New hatchback praised as GM's star small car

Climbing into the Saturn Astra, which replaces the miserable Ion sedan, I close the door.

Thunk.

It closes with a solidity I rarely have experienced in a General Motors product. And the seats! They actually have firm side bolsters and a firm, supportive feel. They're perfect for the weekend autocross enthusiast.

As I twist the key and the four-cylinder comes alive, I slip into gear and drive off. That's when the revelation really begins.

This two-door hatchback was shipped from the continent with minimal revisions. You feel it every time you travel over a pathetically maintained road. I would love to strap some of my state legislators in this car and have them travel down some of our beautifully rutted roads and see if their spleens are still intact.

Yes, the Astra has a firm ride. A very firm ride. But the car possesses taut handling, minimal body lean and crisp steering associated with European cars.

The Astra is no speed demon — the 1.8-liter four-cylinder is rated at 138 horsepower — but the car is geared so that it makes the most of the power at hand.

This modest powerplant allows drivers to explore the car's limits. Try that when the car you're driving has 400 ponies under the hood. It also returns good mileage, with the test car drinking dinosaurs at a rate of 30.3 miles per gallon.

The Saturn comes with a standard five-speed manual; a four-speed automatic is optional.

But all of this is to be expected. Despite the American badge, the Astra is built in Antwerp, Belgium, and is a best-seller in Europe, second only to the Volkswagen Golf on the sales charts.

And I must admit, the Astra is a great-looking small car, lacking the odd lines of many of its Japanese competitors.

The Astra hatchback is sold as a two-door and four-door. The latter comes in two trim levels, XE and XR, the former only in one, XR.

The interior lives up to its heritage: There's only one cupholder. And some of the European-style controls have markings that are indecipherable. But once you're used to them, they're easy to operate.

Legroom is good up front and OK in the back, as long as the front seats aren't pushed back all the way. Cargo space is unusually large, and the split rear seats fold for cargo-carrying flexibility.

The two-door test car's options include an upgraded sound system with MP3 player, handsome 18-inch alloy wheels, heated leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. (Heated seats are available with or without leather.)

Americans have long held an inferiority complex when it comes to Europe. In the early 20th century, wealthy consumers favored imported makes over American counterparts and, for a time, companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce set up American factories.

Today, many buyers still prefer European cars because of the suspension, tuning, handling and design rather than snob appeal. Now, we have the Saturn Astra, a German-designed hatchback from GM. The Astra has great handling and looks. It's the best small car GM has sold in the U.S. in decades. In fact, call it a star among small cars.