, Saturn has stopped production of them at the end of March to make way for the new Astra (which, IIRC, is also a Delta-platformed car).

The lot I was at had about 25 Ions. They seemed like a pretty good deal for someone looking for an inexpensive, reasonably economical car. I've never driven one but I sure liked the Cobalt LT I drove for two weeks back in the summer of 2005 (drove it all over Alaska).

The Astra looks like a nice car but I'm not nuts about a smaller engine and a higher price.

[PurdueGuy]

Cobalt > Ion

functionally they're the same, so that's purely opinion. Personally, if I were considering the two, the quad coupe would win - love the rear doors.