The Saturn Astra is a compact car built from 2008 to 2009. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Astra is
The Saturn Astra is a compact car that Saturn built from 2008 to 2009 — 2 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Saturn range: Ion, SL.
Where the Astra is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 144 Astras on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | W08 | 2008-2009 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Saturn VIN decide which of these 1 lines your Astra belongs to. What every character in a Astra VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Saturn Astra adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Saturn Astra tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Astra owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Saturn Astra have? Power & range
The Saturn Astra is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.8L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Saturn Astra, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 1.8L · 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Astra by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Saturn Astra. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Astra | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 4 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 164 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Used value | 15 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Saturn Astra?
The Astra is a compact car, built from 2008 to 2009. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Saturn Astra made?
Across 144 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Saturn Astra warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Astra reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Astra?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Saturn
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn Aura | 2007–2010 | 16 | 29 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Saturn Ion | 2003–2007 | 35 | 26 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Saturn L200 | 2001–2003 | 4 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Saturn L300 | 2001–2005 | 2 | 25 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Saturn LS | 2000–2000 | 6 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Saturn LW | 2000–2005 | — | 25 mpg | 4.5/5 |
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.