Pop for the option packages that include power front seats, and you’ll be much happier with the 2007 Saturn Aura. In our well-equipped test samples, we found both multi-adjustable front seats to be comfortable during a lengthy drive, offering a good blend of comfort on the highway and support on twisty roads. The tilt and telescopic steering wheel and optional power adjustable pedals help the driver find an optimal position, and we couldn’t complain about resting an elbow on the soft upper portion of the driver’s door panel. For front seat occupants, the major disappointment is the center console armrest because it lacks padding and looks cheap in an interior that is otherwise convincingly upscale.

Rear occupants won’t be as happy as those up front. The split folding 60/40 rear bench seat is merely OK, mounted a bit low and lacking in thigh support, and doesn’t feel as roomy as the Pontiac G6, though the specs say that each car offers 37.6 inches of leg room in back. In both the Saturn and the Pontiac, passengers face hard front seatbacks that are dished in the center to provide additional knee clearance. There is no center armrest, an oversight in a car designed to compete against the best from Asia.

Loading the trunk requires lifting items over the Aura’s tall bumper and through a relatively small opening covered by a strut-supported lid that has no inside close assist handle. Our test cars came equipped with a thick load floor mat, just like a top-shelf Toyota Camry. The trunk measures 15.7 cubic feet of cargo room, which is competitive but not class leading.