My Mum’s red Astra (a special edition Starburst on an H Plate) was stolen and torched. I couldn’t help but think about it as I drove around in the test car, a bright red Sports Tourer Astra 1.4 Sri.
And that was before someone smashed the rear window to see if there was anything under the rear parcel shelf worth stealing. Oh how the intruder must have been excited to see my ruck sack hiding under the black roll-back shelf. Sadly for the petty criminal, their rummage through the bag revealed only a hair gel, anti-persperant and some very sweaty sports kit, which they threw on the floor.
So, like my Mum’s old Astra, Vauxhall’s small family car is still pretty easy to break into. Although it did at least know what happened, even if it didn’t make any noise about it:
Like the older Astras, it is as refined as any of its competitors. It is cheaper to service than semi-premium German or Japanese equivalents and it is a stylish if not quite head-turning design too.
Even though I didn’t get to do many miles before the break in, the miles I did put on the car told me that the 1.4 turbo petrol engine has a light clutch for city jams and school-run queues, but enough power and refinement for the long-weekend haul of children to Grand parents and back again. In Sri trim, and without the kids and prams aboard, the Astra is good, if under powered, fun to drive too.
The interior is straight out of the Insignia, so it feels large, premium and yet is intuitive to use. The buttons have a soft touch and the driving position is much more adjustable than in any of the Kias, Hyundais or Citroens that would kill for the Astra’s sales to young families.
So the Astra continues to be all the car anyone needs. The kind of car that makes kids cry when part-exchange time comes around.
And that’s why I will buy my family a red Astra, let them call it Andy or something else that begins with A, but never again park in Euro Car parks.
What’s the market like?
A new Astra Sports Tourer Estate 1.4 Sri is around £20,000. You can save £5,000 off that if you buy an ex-demonstrator with less than 5,000 miles.
Wait a full year and buy a car with under 12,000 miles and it will be just £12,000. That is staggeringly good value for the used car buyer. And from there until the MOT, depreciation is very light, so it’s a sweet spot for the bargain hunter really.
Summary
Old fashioned family transport and yet all the car anyone really needs.