My first car was an inherited Astra and in a freak mechanical failure it nearly killed me. My family have owned several Astras and I even serviced one once. Even though I have a lot of emotional attachment to the mark I thought I had moved on from my Astra days. It turns out they have moved on from me.
The Astra of old was plasticy and cheap. It was simple enough for me to service and I can even tell you how to break into one (in the event that you lock your only key inside; I do not condone theft). But from the moment you close the door on a current-shape Astra you realise the game has moved on. The door clunks shut with a German authority. The seats (in the test car, they were sport seats) are firm and strong. The steering wheel and gearshift feel just right and almost all the controls are pleasant to use. The Satellite navigation is intuitive and easy to grasp. The radio and CD player likewise.
Like all current Vauxhalls the indicators are designed so that you can have them on for a few seconds or forever – but you won’t get them to stay on for a practical period of time. Apparently this was the CEO’s idea so expect it to be around for a bit longer.
For the first couple of minutes driving, the firm suspension, sharp acceleration and panoramic windscreen (which means there is glass right over your head), make everyone feel a bit disorientated or travel sick. But that soon passes and within minutes the panaoramic windscreen really wins you over. Sitting under all that glass gives you some sense of what it feels like to be the Queen or the Pope. Although I stopped short of waiving at pedestrians Like returning to an average size TV after an evening watching a friend’s plasma, it feels odd pulling the blind down to return the window to normal size. But in bright sunshine, if you don’t have your shades you need the blind and conventional pull-down visors.
The blind was the only thing that lacked perfect build-quality. There was a strange little hole at eye-level between the track and the blind trim. It was a shame and it was disproportionately irritating I have always found Vauxhall make punchy little engines. This car takes that to a new level. I spent the entire week telling people that I was driving the fastest car in the UK. When they asked how I got hold of a Bugatti Veyron, I just laughed. How little they know.
The Astra will accelerate briskly in any gear, at any revs. Over a worthwhile distance this car grows on you and grows on you. Push the rev counter towards the red line and it sounds like it is boring a hole in the road - it is so keen to please. The sports handling meant that I could take roundabouts, s-shaped slip roads and B-road bends at speeds not far off what I would expect in a serious GT or sports car. Yet it was quiet at lower revs, returned healthy MPG and had nice light pedals so that traffic jams were not tiring for my weakling’s ankles. Sadly it did have the other trademark Vauxhall irritation (also found on Peugeots and probably Citroens) of having a non-turbo related lag between 1 mph and 5 mph. Imagine the car is rolling very gently because you have slowed for a junction. Realising the road is clear, you decide not to stop but to pull away. You squeeze the throttle and nothing happens. So you squeeze a bit harder.
Then it all happens all at once. You hurtle forwards, apologising to your passengers who are all in shock and your driving reputation is in tatters. But again, this was a minor issue. Overall this Astra has managed to get through to me in a way so many cars have failed. I now realise why people buy hot hatches.
Summary
This test shows how wellthought- out the Astra range is. I had been dismissive of current Astras because I regard the 5 door versions as bland in styling like Corollas used to be. But others have more conservative taste (and driving style) than me. So Vauxhall have provided sexy sports hatches for the young and free and sensible understated hatchbacks for those with responsibilities. They all share a foundation of excellent engines and build quality. Whether you are in the market for a sports hatch or family workhorse, the current Astras are cars to test. With this model now reaching M.O.T. age, as well as lots of deals on new cars, the used prices are very attractive. You can consider buying through Vauxhall’s Network Q used scheme for lots of peace of mind on a used Astra.
Road Test Car Details:
1.6 Sri Turbo Sport Hatch
0-60: 7.7
MPG: 36.7
Price: £19,100 on the road, inc
extras.
Words: Matthew Tumbridge