BELIEVE it or not it's nearly 25 years since the original Vauxhall Astra hit the roads of the UK.
And since then it has been Vauxhall's best-selling car with more than two million being snapped up by British buyers. Now, after five reincarnations, the latest Astra is on offer. And it's unlike any of its predecessors.
It has a striking new shape which Vauxhall hopes will appeal to a new and potentially younger raft of customer who previously would not consider the compact class car.
And it does look outstanding, especially its sporty front end, wedge shaped sides and well laid out, modern interior design.
General Motors Europe design chief Martin Smith set out to give the new Astra a powerful and expressive appearance and he has succeeded.
It's one Vauxhall which can't be described as boring or mundane and I think it will continue to be a big seller for Vauxhall.
But it's a tough old world out there so only time will tell if the Astra will continue to be the big seller it has been over the years.
Small cars seem to be getting bigger all the time and the Astra is no exception. It is more spacious inside with good head and leg room plus a good driving position and excellent all-round vision.
Build quality has also improved. It's predecessor seems tiny in comparison and the new Astra has a much more solid feel.
I tested the 5-door 1.8 16v SRi hatchback - the 3-door is not due out until next spring - built at Ellesmere Port on Merseyside, where more than £80 million has been invested to produce the new Astra and Vectra.
And if you want to wait for the estate version - built in Germany - that's coming along later this year.
Vauxhall is offering four petrol and two diesel engines which range from from the entry-level 90bhp 1.4-litre, the 1.6, 1.8 and two-litre turbo petrol versions. Diesels are 80 and 100bhp 1.7-litres diesels. A 1.9 CDTI engine of 150bhp is due in a couple of months.
So how does it drive? Well, I found the steering well balanced, not much noise from the engine or road noise, good body stiffness on bends and a suspension that soaked up most bumps and potholes.
But I must admit I found the performance a tad disappointing. Although powerful enough for everyday driving, to me it lacked the urgency I'd expect from an SRi badged motor.
Vauxhall claims a 0-60mph time of 9.8 seconds. I'd hoped for more get-up-and-go from the newcomer.
That aside, there's no other major criticism I can make of the new Astra SRi. It comes with an impressive list of safety features, including front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic breakforce distribution, emergency brake assist and energy absorbing steering column, alarm, immobiliser, remote central locking, etc.
Vauxhall claims that the New Astra is set to benefit from significant residual value premiums over its predecessor. CAP Motor Research says that the new car will see an improvement of up to £900 per vehicle over the previous car.
Whole life costs will also be down, with the first service for petrol engines coming at two years/ 20,000 miles and for diesels at two years/ 30,000 miles.
FAST FACTS
Vauxhall Astra 1.8 SRi
Price: £15,195
Mechanical: 125bhp, 1,796cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5-spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 123mph
0-62mph: 9.8 secs
Combined mpg: 35.3
Insurance group: 8
CO2 emissions: 192g/km
BiK rating: 24%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60, 000 miles; 6yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint