Over the weekend, we told you about GM's plan to offer comparison test drives of both the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord to Aura shoppers at Saturn dealers nationwide beginning today. Saturn is doing a media push in coordination with the program, which is dubbedthe "Side-by-Side-by-Side Test Drive." We asked them to show us what they were doing, and they sent over the goods. The TV spot pasted after the jump features a Camry and an Accord being rolled off a transporter onto a Saturn lot, and after they're parked, a red Aura XE gets the closing money shot.
The program has been the subject of much debate in the comments over the last day, but we maintain that this is a ballsy move by Saturn. Like Ford, which touted the Fusion as compared to the same import pair, GM is showing a huge amount of confidence in the Aura by offering full test drives of the the Honda and Toyota at dealers. How well it all pans out is still to be determined, obviously, but we admire the domestics' spunk in taking it directly to their rivals. This is a rough business, and the Aura and the Fusion are trying to do battle in a murderous, unforgivingly competitive segment. The same old strategies (combined with uninspiring old products) haven't worked out, which is why the Toyota and the Honda are midsize leaders on the sales charts. Time for something new -- like this.
If you're a reader and you take part in this program, let us know. You can leave a comment on this post, telling us about the cars the dealer had on hand for the comparo and what your thoughts were after the test drive(s).
