Saturn ASTRA Specs at TrueDelta: Powertrains and tires by trim level (2009)

I have the cloth seats, which I had read didn't offer good back or thigh support. I find this to be very untrue even without adjustable lumbar support. I did switch out my stock steering wheel with a leather VXR wheel from Britain, which REALLY gave this car a premium feel. The stock seats support my back very well (6'2") and also find there to be just enough leg room with my seat almost all the way back, thigh support is a bit lacking, but for such a tiny car they really did a good job making it feel like a much bigger car. I also highly recommend buying and installing the Boomerang armrest and cup holder to maximize your Astra comfort.

My only concern about front seat room isn't about the seats at all, but that the peddles in the 5 speed are very small and very very close together, which for me with size 13 feet can create a problem. I have caught my feet together and accidently stomped on the break when trying to push in the clutch, which upsets everyone driving behind me, but provides a good laugh for me.

The little engine in this car performs well, when paired with the 5 speed manual. You can really feel how small the engine is in the first two gears, however third and fourth really take off and get you moving. I was first worried at how high the RPMs are in overdrive when going 70-85mph, however this gives this little engine an amazing ability to accelerate from 60-80 in very little time, which when considered alongside the impressive handling, makes this car simply a blast to drive. The clutch and transmission are both very smooth and due to the hydraulic clutch make this car very hard to stall, however I find that the clutch, in very cold weather, will hesitate to disengage or when the A/C is running in very hot weather. Because of the tiny 1.8L engine this car really does drive noticeably different when running the A/C, it's nothing you can't compensate for; just make sure to give it a little more gas.