2008 Saturn Astra XR Hatchback 2-Door 1.8L

Detailed item info Model OverviewThe 2008 Saturn Astra is offered in two hatchback body styles--three-door and five-door. Both have a 138-horsepower. 1. 8L Ecotec four-cylinder engine underhood. paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The engine has continuously variable valve timing. which helps make it both more responsive and efficient. The Astra has a strut-type suspension in front. with bushings designed to curb noise and vibration. while the rear is of a semi-independent. axle-beam design. Together with the suspension. electro-hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering helps provide sporty handling. Inside. the Astra has sportier. more supportive seats (with more aggressive bolstering on three-doors) than most other cars in its price range. and a tilt/telescopic steering column. The back seat is also split 60/40 and folds flat to expand cargo capacity to nearly 45 cubic feet. Safety features haven't been neglected either. Six air bags are standard. including roof-rail head-curtain air bags and seat-mounted thorax air bags in front. Active head restraints are also included. Anti-lock brakes are standard (they're optional on many small cars). while GM's StabiliTrak stability control system is standard on three-door models and optional on five-doors. The Astra five-door comes in two trim levels. a base XE and sportier XR. while the three-door only comes in the XR trim. The base XE comes with power windows and locks. heated power mirrors. keyless entry. cruise control. remote keyless entry. RainSense wipers. and a six-speaker CD sound system. XR models add alloy wheels. variable-effort steering. 16-inch alloys. projector-beam fog lamps. air conditioning. and an upgraded. seven-speaker sound system with MP3 compatibility. XR three-door models have all of the equipment found on the five-door XR models. plus better-bolstered high-back seats. a sport lowered suspension. exhaust brightwork. quicker-ratio steering. and steering-wheel audio controls. Options include leather seats. an upgraded audio system. a dual-panel power sunroof on the XR five-door. and flashy 18-inch star-spoke alloy wheels on the top XR three-door.