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Under the Hood

Though the XR versions of the five-passenger 2008 Saturn Astra may appear sportier than the XE, in reality all models draw power from the same engine. That’s a 1.8-liter four-cylinder using variable-valve technology and good ol’ regular gasoline to pump out 138 horses at 6,300 rpm and 125 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,800 rpm. With the standard five-speed manual transmission, the EPA suggests drivers will record 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway; opt for the four-speed auto and the highway rating drops slightly to 30 mpg.

The Astra’s suspension consists of struts and a stabilizer bar up front and a torsion-beam setup out back. Buyers selecting the 3-door or a 5-door Astra XR with the Sport Handling Package will get a lowered suspension and a quicker ratio for the rack-and-pinion steering assembly, while all Astra’s are delivered with four-wheel antilock disc brakes (vented front, solid rear). Wheel sizes range from 16 inches with 205/55 all-season tires to the 3-door XR’s optional 18s rolling on 215/45 high-performance rubber.