The downside to most economical compact cars is that they look that way, but that has changed with the 2008 Saturn Astra. The Astra offers a prominent styling that turns heads. The sportiness doesn’t stop there; the Astra also has a taut steering and tight suspension. The 1.8-liter, four cylinder engine generates 138 hp. The Astra also offers rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights, features you wouldn’t expect to get at this price. The Astra XR has a starting sticker price of $17,545, which comes equipped with air conditioning, CD player, steering wheel mounted audio controls and alloy wheels. The EPA for the Astra with automatic transmission is estimated at 24 MPG city and 30 MPG highway.