A powerful diesel hatchback (Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SRi)

Member Name: ScottishWestie

Product:	Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SRi
Date:	31/08/09 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The engine, looks, performance, equipment, general finish

Disadvantages: Gearchange between 5th & 6th, rear leg room

This review is for the 1.9 turbo diesel Astra & not the 1.6 model listed.

The Vauxhall Astra has been with us since 1979 in various guises & is constantly in the top selling list of cars in the UK ever since. The reason that the Astra has proved popular is due to its modern designs, the fact that it is usually well equipped, cheap to run & insure & despite its reliability concerns its quite simple & cheap to repair.

A recent 270 mile blast to central Scotland in the new Astra Diesel gave me an opportunity to assess the latest model. It was a 1.9 turbo diesel hatchback with a six speed gearbox, from the outside the paintwork finish was excellent & all the gaps around the doors & body panels were consistent & narrow.

One you jump inside the quality theme continues, the upper dash & upper door trims were finished off in a quality rubbery plastic finish often seen in many up market makes. The lower dash was in fake aluminium plastic which was a bit 'in your face' but nicely done all the same.
All the switches had a quality feel to them although the markings for the heating controls were a bit confusing. Getting a comfortable driving position was easy thanks to a multi adjustable drivers seat which could be lowered or raised, however the lumber support in the drivers seat was broken.

Overall the interior is a comfortable place to be but leg room in the back of the car was less than I would have expected for a car of its size. I own a smaller car with loads more leg room in the rear. My other criticism of the interior is the lack of space for odds & ends, yes the Astra does have four decent sized door pockets & a glove box but there is little else. A small rubber lined trinket tray in front of the gear lever is all you get & that is too small for iPods, mobile phones or even coins. Vauxhall supply one cup holder between the front seats but at least it's designed to hold a travel mug with a handle & there is a sunglasses holder on the roof. The boot looked vast with the option of folding down the rear seats to gain more space.

It came well equipped with a decent radio CD with iPod socket, air conditioning, electric front windows, central locking, electric mirrors & alloy wheels. The top mounted central display that provided fuel consumption figures, a stop watch, radio display & outside temperature looked out of place & cheap. The main reason was its orange display; it looked like a throw back form the 1980s & totally out of place on a modern car.

DRIVING THE ASTRA

Once started it is obvious that it's a diesel but it's a lot quieter than most, as you drive away you can't help notice how powerful the car is. Once you are on the open road, the acceleration, particularly when the turbo kicks in is astonishing. This is a car that will easily keep up with more powerful petrol driven cars even on steep hills.

The six speed gearbox is great for economy, in town it recorded 38.9 mpg but on the open road I managed to get it up to 48.4 mpg. At 70mph in sixth gear the rev counter recorded 2000rpm which contributes to those decent economy figures.

It's just a pity the gear change didn't match up to the engine, first to fourth is fine but from fifth to sixth you often end up engaging fourth. From sixth to fifth you end up in third, it is very vague & spoils the driving experience.

Power assisted steering felt perfect & not too light at speed, the brakes were powerful & progressive & the cars overall handling was safe & reassuring. At speed tyre noise dominated & drowned out most of the noise from the engine, the ride was a little choppy on rough surfaces but fine on the smoother motorways.

CONCLUSION

I was quite impressed with the diesel Astra & in particular the engine performance & economy. The car was well made & finished with criticism limited to the gear change & rear seat room. Would I recommend one? Yes, I probably would. Would I consider buying one? No, Vauxhall's reliability record is still behind the direct competition & that alone would still put me off, but the Astra is a decent car all the same.

Summary: A car worth considering

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