Review
/5
- Pros:
- Quality finish to interior
- Cabin comfort
- Punchy turbo petrol engines
- Cons:
- Depreciation
- Fussy controls
- Questions over reliability
pictured:
Vauxhall Astra hatchback 5dr 2010 front quarter
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The Vauxhall Astra impresses with a cabin that rivals Volkswagen's class-leading Golf for fit and finish - and a driving experience to match the Ford Focus."
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The Vauxhall Astra is as British as fish and chips. It's built at firm's UK plant and features a quality and solidity that's right up there with the Volkswagen Golf. On the road, its comfort rivals the Ford Focus, all of which means the Astra is a very strong contender in the family hatchback market. It's easy to see why the model is one of the UK's top selling cars. The ecoFLEX versions will keep your costs down if you’re a company car driver, thanks to low fuel consumption and tax-friendly emissions.
Drive
Suspension offers stability and plenty of grip
The Vauxhall Astra has always trailed the Ford Focus for outright driver appeal, but this current car comes closer than ever to matching its rival. The steering is decently weighted and accurate, while the suspension offers stability and plenty of grip. Sports suspension is offered with SRi models and is best for keen drivers. Smaller, entry-level engines lack pace - the 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, or 1.7-litre CDTi turbodiesel engines are the best choices in the extensive line-up.
Comfort
Rear seat passengers might feel a little claustrophobic
The Astra is among the best family cars for soaking up bumps and poor road surfaces, but inside, space is limited. Rear seat passengers might feel a little claustrophobic thanks to the Astra's sloping roofline and small rear windows. Some of the controls are a bit fussy, with numerous switches, knobs and dials for the stereo and driver information systems, which are a touch fiddly to use.
Reliability
The Astra will prove more reliable than its predecessors
Vauxhall hasn’t fared well in reliability and ownership surveys until recently, and the previous Astra's relatively poor showings in Driver Power underline that. The current car is too new to have been included in any surveys yet, but if Vauxhall is to be believed, the Astra will prove more reliable than its predecessors. It also gets five stars for safety in the Euro NCAP test.
Practicality
The boot is a decent size and offers split-fold rear seats
The Astra offers a reasonable amount of versatility. As such, it's no more or less practical than its key Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus rivals. The boot is a decent size and offers split-fold rear seats. The Astra will carry five adults at a push, and families will find the car suits their everyday needs.
Value for money
Specification levels are competitive rather than generous
The Vauxhall Astra isn’t quite the value proposition it once was, especially when compared to the more upmarket Volkswagen Golf. Specification levels are competitive rather than generous, with the entry-level cars skimping on some fairly basic equipment, including stability and traction control.
Running costs
Fuel economy figures are competitive rather than class-leading
Despite the Astra's competitive price, residual values are not the best. And with fuel economy figures that are competitive rather than class-leading, you shouldn’t expect huge savings at the pumps, either. Nevertheless, if you're looking for good fuel economy the ecoFLEX diesel is capable of 76.3mpg with emissions of 99g/km. Insurance should be cheap as entry-level cars are in insurance Group 9.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
