The Saturn Aura sets itself apart from other sedans with its striking balance of modern style and spirited power. This year, Saturn’s renewed emphasis on safety and real-world drivability and functionality makes the newest Aura a strong contender when facing off against the likes of the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima.

Outside, both vehicles feature sleek lines and contemporary styling cues. Saturn’s latest adopts a more refined, more aerodynamic design while the Toyota sports larger, more exaggerated features. The Aura integrates standard daytime running lights and available aluminum alloy wheels and heated side mirrors.

Beneath the hood, the Saturn Aura sport sedan features your choice of two supremely enjoyable engines. Saturn’s base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder while the upgraded XR model adds a 3.6-liter V6. The four-cylinder gets 169 hp and 160 lb/ft of torque while the V6 ups that output to an impressive 252 hp and 251 lb/ft of torque. Both are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Camry’s base four-cylinder generates the same 169 hp, and its available V6 reaches 268 hp. Though the Toyota’s output is slightly higher, the Saturn’s intelligently engineered V6 still reaches zero-to-60 a tenth of a second faster.

By upgrading the previous Aura’s transmission from a four-speed automatic to a six, Saturn has boosted efficiency and fuel economy to the top of its class. Four-cylinder Auras now achieve up to 33 mpg, higher than the Camry’s 31. Aura’s V6, despite its additional power, still manages up to 26 mpg on the highway while an available 164 hp hybrid model boosts efficiency to 34 mpg.

On the road, the Aura delivers a smooth and quiet ride – perfect for a long distance trip or a quick run to the store. Saturn’s signature StabiliTrak® electronic stability control mitigates over- and understeer with additional engine power or brakeforce, helping you maintain control of the sedan during extreme maneuvers and tight cornering.

Sleek and sporty on the outside, the Aura’s cabin mixes style and comfort through the careful incorporation of quality materials and spacious seating. The dash is attractive with legible gauges; at night, the amber illumination provides subtle ambiance and an upscale feel. A standout feature is the available Morocco Brown leather seating surfaces found in the XR.

The Camry’s interior is straightforward and comfortable, but doesn’t stand up to the craftsmanship and quality materials found within the Aura. For instance, the newest Camry’s panel fitments are not uniformly precise, plastic accents are comparatively substandard and the ice-blue backlighting for the controls doesn’t match the warmth and comfortability of the Aura. In general, the Aura’s interior proves to be more inviting and intricate than that of the Toyota.

Beyond the traction and stability control systems, the Saturn Aura is loaded with standard safety features including antilock disc brakes, full-length side-curtain airbags and front-seat side airbags. Thanks to these features, the Aura earned perfect scores for frontal- and side-impact tests from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (“Good”) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (five out of five stars). While the Camry incorporates many of the same safety features, traction control is available as an extra cost option – you shouldn’t have to pay extra for safety. 

With a starting MSRP of $23,375, Saturn’s latest Aura sport sedan stacks up quite favorably to the vaunted Toyota Camry.