2009 Saturn Astra: Last chance to land one?

When it was introduced, the Tennessee-built Saturn brand was marketed in such a way that many thought the cars were imports.

But ironically, when Saturn did import a model – the Belgian-built, Opel-designed Astra, definitely the best entry-level car it has offered – it didn't do all that well, and it faces an uncertain future.

About 10,000 of the solely two- or four-door hatchback Astras have been sold in Canada since their introduction for 2008, and return for 2009.

In the U.S., where buyers tend to reject liftgates that aren't attached to massive SUVs, slow sales backlogged the 2008, and no 2009 is offered.

This current-generation model, introduced in Europe in 2004, generally sells about 500,000 units a year overseas by comparison.

But given that Saturn is being sold to Penske, while Magna will pick up Opel – the German division that builds Astra – this may well be your last chance to land one.

While the Astra has numerous standard features, hearing the initial price may keep many buyers out of the showroom.

The four-door Astra starts at $18,390 in XE trim and $21,425 in XR, with option packages topping out at $23,600. The sport-tuned two-door, in XR only, runs between $21,720 and $23,710. Most other compact hatchbacks start under $17,000 (all prices MSRP, without incentives), a major issue among buyers who need to look at price before performance.

All Astras include anti-lock brakes, six airbags, cruise control, power locks and windows, heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, and active front head-restraints, which help prevent whiplash. Air-conditioning is extra only on the base XE. Electronic stability control is optional on the four-door, standard on the two-door.

All use a 1.8 L four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic is an extra $1,350; it shifts into neutral when you're stopped at a light, which helps save a bit of fuel, and includes a "snow switch" that helps the car take off in third gear to reduce slipping on slick roads.

If you're comfortable with a stick shift, though, I highly recommend the smooth-shifting manual.

At 138 hp, Astra's about mid-pack with its competition, and like most in this segment, it isn't meant to be a sports car, but intended to tackle commuter driving.

Should you be a long-term owner, the engine uses a timing belt, rather than a timing chain, which will need replacement around the 160,000 km mark.

The Astra comes from Europe with relatively few changes: new fascias, both to distinguish it from Opel and to meet our bumper standards; recalibration for emissions standards; different headlamps; and bigger brake rotors.

A standard block heater tackles Canadian winters, and it's one of those minor but brilliant touches: the cord pops into a covered outlet in the fascia, so you don't have to fumble under the hood, or drive around with the plug hanging out of the grille.

Handling is definitely Euro: sharp and accurate, with an electro-hydraulic power steering pump that produces the more organic feel of hydraulic fluid assist, but driven by an electric motor for improved fuel economy.

Cornering is flat and the car is extremely tight, and while the two-door's sport suspension is firmer than on the four-door, it's not harsh. This is one of the best-driving cars in the compact hatch segment right now.

But inside, it doesn't mesh quite as well with North American preferences. Europeans get out for coffee, and so Saturn had to battle to get cupholders installed. One is parked at the back of the centre console, while two more slide out from under the rear seat.

The seats are supportive and bolstered, but definitely not one-size-fits-all when matched to many supersize-meal-fortified North American butts.

The centre stack is handsome, but not always easy to use. The heater controls are very low and the stack slopes inward, making it difficult to see the dark grey icons. All buttons and dials are small and fiddly.

An information screen in the upper dash uses a dot-matrix readout that would have been cutting-edge in, say, 1988.

And there's no MP3 player auxiliary jack, or the satellite radio available on most other GM products. That's a serious omission for a car meant to target the 25- to 35-year-old buyer, for whom CDs are rapidly becoming as obsolete as eight-track tapes.

Visibility is also an issue, especially in the two-door with its sloping back window. In both models, the small liftgate window is just a slit in the rear-view mirror.

With the rear seats up, my two-door tester's cargo area measured 80 cm long. The seats don't fold flat, but they increase it to 130 cm.

The Astra is handsome and a great driver, enough to take Canadian Car of the Year honours in the Best New Small Car category for 2008. It also placed third for the overall crown, defeated only by two $65,000-plus Audi models.

But that's a half-hour test by driving enthusiasts, and there are good and bad points you'll need to assess – including your comfort with a model that won't be a GM brand much longer.