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SAN DIEGO – The ’08 Saturn Astra most likely will puzzle American consumers with its European flavor, and perhaps General Motors Corp. should have ironed out a few of those wrinkles before rebadging Adam Opel GmbH’s best-selling car for the U.S.

But the awkwardly positioned cupholders, dash-mounted door-lock switch and intensely foreign-looking center stack rank as only minor oddities against a powertrain that cries out for some help from a turbocharger.

That said, the Astra arrives as the economical, highly functional and stylish entry-level car the Saturn brand has needed since its disastrous Ion.

During a recent drive through the city and countryside here, as well as subsequent testing around Detroit, 3- and 5-door Astras equipped with a 1.8L, gasoline 4-cyl. and 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmissions demonstrate plucky resolve. When moderately accelerating from a dead stop, negotiating light traffic or meandering a lonely stretch of highway, either setup proves sufficient.

But open the throttle to get the jump at a stoplight, enter an expressway or climb a significant grade and the Astra’s 138-hp mill quickly becomes overwhelmed. Even with an innovative “kick-down” feature engaged by mashing the accelerator, the powertrain leaves drivers craving the little bit of extra gusto a turbocharger could provide.

The real crime? GM makes a pair of turbocharged 4-cyl. gasoline engines available to Astra buyers in Europe that dole out an impressive 200 hp.