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I see one everyday as I own one. However in almost a year I have only seen two others on the road. I really do not get it why this car has not sold. The car is smooth as silk, and has great handling. In interior is built very well with high quality materials. This car reminds me more of a BMW or Mercedes than a Saturn.
The body and build is very strong and all doors close with a thud. it is truly a superior built car. If people knew about it it would be a great success, I am okay with it being my own personal secret. Maybe it will be worth more down the line when people find out how great these cars are, with so few of them on the road it may be a collectors items.
GM seems to like to kill its best products with poor advertising and then use it as an excuse not to make anything else like it. Then they push their worst and most unreliable products, like the Saturn Ion or the old Cavalier, and wonder why they don't get the repeat customers.
After Honda messed up the M/T Fit, with bad gearing for highway speeds, - I thought about the Astra and got a brochure from the dealer. Then I compared the Astra with the Fit and the Fit still had more cargo space! I liked the looks of the Astra but would only prefer it if it got 5 mpg better than a FIT, otherwise a FIT is better.
Hatchbacks have traditionally struggled in the American market.
We like trucks, sedans, coupes, and SUV's. But not hatchbacks.
Plus, like others have said, the idiot American automakers refuse to import their smaller European offerings to the US, and those are some very nice cars.
And yet here when GM imports the Astra, nobody buys it.
Also, it's a myth that hatchbacks don't do well here, or else there wouldn't be so many variations of the hatchback for sale here (Honda Fit, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, Volkswagen Rabbit/GTI, Scion xD, Chevy Aveo/Pontiac G3, Suzuki SX4, Dodge Caliber, Mini Cooper, Volkswagen New Beetle, Subaru Impreza, Nissan Versa, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Hyundai Accent, Mazda3, Jeep Compass, Jeep Liberty, Kia Rio, Kia Rondo, Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, Saab 9-3 SportCombi, Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris, and Volvo C30).
The market that has traditionally struggled is entry-level luxury hatchbacks. But that hasn't stopped Audi from offering the A3 here -- probably because they know that previous entry-level luxury hatchbacks failed here not because people aren't receptive to the concept, but rather because previous atteempts were ugly and underpowered (think BMW 318i hatch, Mercedes C230/240 hatch).
Ford tried to bring their Mondeo here and they called it Contour. They also dumbed it down and replaced quality interior with cheap stuff and managed to make it a bit ugly compared to it's european version. GM did the same with an Opel car (can't remember the name) and brought it here as the caddy that zigs. Probably would have been a better seller if it had gone to Buick or Oldsmobile cause it sure wasn't a caddy.
Its price point is too high (starting at 17). For 15k you can get more horsepower in a VW Rabbit, Mazda 3.. or the consumer can buy a Honda Fit or Civic with better brand and reliability recognition.
Perhaps they should lower the price point OR have sold it with a TurboDiesel or Turbo.
FYI, I drove the TD Astra back in Australia -- brilliant car at about 20,200USD INCLUDING GST.
That was a good deal and a very good performer!
I think Americans may be shopping for more fuel efficient vehicles but in the same vehicle class, engine displacement is still a factor in the buy decision. And why not, fuel efficiency doesn't have to be boring or underpowered.
GM seems to like to kill its best products with poor advertising and then use it as an excuse not to make anything else like it. Then they push their worst and most unreliable products, like the Saturn Ion or the old Cavalier, and wonder why they don't get the repeat customers.
What's wrong with the Ion? I personally liked it. Maybe that is because I never drove one or even sat in one. I just liked the styling of it. I can see the Chevy Cavalier. I hated those cars. I hated when I had to rent a vehicle from Enterprise or some other rental car company and they gave me one of those death traps. How did those things last all the way to 2005, anyway. Thank goddness they invented the Cobalt replacement, which ain't perfect, but is way, way better.
I have yet to see one Saturn Astra on the road. I am in the Nashville area and although we do have Saturn dealers around here who are heavily discounting them, I just don't see any on the roads. I don't see many Auras on the road either, but at least I've seen a handful.
Does anyone out there see them on the road?
Hey Steve, I live here in Nashville too. I haven't seen not one Astra on the road at all. I was in the Rivergate/Madison area earlier today doing some shopping for Christmas and passed on that main street with all the car dealers on it and didn't even see the Saturn dealer. I usually see it, but today I didn't. Maybe I was just focusing on that heavy holiday traffic. Is it still in buisness out there?
Hey Steve, I live here in Nashville too. I haven't seen not one Astra on the road at all. I was in the Rivergate/Madison area earlier today doing some shopping for Christmas and passed on that main street with all the car dealers on it and didn't even see the Saturn dealer. I usually see it, but today I didn't. Maybe I was just focusing on that heavy holiday traffic. Is it still in buisness out there?
Yes, Saturn of Rivergate is still there. The problem is that there are so many car dealers lining that stretch of road and to focus in on any one is almost impossible unless you want to become part of the car that is in front of you.
I average 31 MPG with a mix of highway/city driving with the 5 speed manual transmission. These are very good numbers.
The numbers sometimes do not tell the whole story. This car gets this gas mileage while having a very sturdy, stout feeling. It does not have the light feeling that other cars like Hyundai have where the door are light and every door is made of the lowest grade plastic you can find. The numbers do not tell the whole story.
I have read many times about confusing controls. Unless you are mentally handicapped do you really need every control labeled in English? This car is marketed in many countries so the controls and symbolically marked. The Europeans seem to not have any trouble with these controls. Why do Americans? After a day or two it becomes very clear what button turns on the radio and makes the air hot. I remember from math class that 1/1 equals full tank. I think that it is somewhat embarrassing that Americans can not figure this out.
With no media or advertising the Astra will remain a secret, but with fuel prices so high you would think that Americans would embrace an upscale compact that could be had for under 20K. I guess the lack of marketing and the anti-American bias doomed the Astra over here.
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