Strong diesel engines and punchy petrols combine well with Astra’s composed chassis
Unlike many rivals, the Vauxhall Astra is not only built in the UK, it had its chassis tuned for UK roads. In fact, Auto Express was invited on an early chassis development drive to give initial feedback that the Astra was going in the right direction.
Our thoughts back then mirror what we think now – the new Astra sits nicely somewhere between the sportiness of the Ford Focus and the comfort of the VW Golf.
The Astra’s weight loss of up to 200kg, compared to the previous model, has helped engineers deliver a car that rides on the firm side of comfortable over nasty British roads, yet won’t leave you wincing over the worst pot holes. It also ensures the car doesn’t feel underpowered, even with the 104bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged engine.
In fact, the engines are a real highlight of the way the Astra drives. The so-called ‘Whisper’ diesels may not actually be whisper quiet, but they’re not as clattery as rivals’ engines, while performance is impressive. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is punchier than you might imagine, too, while the 1.6 petrol turbo is also excitingly swift.
In corners, the steering feels light and quick, and while there isn’t a lot of feedback, it allows you to make the most of the tenacious grip on offer and place the car easily through bends.
What may surprise you is that the car is as rigid in its sportier settings – SRi models and above sit on the same chassis settings as other cars, with only wheel and tyre combinations making a slight difference to the ride and handling balance. For the record, we’d be very happy with an SRi model, with a ride that is composed and much more compliant than its predecessor’s.
You’ll feel bumps, but the dampers take the edge off them nicely and control the body tightly so you can carry speed in total safety. This also means the Astra is a quiet and refined cruiser, and there’s little wind or road noise at motorway speeds.
We’ve yet to try an Astra with an automatic gearbox, but the manual box is easy enough to use, if not quite as slick as a Ford Focus’ shift.
Engines
The Astra comes with a broad range of engines: five petrol engines and three diesels. We’d expect the diesels to be the most popular and all come from the Whisper Diesel family. Although not exactly whisper quiet, they are more refined (and more powerful) than rivals – the 109bhp engine offers the best mpg and lowest emissions, while the 134bhp version is likely to be the best seller.
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The star of the petrol range is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, although it’s likely to be the 1.4 124bhp turbo petrol that’s the biggest selling petrol model – this engine impresses with its smoothness and performance. The 1.6 turbo model is a strong performer, and could appeal to those after a quick car without the pumped-up looks and expense of a hot hatch.
Vauxhall’s turbocharged 1.0 litre is one of the best downsized units in the business. Its balancer-shaft technology keeps it smoother than a three-cylinder unit is expected to be, yet when it’s extended, it delivers a characterful snarl that’s suited to the SRi model’s sporty image.
And you shouldn’t be put off by the engine’s modest power and torque figures, as in the real world, it punches well above its weight. Despite the engine electronics limiting revs off the line, we managed a 0-60mph time of 10.5 seconds in a 1.0-litre turbo-powered Astra SRi. It doesn’t feel sluggish and, with 170Nm of torque available from 1,800rpm, the Astra serves up plenty of mid-range power.
This muscle makes up for the fact that you only get a five-speed gearbox. Better still, the shift is positive, and while the large gearlever feels a bit chunky to hold, the engine’s power delivery means it doesn’t feel necessary to work it particularly hard.