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Saturn SL sedans receive contemporary systems inside and out
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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Check out that smooth profile of a stylized sedan from Saturn, newest name in the ranks of General Motors.
This car's good looks begin with a sensuous slope to the front hood, where recessed modular headlamps create crisp horizontal cuts in the wrap-around nose.
Then a raked windshield flows in windswept fashion into a gracefully arching roofline whose convex bow seems further accentuated by arched side panels of glass and a handsomely curved C pillar at the rear.
Overall, Saturn's new shape appears sophisticated in a quiet statement which manages to blend recent styling trends emanating from both Germany and Japan.
Also, it looks somewhat pricy in an exclusive manner.
Yet this one's anything but expensive.
The first remake of Saturn's sedan, which traces to angular introductory models in 1990, represents a dramatic step ahead in terms of contemporary systems added to enhance safety, comfort and performance.
And, to be candid, these improvements came in the nick of time because Saturn's sedan was beginning to look a little long in the tooth against more recent competitors.
Remarkably, though, Saturn's delay in revamping the mainstay model failed to dampen consumer enthusiasm because the brand earns high marks in surveys measuring product quality and sales satisfaction -- and Saturn ranks above all other brands in terms of customer loyalty and resale value.
The new streamlined shape of Saturn's sedan conceals subtle changes which occur throughout the structure and make the car easier to operate and more fun to drive.
Saturn builds a car that's fun as well as functional?
A week's worth of tests proved that point.
In earlier editions a week's worth of tests induced dread with each driving experience because the sedan was a chore to operate in an effort intensified by pesky motorized seatbelts detained in lieu of airbags.
In the new Saturn, emotional dread is replaced by enthusiasm for each driving experience because the car behaves in a crisp and precise manner now. And you don't have to begin every drive with that mechanical wrap of a seatbelt because 3-point seatbelts for front passengers require manual operation since onboard dual airbags, which first appeared on last year's Saturns, lead the list of safety assets.
Changes for Saturn's three 1996 sedans extend beyond integral safety elements and external styling to encompass revisions in chassis designs with new structural support elements, upgraded interiors and improved powertrain components which generate more spirited performances and better fuel economy numbers.
Despite these changes and new equipment added, prices reflect only modest increases over last year's models.
The entry SL model, for instance, pulls $500 more down to the bottom line.
The SL1 series, Saturn's most popular car with upgraded equipment added to base SL edition, now lists for $400 more than 1995's figure.
Top sedan SL2 comes with a $300 increase.
With incremental gains in prices, far better products emerge that go beyond skin-deep comparisons.
Seats feel more comfortable in the new versions and, with the new roof design, riders in front and back seats gain headroom.
Rear doors feature enlarged widths so you may enter and exit more easily.
All doors contain steel reinforcements designed to protect occupants from the forces of side impacts.
Engine noise has been drastically reduced, thanks to the addition of new sound deadening insulation.
The suspension was tweaked to deliver a smoother ride quality and cruise control was installed for the convenience of drivers facing an extended highway experience.
Like prior models, these new Saturns wear dent-resistant polymer side panels designed to withstand blows from a runaway supermarket cart. Only hood, roof and rear deck -- all horizontal surfaces -- use steel panels.
On the inside, front bucket seats for driver and passenger were enhanced with new fabrics and raised height.
A modular dash houses the twin airbags.
Other standard interior features for the new Saturns range from a lever-activated tilting steering column to front console and height-adjustable front shoulder belts designed to increase occupant comfort, a manual shutoff for the rear defroster, plus split-folding rear seatbacks and rear deck lid release.
For power there are options.
Two aluminum 1.9-liter 4-in-line engines, produced exclusively by Saturn, propel the new sedans. A new fuel system adds sequential port injection.
The single-cam edition generates 100 horsepower and shows up in Saturn's base SL sedan and mid-level SL1.
Installing twin cams improves output to 124 hp for the top level SL2 sedan.
Either the standard manual 5-speed transmission or an optional automatic 4-speed applies to these engines. The automatic carries new fuzzy logic computer components in the powertrain control module to govern shift patterns after studying the driver's initial performance habits.
Chassis and suspension systems for Saturn's sedans continue from the previous editions, only with evolutionary improvements and new tires on the ground to improve ride quality and road handling capability.
Racy new wheels tag to upscale trim treatments.
The steering system increases incrementally with a step from model to model, beginning with manual assistance on the base SL version and power control for SL1. The SL2 receives a variable-ratio power system.
Pricing for an SL sedan with manual transmission starts at $10,495. The SL1 edition lists for an additional $900, while SL2 adds $900 more to reach $12,295.
1996 SATURN SL SEDAN
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1996 SATURN SL Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact sedan |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
102.4 inches |
| Overall Length: |
176.8 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 1.9-L I-4
DOHC 1.9-L I-4 16v
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Disc/drum
Opt. Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
29/40 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 10,495 to $ 12,295 |
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