Saturn Aura History

The Aura replaced the outgoing L-Series as Saturn's mid-size sedan for the 2007 model year, built on GM's global Epsilon platform — the same architecture underpinning the Opel Vectra and Chevrolet Malibu. Critics and the industry rewarded it with the 2007 North American Car of the Year award, recognizing a step-change in quality and design compared to previous Saturn mid-sizers.

Engine options included a 2.4-liter four-cylinder (XE) and a 3.6-liter V6 (XR). A Green Line mild-hybrid variant used a belt-alternator-starter system for improved fuel economy without a full hybrid driveline. The Aura was regarded as the beginning of a Saturn renaissance built around the best of GM's global platforms — but it had only three model years (2007–2009) before GM's restructuring ended the Saturn brand.