Vauxhall Astra (Vauxhall Astra LS 1.6i 16v 5-door Hatchback)

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Product:	Vauxhall Astra LS 1.6i 16v 5-door Hatchback
Date:	26/01/01 (361 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Family Car

Disadvantages: Lack Flair

In early 1998, Vauxhall launched the new Astra just a few months ahead of the Focus. There wasn't much wrong with it then, and as a family car it's still hard to fault.

Vauxhall has played it safe with the Astra and the result, though pleasingly solid and chunky-looking is also undeniably bland. The front of the car wears Vauxhall's family face, but it's rather innocuous-looking compared with the corporate nose jobs on offer from Rover and Ford. The side and rear views are better - those extended wheel arches and its high waistline do help give the Astra an air of quality.

Vauxhall's ECOTEC engine accelerates quickly through the gears, the gearbox feels positive and direct to change, and on the move the Astra feels fluid and capable through the bends, but at the same time it feels softer and slightly less composed than the Focus, for example.

Life inside the Astra is perfectly reasonable. There is plenty of room up front and in the back, and the seats are superb - although there's a bit of fake wood to be stomached. On the gripe front, the Vauxhall has rather small doorbins and the otherwise reasonably high-quality dash is spoilt by cheap and tacky switchgear.

its all-round flexibility and usefulness made it one of the best in the class.

Overall, the Astra is roomy, well equipped and most models are competitively priced. The 1.6 16v and the two-litre diesel engines are well thought of. It's also one of the best cars in the class to drive.


For All-round family-car appeal you can;t beat the astra. It has 16valves and a 1.6 engine which is all you need and the Ls has a seat raiser for small people. But one major good point of the car is the 8 speakers which is a must for any audio freak.

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