2007 Saturn Aura XR: Better than the Bus (?)

Wow, Mike, you are going to get it...
LOL!!

Pipe bombs and anthrax-coated letters can be sent to...
 
Mike Magrath
54607 Hillcrest Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034

A little public transportation never hurt anyone!
 
Mike, Just think, you could be one of the millions who use L.A. public transportation everyday. BE HAPPY ABOUT DRIVING A CAR! even if it is a Saturn. =)

I think Mike is going for the coveted "Most-Commented Aura Blog".
 
You did forget to mention the financial savings the bus offers. How expensive is insurance for riding the bus? What's your monthly payment? How about maintenance costs? $0.

Wait, you have a choice of taking *a* bus (as in single) to work and you prefer to drive?!

I'm a little put off by this post. The fact that some people who have to ride a bus will never have the pleasure of driving a brand new car with a factory warranty, working air conditioning and heat,leather seats and satellite radio, should be something that people should think about when reading this.
 
 Yeah the Aura isn't a Viper or BMW, but Mr.Magrath got to work safely in a car he didn't have to pay a payment for or worry about going over miles on the lease. The fact that Mr. Magrath flipped the keys away without a second thought, ready to take another brand new car home would be a dream come true for the millions of people who drive to work in old minivans, or rusty old compact cars hoping that they can eek out another work week. I enjoy reading about these long-term cars but the way that some posts come across are rather flippant and sometimes ungrateful.

I think Mike is going for one of the stupidest blog posts of all time. First off, let me ask the obvious - dont you have your own car? Or a coworker/friend/neighbor that could offer you a lift.
 
In what world is a bus seat more comfortable or appealing to sit on than a car seat? As a student who is dependent on the bus for transportation I find that a pretty stupid question.
 
Lack of enthusiasm??? Since when did cars get graded on enthusiasm? Do you feel enthusiastic when you drive other LT cars like the Versa, Tahoe, Camry, Fit?
 
Most people that cant afford a car would probably love to have on than to depend on the bus and its inconsistent schedule. Yet here we have someone complaining about having the priviledge to drive a new car to work.
 
I really want to hear what others have to say about this meaningless blog.

I agree with Mike. My only memory of driving our long-term Aura is of the rabid commenters on my post about it.

I see nothing wrong with Mike's opinion. But that shouldn't be a surprise, domestic cars just aren't up to par. Too many years of mediocrity to be forgiven when they put out a slightly above average car.
 
I'd take the bus, too.
 
No.. let me revise that. I'd drive the Accord. While not necessarily exciting, the Accord does have a way of making you feel special. That's the car in the fleet that has earned its respect from decades of superiority. I can't get over how much anti-Accord stuff I read in these blogs from users. Accord - 32 years of consistency. Aura and Malibu? Year 1.

Oh no Mike. Mike please think of the starving children who can only dream of one day sitting behind the wheel of a General Motors sedan. How dare you? How dare you Mr. Magrath?

No way, daytona_500! It's hard to beat the "instant classic" below. "Bill Gates" even posted a comment!
 
2007 Saturn Aura XR: Fob Fiddling
http://66.160.188.111/roadtests/.eea0341

benson2175,
 
While I'm sure you're just having a blast with your sarcastic comments consider what jdub53084 said. The issue here is not the fact that the Aura is a GM sedan. If this blog post was about the Versa or Camry or another car it would be equally stupid. The fact is that for a guy who gets to drive new cars every week and test out all their features, Mike sounds pretty spoiled.
 
So take the bus Mike. But when its jam packed and people are jostling around you looking for seats or trying to get to the doors, when the noise of the bus' engine drives you up the wall, maybe then you'll appreciate having a car.

I hope Edmunds has a high-capacity server. They're gonna need it.

Daytona: I was mass-transit dependent when I was on the East Coast so don't take this as a bash on good, cheap, reliable public transportation.

wow, just wow. Its an Aura. a family mover.
 
I'm sorry, but some edmunds people fell off the stupid tree.
 
Whats the aura's target market: familys, getting them to and from work. The aura is not meant to be a sporty drive, or make you 'feel' speical. This whole feeling buiness is the death of our nation. Be a man suck it up, but no mike has hit mama boy status.
 
Aura: good, reliable, comfortable, car.
 
Mike: spolied, whiney, mama's boy.
 
Like others said, this post would be stupid about any car, from the versa, to the 308.
 
my 2.2l auto 2dr sunfire, is no model of driving fun, even after drivng a newish rav4 this weekend. I came back to love it. I used a bus for years. And never found it something enjoyable. The wait for the bus, the transfer between buses to get to where i want to go. The pleasure of sitting next to people that havn't showered.
 
I'd take my sunfire anyday of the week over a bus.

Wow...I thought this blog entry was a joke until I got about 1/2 way down...
 
Mike - Now you are just trying :)
 
Basically, I feel like Mike is categorizing this car into the "rental car" feeling....the feeling that it's absolutely bland and forgettable. Fine and good.
 
But hooray for rental cars. The Aura is one darn fine vehicle, and if the forgettable cars have come this far then I'm ready to go grab a rental any day of the week.
 
I respect your opinion Mike, but I beg you to drive nothing but 10 year old Kias for two weeks and come back to the Aura.
 
And then post about it.
 
Joe
 
P.s. Or, heck, a 200X Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3.8 liter 200 HP engine....that'll put you in your place.

I object to all the people who seem the think the only people who take the bus are those who can't afford a car.
 
I know several people who have very nice cars but take the bus to work because driving downtown in heavy traffic sucks. Add to that overpriced parked, wear and tear on the car and the amount of gas you waste averaging 5 mph and the bus ain't so bad. You can sit back, read the paper and let the driver deal with the idiots, the cabs and the never ending red lights.
 
As for the rabid Saturn fans, the cult brainwashing runs deep.... maybe we need to hold an intervention or something. Force them to drive to drive a Mazda, Subaru or Honda until they realize not all cars are mediocre :)

"P.s. Or, heck, a 200X Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3.8 liter 200 HP engine....that'll put you in your place."
  
Oh, now that would be something! :-)
  
This post cracked me up. I will no doubt think about it the next time I'm stuck in a bland box of a rental. Still, we know you did this on purpose to see if you can garner the most blog posts. What's the office pool up to now, anyway?

They Aura really is not a bad car, and the Saturn service is outstanding, or atleast it is here in Ohio, but if I could take JUST one (1) bus to work daily, I would. Save on gas and everything. I would say it's almost good that you forgot what you drove to work in. That means the car did it's job. It got you to work safely with no bad experiences stuck in your mind. Besides, here in Cleveland, you'll get robbed 3 times before the bus arrives at the stop! Thank goodness I'm in the burbs.

I have to disagree with all of you saying that it's just a family mover and doesn't matter if it's enthusiastic. I drive an 06 Altima and actually enjoy driving it. sure, it has four doors and is big but it very fun to drive. it handles well, is quick, and reliable. if cars are just supposed to move people and be reliable, why are so many of them trying to make cars look and/or feel sportier?
 
edit
i did forget to mention that when i was in Poland for two months, i used nothing but public transportation. the ride may have been hard and cramped at times and loud or no a/c was there but if i was to pick between a bland car and that, i would take the public trans. it's just easier and i'd rather sit back and try to relax instead of dredge the thought of having to drive the car.

"Lack of enthusiasm??? Since when did cars get graded on enthusiasm?"
 
Since when did cars NOT get graded on enthusiasm?
 
I come to this site to read about how cars drive, among other things. If an editor finds a car forgettable, I want to hear about it. It's what they're paid to do, people! The tongue-in-cheek is just a bonus. :)

mike
 
Consumer Reports just called. They are ready to hire you. Congratulations. It must just kill you that the Accord was not Car of the Year by Motor Trend or NACOTY. Don't worry at CR you don't have to worry about being called out on your opinions. Nobody working there likes domestics either.
 
mlowery, you nailed on the head without knowing it. The Accord is getting great reviews from past history, not from how it currently is.
 
firstwagon, I have driven a Mazda, Honda and Subaru. Guess what, all were nothing to write home about. All were average. HOHUM.
 
Let's see the Aura is faster than the Accord, handles better in testing, and stops quicker. BUT, the Accord makes you feel special. At least I know don't have to worry about the post-op on the Aura, it was written from day one.
 
When an editors feels he can compare a car that has better performance numbers than an Accord to a bus, you know that that car will never get a fair evaluation from that editor. Adios muchachos.

ewilfong, my point was that midsize sedans usually dont elicit enthusiasm unless they're loaded up with cool features, or are really fast or something like that. I understand this site is for enthusiasts and the like, but please lets grade midsize sedans for what they are and not expect every car/truck to behave like a Porsche. If "enthusiasm" is Mike's criteria when driving a car, then as I see it is options are limited to the Ferrari, M3, G8 and CTS. 4/20 possible LT cars.
 
firstwagon I fully get your point. When I was growing up my dad took the transit to work despite owning a car because it was more efficient than sitting in gridlocked traffic and then trying to find a parking space. But what I'm getting at is that a lot of people are DEPENDENT on transit and I'm sure they would love not having to wait for buses and and lug all their groceries by hand. It sure sounds spoilt for Mike to be complaining about a new car that he doesnt have to maintain himself.

Many reseachers thought the homeless levels in LA were really high. Turns out there were all just waiting for the bus.

LOL, estreka! Way to make light of the situation. James had a great comment earlier, too! I hope that isn't Mike's real address! :o) I'm sure it isn't. We'll find out if it is or not when I hear about a local bomb squad and/or hazmat team descending upon that address.

Guys... not just poor people ride the bus. That's an awfully ignorant assumption. Sometimes I feel like riding the bus if I want to read/listen to music and just want to relax. Other times I just drive out of convenience or if I need to run side errands. I'm kind of shocked that a mob has formed due to this one post which didn't strike me as wrong or unreasonable in any way.

"I'm kind of shocked that a mob has formed due to this one post which didn't strike me as wrong or unreasonable in any way."
  
bemanix88, this is the Aura blog. Pretty much all the posts fit with your statement. Welcome to the most blogged-up blog in all of Edmunds blog-land. It bloggles the mind how blogged this blog is.

Speaking of buses, the Aura has been talked about enough...time to give the Rondo some lovin'. I bet it's feeling lonely with only four comments on it's blog entry.

Cheap shots abound here already, Mike. No need for more.

So is mikes next blog post title:
 
"Hondas paycheck better then edmunds"
 
Subtitle:
Accord for COTY.

Wow, Mike, you get the award for blog post most blown out of proportion. Seriously, folks, I don't think Mike was bashing either the bus or bus-riders at all. I think he was trying to make a simple connection between the feeling of riding public transportation and the feeling of driving the Aura. That's it. Nothing more. He concluded that the bus may very well be more exciting. Period.
 
For those of who think that's not valid, or who would otherwise attack him for that opinion, please be prepared to reprise your performance for Karl and others around here who often include the emotions that a car evokes in their blogs as well.
 
Seriously folks, this was blown way out of proportion, even for the folks around here.

Regardles of what the point was this post was stupid but since the Aura is the target its not surprising. And then people like Sebastian come and say "Why would anyone think Edmunds is biased?" Folks, they are giving you all the evidence you need. The Aura is more dull than the Versa, Fit, Lancer, Tundra, Edge, Silverado, Accord and Focus? Give me a break. I just don't get it. Stupid entries like this are made and then people like Jriz come on here and get upset that people react in a negative way. Why don't you guys just stop posting about the Aura unless it breaks down or gets totalled in an accident? I am really starting to wonder why you even got the car in the first place. You weren't fans when the car was new and then you got one and have spent months complaining about how forgettable and lackluster the car is to your staff members. When is the year up? I can't wait until you get your CTS and G8 so you can stop complaining about this car.

BTW, what midsize family sedans under $30k would count as memorable in Mike's book? The Accord? The Camry? If you don't like a segment of vehicles then you need to say so but don't single out the Aura and complain about it if you don't like these types of cars. The Aura is no less exciting than any other V6 sedan.
 
One comment to all the "they are supposed to provide us with opinions on t his blog" excuse makers: We are hear to get meaningful and intuitive comments about the ownership experience, not absurd criticisms from people who have a problem with a certain brand or manufacturer. If the staffers have nothing constructive to comment on maybe they should should refrain from making a blog entry. The same people who have hailed the 2008 Accord as the best family sedan ever created can't seem to find more than one or two redeeming features on the Aura which is a very similar car.

I am struggling to understand all these comments. Do people actually think that taking a bus, especially a nice air conditioned one that we are treated to in this country, is WORSE than driving? I mean, with all the traffic, and fumes, and rude drivers, and horrendous costs for fuel, tires, taxes, insurance, etc. I can't believe it. I would gladly give up driving if I could take a *single* bus to work. Or use the subway. It is so much easier, relaxing and more comfortable. And healthier, too. I don't ever recall being uncomfortable on a bus or a train. If I can sit, I can sleep, or read, or talk on the phone without risking my life and limb. I mean, what's not to like? And it is so cheap compared to driving. Almost free.

"It must just kill you that the Accord was not Car of the Year by Motor Trend or NACOTY." -- Actually you're wrong. The Accord's nice, but it doesn't innovate or move forward on anything really-- It's just a refinement of the traditional equation. It sort of kills me that the Malibu won one of them. The CTS should have taken both awards hands down.

Well since 1487 called me out (I feel so special), I'm going to have to say...I agree with him *gasp.* Not about the whole "Edmunds is more biased than Jeremy Clarkson" thing or the "Stop posting about the Aura unless a meteor hits it" thing, but about the "What family sedan isn't boring?" thing. That's a good point. Family sedans are boring. Like really, really boring. Typically, they're cars for people who just want "a car." If an alien came to Earth, would he honestly be able to tell any of them apart?
 
Quick story: Last week my girlfriend and I were meeting a friend at a restaurant. Her and I had gotten there and were trying to figure out if our friend was already there. My girlfriend had seen our friend's car on previous occasions but had no memory of what it looked like. Why? It was a Camry. Family sedans are boring.
 
I often wonder if the Edmunds editors even care about them at all. Folks claim that the staff love the Accord and hate the Aura (which may be true), but really, what's there to love about the Accord? What's to hate about the Aura? They're cars made for people who don't want to ride the bus anymore, and that's pretty much it. I can tell you what cars the editors love. They love the M3 and the Mini. They loved the Miata and the Civic Si. These editors are enthusiasts. Family sedans with automatics? They're boring.
 
P.S. - I love my car, but I still ride the bus 3-5 days a week. Parking is expensive! Plus my iPod has way better sound than my car stereo.

"As for the rabid Saturn fans, the cult brainwashing runs deep.... maybe we need to hold an intervention or something. Force them to drive to drive a Mazda, Subaru or Honda until they realize not all cars are mediocre :)"
 
This was one of more ridiculous comments on here. Anyone who doesn't agree with Edmunds staffers is a rabid Saturn fan. Before the Sky I can't think of a Saturn I liked personally. Anyone who suggests that only "rabid Saturn fans" like the Aura is revealing their ignorance. The car did get numerous positive reviews and win NACTY last year. Now that Edmunds doesnt like it we are supposed to be separated into two camps- the "normal" people who realize the car is mediocre and the "rabid Saturn fans". I guess Autoweek and Motorweek fall into the latter category since they both favored the car over the Camry.
 
"It sort of kills me that the Malibu won one of them. The CTS should have taken both awards hands down."
 
I'm sure it does kill you since the mediocre MAlibu is simialar to the mediocre Aura. The Malibu and CTS were deserving of the NACTY award. The main reason the CTS should have gotten the nod was that the Aura won last year and the Malibu is a slight evolution of that car.
 
I dont agree with the notion than any car with four doors and decent backseat room is boring. the camry is boring as is the Sonata and to some degree the Accord. The Aura and Altima and Malibu have nice styling, ample power and acceleration and capable handling. Plus they have decent backseat room and trunk space. These cars perform as well as sports coupes of 10 years ago. However, if one is to say the Aura is dull because of the type of car it happens to be then the same should be said of the rest of the field.
 
I catch public trans to work every day and its not better than the Aura by a long shot folks. I'm just glad some new GM models that Edmunds might actually like are on the way soon. The Aura started handicapped and has performed as poorly as they expected.

I ride public transportation to and from work as it makes no sense for me to drive and so do people that make 2-3 times my salary. That has nothing to do with the blog entry- just another poor attempt to use humor to mask an apparent import bias. These are the same people who are trying to justify the ownership of an '84 Ferrari. Need I say more?

""As for the rabid Saturn fans, the cult brainwashing runs deep.... maybe we need to hold an intervention or something. Force them to drive to drive a Mazda, Subaru or Honda until they realize not all cars are mediocre :)"
 
My '05 Mazda3 cracked all of it's engine mounts at 30k miles. It also had the worse tranmission performance known to man. My dad's '98 Olds Intrigue hasn't even had a tune-up yet and soldiers on with no major issues. You're right, not all cars are medicore....

but the ferrai makes you look like you are going through a mid life crisis.
 
the aura makes you 'normal'.
 
and in CA, its all about 'feelings'.

Hey all, wow this post really blow up. I wasn't thinking that this was a big deal, I like pithy comments about cars, but I thought that there was a deeper, slightly more cynical tone that I really didn't appreciate.
 
I have never had to ride bus except to school, but I have driven and repaired other people's 500 dollar cars. A nicely appointed brand new mid-size sedan would be like a Ferrari to many drivers out there. I don't think that Mr.Magrath was trying to sound spoiled or whiny,but the car did everything he asked it to do. Driving to work safely and easily.
What's so wrong about that?

"Hello Honda? Yeah, Hi this is Dan. Sorry about that whole Fit thing. I know. I know I said I'd hide it, but hey at least we didn't post about it while it sat at the dealer...yeah, I know. So, tell you what I can do. I can have this guy who works for us really slam the Aura hard again. His name is Mike. He doesn't know WTF he's talking about in most cases, but his title makes it seem like he does, so it should really do some damage...OK, OK, yeah. What? I don't get a check this month? Oh, you're going to send it to Mike. Ok, that's fair. OK, take care!"

OK, this blog entry was just plain bitchy. I don't mean that as an ad hominem attack, I literally mean that it was the bitchiest post I've ever read on Inside Line.
 
If Inside Line were a TV show, then it just went from being "Heroes" to being "Desperate Housewives" -- only without the irony.

Ouch, Mike. Why don't you just simply say "I HATE THE AURA"?
 
You can't tell me the Aura is more boring than the Camry - I'm just not buying that one.

This is just another reason why I will only read Edmunds for entertainment purposes...I will save all of my serious and intelligent automotive research for the Car enthusiast magazines.
 
This guy is a complete joke. Everyone is allowed an opinion, but why don't you just come out and say that you find family sedans boring instead of bashing the Aura? (Because if the Aura is dull, the Camry and Accord must make you fall asleep at the wheel. And don't tell me otherwise, I have driven all three)
 
The bias is overwhelming here at Edmunds, which is why I read you guys for a good chuckle. Its fun to see how many ridiculous ways you can come up with to review a car. Your actual automotive evaluations are laughable, at best. Have fun on the bus.

i love working public transportation. if it was easy for me to take a train to work, i'd do it even though i love my altima.
 
this was an entertaining post though. i do think that the same article could be written about the camry. maybe accord, definitely not the altima (because it's not that boring)

I disagree with nearly all of you and agree with the one lonely Altima driver. All family sedans are not boring. I LOVED my Altima. It was sporty and roomy and good looking. The only reason I traded it in was that I plain wore it out with my outrageous commutem, but that would have happened to any car I had.

lol I was expecting aurakr's comment to be more scathing :P
 
This thread is funny. I'll be honest, I don't like the Aura's styling but that being said I'd rather take a car to work then public transportation any day of the week. Thats not necessarily because I hate public transportation, its more that I just like driving.

one thing edmunds has proven to us over and over again is that they arent open to input from "regular" people like us. Apparently a fancy title at an online auto mag requires that you check any hubris at the door. If anyone was interested in following the trends of the comments on these blogs they would see that Edmunds' dim view of the Aura isnt shared by many others. In fact only the die hard "I refuse to buy a domestic" usual suspects seem to agree with what the edmunds staffers. Fortunately, for Mike and his coworkers there is little interest in gauging the reactions and opinions of the readers and much more of an interest in propogating edmunds' official position on where these vehicles stand. It's amazing to me what with so many drivers there seems to be such a consensus on these vehicles. Seems like the entire staff feels the Aura is way overrated while the HOndas are God's own gift to the driving public. Everyone seems to agree the Edge is lackluster (in spite of no reliability issues I can remember) and the '84 Ferrari, Mini and M3 are great. Is there ever anyone who can offer a contrary opinion? Is there anyone who DOESN'T believe the Aura is less interesting than the Fit, Focus and Lancer?
 
I used to think these LT tests were about determining the reliability and livability of these models but now I see that if a model they don't like doesn't cause problems or prove to be hard to live with they will come up with ways to deride it anyway.

"I used to think these LT tests were about determining the reliability and livability of these models but now I see that if a model they don't like doesn't cause problems or prove to be hard to live with they will come up with ways to deride it anyway."
 
isn't that what consumer reports is for? determining reliability? (not like they're not biased thought).
 
i think that it's somewhat valid that someone who drives this car for a day (sort of like a test drive) and compares it to riding the bus. i can imagine how a bus ride feels like, bumpy, hard seats, etc. so it really gives a point of comparison.
 
you definitely have to take it as someones opinion, and since i think the post had a sarcastic tone, i won't think much of it other than an entertaining post with entertaining comments

vvk,
 
Public transportation definitely does have its pros and its cons. Some pros are you dont need to worry about driving in whatever condition it may be, and its relatively cheap. Cons are you are at the mercy of the transit schedule, and a lot of times you have to share the bus/subway with several unsavory characters etc.
 
But what most people like myself are getting at here is the Aura does not belong to Mike, so he doesnt need to worry about maintenance and other costs. Its free for him. And yet he thinks taking the bus is better than driving a free new car? The Aura doesnt generate enthusiasm?? Mike if you want enthusiasm drive the M3 or something similar. His comment is as ridiculous as deriding the Tahoe for not being sporty. Honestly if Mike hates the Aura so much he might as well come out and say it instead of pretending to be objective and making stupid comments.
 
Its high time cars were evaulated for what they are. Dont complain that a fullsize SUV is too big, or that a Camry isnt sporty, or that a Miata isnt roomy. Lets evaluate cars based on what their purpose is.

Mike - next time, turn the traction control off and put your right foot down to the floor. The 20ft. burnout and accompanying tire smoke should make your next drive in the Aura more interesting than the bus.

The only thing that miffs me about this review is that I didn't learn anything new. Yeah of course the Aura has lousy seats and vague truck like steering; this has been a hallmark of GM sedans for decades. Otherwise I was very entertained by the post and following comments.

I think that's the whole point here, Benson -- I've never read a negative comment about the Aura's seats in this blog, or anywhere else. (Not to say that others haven't made that complaint, just that I've never seen it in the multitude of column inches I've read about this car.)
 
Furthermore, the level of vitriol in Magrath's post suggests that either he's flame-baiting, or just unreasonably biased against any vehicle with more than two doors. The Aura's suspension may be the tightest of any mainstream sedan (it's an Opel, for God's sake), which is usually something that the Edmunds crowd likes.
 
Between that and the Cadillac engine, I just think that the Aura is demonstrably NOT "un-engaging", and that it keeps pace with or exceeds its direct competition. And wow, I can have this opinion WITHOUT bashing the Altima and Accord!
 
And WTF is wrong with sedans, anyway?!

"And WTF is wrong with sedans, anyway?!"
 
impractical compared to wagons and hatches.... and they're dull.

Pretty silly comment firstwagon calling sedans dull. I guess you havent heard of cars like the G8, Charger/300C, CTS, Civic Si, G35, and others or somehow you think they're dull.
 
And I'll tell you, if sedans really were so impractical they wouldnt be the best selling type of vehicle. I guess sedans are dull and boring if you expect every car to behave like a Porsche. (Mike)

Not silly at all, sure there are exceptions but sedans are rental cars.
 
Being the best selling doesn't help your argument. The Camry has been at the top of the sale chart for years. Yawn.
 
Why do you think SUV's and trucks became so popular? People were desperate to escape the blandness of the family sedan but they still needed something practical.
 
I would choose a wagon, SUV, hatchback or minivan over a sedan everytime.

firstwagon your argument was sedans are somehow impractical. My response to that is, if thats so why do they so sell so well? It doesnt matter what manufacturer it is, sedans are their bread and butter. People dont buy impractical cars, so I think its safe to say that if sedans are so popular its because they're useful.
 
Rental cars? Newsflash, pretty much any vehicle can be a rental vehicle.
 
I dont see how trucks/SUVs are any less bland than a sedan. If anything it makes less sense to own one because of the gas prices and size, but thats a different story. How are vehicles like the Explorer, Highlander, Pilot, Trailblazer are any less bland than their sedan counterparts?
 
If you prefer wagons, SUVs, hatchbacks and minivans over sedans more power to you. But dont justify your choice by bashing sedans for not being practical and bland.

Trucks have character, at least real ones do. Not sure about a lot of the latest CUV's.
 
Why do they sell so well? Who knows? For years the Taurus and Cavalier were at the top of the sales chart, neither was a good car or the least bit interesting.
 
I'm not so much justifying my choice as wondering why anyone would delibertly choose to give up half their cargo space for no advantage.
 
Anyhow, that's my opinion.

I dont know about the Cavalier being at the top of the sales charts, but there was a reason the Taurus was up there. My dad owned a 1993 Taurus and it was an awesome car, I really liked the styling and it was extremely roomy and comfortable inside. I can totally see why it was popular.
 
As for cargo space the majority of people arent hauling cargo everywhere they go. I agree wagons defeat sedans in that category but face it - you arent going on road trips everyday or buying large pieces of furniture often.

My family used to have a Taurus SHO, it was a fantastic car.
 
I now have a sedan, though (SRT-4), but by golly, if it was a hatchback, I'd love it so much more.

If you guys think Edmunds has it in the bag for Honda you should read some of their BMW 3-series reviews and comparisons!!! The should change it from Insideline.com to InsideBMWwhichIsoadore.com.

A little too harsh on saturn eh. I had an Aura for a rental and it wasn't that bad. Compared to my mom's altima it had less wind noise while driving on the freeway, and it actually handled pretty good for a sedan. The drive train on the other hand wasn't anything to write home about. I had the base model. Overall it was good. Better Styling than honda and toyota thats for sure.

I'd clarify firstwagon's statement by saying that sedans aren't AS practical as a hatchback, SUV/CUV, stationwagen, etc (in no particular order). This is entirely from a "moving stuff" point of view.
 
I personlly love the hatchback, I don't know why North America doesn't! Drives like a sedan, arguably better aerodynamics (see Subaru's choice to switch to STi hatchback), and you can fit things of all sizes in. I moved all my stuff home from university in my VW Golf in one run.

There are reasons that alot of n.a. dont like wagons.
 
in europe alot of the cars are smaller so a wagon gives you more room.
 
in n.a. alot of cars are bigger, the need for all that space is less.
 
Bigger wagons in my eyes, and i'm geussing in a lot of others, are just boring looking boxes. The rear end doesn't go anywhere and just ends, the shape tends to be dull. Sedans just brake the car up more with better lines.
 
now there are some wagons that look good.
 
But in alot of cases the design is just an engine compartment up front, and a rectangular box after that.

i don't think wagons are as fuel efficient either (but obviously better then ute's). for the most part, a sedan is a good enough people mover for people.

"Yeah of course the Aura has lousy seats and vague truck like steering; this has been a hallmark of GM sedans for decades. "
 
Your bias and ignorance continues to be shocking to this day. Do you follow the auto industry at all or do you just go around preaching about how bad American cars are based on 20 year old steretypes? Nothing you say has any credibility. The Aura, C6, STS, Malibu and CTS and several other GM products of late have been lauded for improved steering quality. I had an Alero and I can tell you it had better steering than a Camry and most other cars I have driven recently.
 
I have NEVER had any problems with seat comfort in the Aura nor have I read about any other issues in reviews of the car. Mike is grasping for straws since he abhors the Aura for some reason.
 
"isn't that what consumer reports is for? determining reliability? "
 
I thought LT tests were about determining reliability and livability over a year. Apparently here it's not about that. Edmunds adds on a few American cars in order to keep the fleet balanced and unfortunately they dodnt even like all the American cars they have. At least get vehicles that have a chance of being liked. The Aura hasn't been liked ever since it got that ill deserved (according to Edmunds) NACTY award and it's been downhill ever since. Since the car wont break down and leave them waiting for a tow truck like the Fit and Pilot we have mindless blog entries in which editors take turns trying to come up with more creative ways to disparage this "mediocre" car. coming soon: what's worse the Aura or flying coach while sitting between too overweight passengers? Stay tuned because the results may surprise you.

Man this is hilarious!
 
Some of you are actually THAT gullible to believe this blog post? Clearly it was just an attempt at playing the crowd for fun!
 
I'm laughing at how some really are taking this seriously. I mean, come ON!
 
Let's let this die already, geez...

Ha! I also think this was a funny post, but don't tell that to die hard GM fans I guess. Yikes. Some people get bent out of shape and offended way to easily. I personally like that Edmunds staffers give their honest opinions on cars. That is their job. I do not always agree with their opinions, but that is fine. In regards to the Saturn blog, I do agree. GM has made big improvements as of late, but lets be honest, they had a LONG way to go! There are currently a lot of other sedans I would rather write a check for.

I for one, am happy to see slightly off-topic posts like this from time to time.
 
Otherwise, this LT blog would be exactly what we get from Consumer Reports (do people realize their test ratings - while not quite covering a year - actually do cover several thousand miles of testing, rather than a couple hundred of the standard auto rags).
 
Kudos for something different, and entertaining, Mike. (And keep it above 50!!)

"There are currently a lot of other sedans I would rather write a check for."
 
Like what? Your post kind of shows us you are pro import all the way so what you said isnt surprising.
 
"Yikes. Some people get bent out of shape and offended way to easily. I personally like that Edmunds staffers give their honest opinions on cars. That is their job. I do not always agree with their opinions, but that is fine."
 
Some of you "as long as they arent talking about import cars I love critism" people are offended too easily. It's OUR job to comment and offer our opinion on the blog entries and ask for entries that have some value or merit. You dont always have to agree (and I suspect you wont if anyone defends a GM product) and that is fine. The close mindedness of some comments here is staggering. If you agree with everything the editors say you are a logical consumer, if you don't you are a "die hard GM fan". Did you even notice that few of the posters ever stated they own a Saturn or GM product? Just because you don't despise every GM product on the market doesnt make you a "die hard". Karl (editor of edmunds.com) has been effusive in his praise of the new CTS. Does that make him a GM die hard? If he bashed it would that enhance his credibility? The truth of the matter is that these cars are closer together than some folks are comfortable acknowledging and when that point is made out come the "fanboy" and "die hard" labels.

"Otherwise, this LT blog would be exactly what we get from Consumer Reports "
 
now that is a stretch. CR reviews a car in short sentences and never needs more than 3/4 of a page to sum up a vehicle. I think any review is more comprehensive than a CR review. Then of course you have the whole scoring issue where they dont tell you how they generate numerical scores.

Dude take a chill pill. WAahh waahh, stop crying for christ's sake. Let fanboys be naive, so what? They're the ones losing out.
 
And again, this blog was just a JOKE. You really need to walk outside more often. Geez you make this sound like a D&D nerd forum that gets defensive when someone's magic ring gives them +5 to their speed instead of +4 and everyone goes nuts. Like, OMG!

vic pe.
 
Dont make stuff up. If this blog was a "Joke" mike would have said so by now.
 
But he didnt, that doesn't change the fact this post was a 'joke' but not the way you want it to be.
 
But no, mike was serious. And that is sad

vic_pe,
 
So now this post is a joke, just because a lot of people have called out Mike for writing this useless entry? When an editor writes something this ridiculous, calling it a joke is just a lame excuse.
 
Mike never said it was a joke, and he didnt try to justify anything he said so there is nothing wrong with us taking it seriously. It is obvious here that he doesnt know how evaluate a car based on its purpose, and there's nothing funny about that.

Wow, some people are sensitive. The reality is sometimes buses are better then cars. Deal with it.
 
The Aura is a fine mode of transportation but not really a lot more. When you live in the big city, sometimes a car needs to be really special to put up with all the crap and I'm sorry but the Aura is just not that special.

firstwagon. The problem is not that the aura is not that special.
 
the problem is none of the other Edmunds cars are compared to, and even equated to a bus.
 
If the aura = a bus. Then why not the Accord? why not the escort? sonota? camry? azera? etc. Do I have to list almost every edmunds sedan? in general all sedans are boring. Some a bit more sporty, some much more sporty. But generally speaking sedans are a bus.
 
Expect Mike and edmunds want to drag the Aura through the trash. Why? who knows. The only theory right that fits is bais against GM/domestic products

If one of us were to post such comments in here as Magrath did in his post, it would be considered "trolling", and would probably violate the edmunds.com TOS.
 
It's just considered bad form on the internets to post something that is solely intended to cause controversy. Yeah, it's their blog and they can post what they want, but like I said -- bad form.

After being subjected to the mercy of the bus's Saturday schedules today, I can fully attest as to why buses suck. Yeah sure, if you're in a large city and live far away from your work there is some advantage to be provided, but the whole bus > car argument becomes null if you live anywhere else.
 
This whole blog entry gives me an idea - for Edmunds next comparison test they can take a bunch of average commuter cars and see which one is the most bus-like and Mike of course will be the judge.

I'll admit, opfreak, that it'd be great if he's post an update on whether he himself was serious or not, but until then, I see it that way.
 
If not, then yes, it's a very sad post.

"The Aura is a fine mode of transportation but not really a lot more. When you live in the big city, sometimes a car needs to be really special to put up with all the crap and I'm sorry but the Aura is just not that special."
 
that wasnt even his point. His point was the Aura is so dull and lackluster he could barely say its preferable to public transportation. Stop trying to explain and justify and excuse what was written. He made statements about the Aura that could technically be applied to any family sedan on the market.
 
The post wasnt a joke, he was very serious. Anyone who has been following the LT test of the Aura cannot be surprised and all those trying to come up with excuses are naive.
 
Why didnt Mike ask people who dont own a car if they would like a free loaded Aura instead? Perhaps he should take the bus whenever the Aura's keys are the only ones available so he doesnt have to be subjected to the car's mediocrity anymore.