Sold in Europe as the Opel Astra, the Belgian-built Saturn Astra was intended as a replacement for the Saturn Ion compact car.
The Astra has "Active head restraints" that move forward to catch the head and prevent whiplash in the event of a rear-end hit.
Whiplash protection was ultimately rated as "Acceptable," the second-best rating after "Good."
Despite a "Marginal" rating for side impact safety, a General Motors spokeswoman expressed confidence in the Astra's real-world safety based on the carmaker's own extensive testing.
Two-door versions have electronic stability control as standard equipment. GM's OnStar service, which can automatically summon help after a crash using a system built into the car, is also available.
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