VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Saturn Aura2007–2010
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Saturn Aura
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Saturn Aura Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 469 complaints
11 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
2 recalls · 336 complaints
13 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
3 recalls · 321 complaints
10 reported injuries
Top issue: STEERING
Saturn Aura — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 94 | 38 | 74 | Excellent |
| 2009 | 3 | 321 | 10 | — | 50 | 38 | 46 | Avoid |
| 2008 | 2 | 336 | 13 | 3 | 30 | 38 | 33 | Avoid |
| 2007 | 2 | 469 | 11 | — | 55 | 38 | 49 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Saturn Aura Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the Aura compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Aura to buy?+
The 2010 Saturn Aura scores highest on our Buyer Score (74/100) — combining a reliability score of 94/100 with a value score of 38/100. It has 1 recall and 1 NHTSA complaint on record.
Which Aura years have the most problems?+
The 2007, 2008, 2009 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2007 Aura leads with 2 recalls and 469 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common Aura problems?+
The most frequently reported Saturn Aura issues involve: POWER TRAIN, STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.