THE Vauxhall Astra is one of the great all-timers of British motoring.
Year after year, decade after decade, it has consistently been a top seller. Now, in its latest guise, the Astra is even better than ever.
A brand new model hit the streets only a couple of months ago and the hatchback versions have recently been joined by an estate.
And as all-rounders go, this is almost the ideal family car.
Practical and comfortable, yet great to drive and by making use of a state of the art diesel engine, the Astra estate is remarkably economical.
Using the latest in common rail diesel technology the 1.7-litre engine in the Astra CDTi SRi is capable of averaging more than 55 miles per gallon.
That makes this estate the best of all worlds.
From snazzy, burnished metallic trim to a leather-clad steering wheel, it has all the pre-requisites to impress instantly.
On the move the engine - now with 100bhp - has plenty of guts and with the ability to engage stiffer sports suspension at the touch of a button, the SRi it handles impeccably.
If there is a gripe it is with the amount of engine noise which gets into the car.
Vauxhall's electrically operated stalks for the indicators and wipers also take a bit of getting used to. They are highly sensitive and there is a definite knack to accurate operation.
But that is really nit picking and there is little else to fault.
Luggage capacity ranges from 17 to 55 cubic feet - par for the course with mid-size estates - and the rear seats can be folded in a matter of seconds with a 60/40 split.
The load area is also flat and wide and the tailgate aperture big enough to accommodate quite sizeable objects - so this is an estate that can really do the job.
Even with the back seats up there is plenty of leg room in the rear - although I must take exception with the lack of a head restraint for the middle passenger and the seats themselves throughout the car are on the hard side.
However the Astra estate is all about flexibility and at that it excels.
Sporty handling, great economy, low exhaust emissions and the ability to transform it into a workhorse easily make this quite a car.
Without any doubt it can satisfy every aspect of the demands of modern motoring. It's not going to turn many heads but this is a very sensible option for the demanding family.
FAST FACTS
Vauxhall Astra Estate SRi 1.7 CDTi
Price: £17,145
Mechanical: 100bhp, 1,686cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 11.7 secs
Combined mpg: 55.4
Insurance group: 7
CO2 emissions: 138g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 6yrs anti-rust