Would rather have a penny farthing (Vauxhall Astra LS 1.4i 16v 3-door Hatchback)

Member Name: forrest

Product:	Vauxhall Astra LS 1.4i 16v 3-door Hatchback
Date:	25/07/01 (410 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks good from the outside

Disadvantages: drab inside, poor design, injectors work too late

I had the unfortunate opportunity to drive one of these as a hire car last week.

I have looked at them before and thought...mmmm not a bad looking car from the outside. So there it was, the silver machine waiting for me in the sun (unusual I know) when I got home from work.

So i get the keys and the first thing u notice is the handle on the key is almost as big as the key ring for your room when you go on holiday. Why, because it has two rectangle buttons to lock and unlock the car. Just be careful about carrying this in your trouser pocket or you may get arrested for indecency. Ok so I manage to open the door and get in. First things first...the radio. Yes there it is sitting in the middle of the centre console with a thin smile for a CD. The display for the radio is in a separate section on top of the dash in the middle, along with the clock and temperature. Novelty buttons are on the steering wheel to allow the cd to be turned on / off, volume increase / decrease and change the radio station. My first thought is whoever designed this cannot have passed a driving test. The buttons are below centre at about 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock and are part of the steering wheel consequently moving as you turn the wheel. Forgive me for being boring but aren't you meant to have your hands at quarter to three of ten to two?

Ok less important (possibly) seat position. Moves forward, backwards, tilts and can have the height adjusted. This was one of the worst features. To change the height there is a plastic level to the side of the driver by the door. Lift it up past a central point to lower the seat, push it down to raise the seat. Each time you move it it adjusts the seat slightly and so you have to pump one way or tother. The lever feels pretty flimsy and my weight on the seat when you are trying to raise it doesn?t help, but hey wont need to go to the gym (for one arm anyway).
The rest of the interior is pretty non descript. With the
exception of having poor visibility around the car as the windows are streamlined.

Now onto the drive, started first time (thank god it was 6am and I hadn?t had the morning coffee) and pulls away smoothly. The car does run quite well and fairly quiet but does have its faults.

There is a point that the injector kicks in through all gears and the revs are a lot higher than I would expect them to be before it works. If you are trying ot accelerate quickly you want the additional power as soon as possible not when you are about to go into the next gear.

Braking is adequate but does not appear to have the sharpness of other cars in its bracket, especially at speeds on the motorway.

The steering and gear box are average, there is no real feeling through turns and the gears are there but you do not feel that they are precise, just about there somewhere.

In conclusion the car is average (very) but probably quite good around town. I would probably go for a focus over this model as it was a better all round drive.

Summary: