It's been a while since I drove a new car in this class without a turbo. A mature engine that requires high revs, and which delivers poor performance, high noise levels and high fuel consumption, brings thoughts back to the 90s. If we look through the fingers at the engine, we actually find a pretty alright car.
Look and feel
Astra looks good in white - Summit White or Snow White. 17 inch light alloy rims adorn the car. Together with digital driving lights and fog lights, we anticipate a campaign model. The Astra bears the stamp of being a German car, both from the outside and behind the wheel. The car seems solid and safe. However, the premium feeling disappeared as soon as we sat down. Two glaring orange displays scream at you that this is cheap. Missing armrests and flat standard seats also drag down the look-and-feel category. I also draw for the jumble of buttons on the middle part of the dashboard. They require getting used to.
Driving pleasure
The engine detracts from driving pleasure. It must have enough revs to pull. It makes noise. I engage fifth gear already at 60 km/h. When I get to 80 km/h, I get an intense desire to upshift - but there are no more gears! With this engine, you get the best traction when the revs are around 4000. Then the engine noise is intrusive. Further down the rev curve there is sadly little to gain. I experience the engine as particularly "surly" to use a Swedish expression. But the reality is still not so bad. After all, at 3000 revs in top gear we are driving at 109 km/h. I also get a better impression of the engine at speeds from 120. The car feels very safe at motorway speeds - and there it actually gives some driving pleasure.
Apart from the engine, the car is good to drive. Suspension, steering and brakes are what I expect in a German car.
A few words about the engine in the test car. The EcoTec engine produces 115 horsepower and has VVT (variable valve opening) technology. In Norway, this engine has been removed from the price lists. In contrast, it is the motorization in the entry-level models in Sweden and on the continent. In Norway, only a very limited range of engines is currently offered. Personally, I would choose the turbocharged 1,4 liter petrol engines of either 120 or 140 horsepower.
Comfort
On the comfort side, the Astra scores well. It offers a good balance between driving pleasure and comfort. The seats in the test car are not as good as the sports seats, but do fine for me. A large back seat passenger complained about the sitting position in the back seat. The Active model line is supplied with standard seat profiles, but with a thicker seat cover that seemed very durable. I recommend spending a few kroner extra to upgrade to sports seats. In the same vein, I would recommend upgrading the infotainment department. However, the dual zone air conditioning works well.
The mentioned engine noise at Norwegian speeds detracts the points somewhat.
Place
Due to the Astra's long wheelbase, the length of the cabin is very good. At the level of a class above. Inside, it feels as if you are in a mid-range car. However, the trunk is average for the class. It has a double bottom where a cover can be folded in, or possibly taken out completely. Astra as station wagon or 4-door sedan version offers luggage space for families with children.
Security
The A-pillars are, in typical Opel fashion, powerful and dominant. At no time have I felt that they reduce visibility. I think it is important to adjust the sitting height so that you do not sit too low. The thick bars, however, give a feeling of sitting in a solid cage - i.e. a sense of security. All relevant safety equipment is in place. For increased safety, it is possible to order intelligent lighting that adapts to driving conditions and adaptive cruise control.
Economy
In general, owning an Astra is good value for money. Expect a slightly higher loss in value than the best sellers from Volkswagen and Toyota. The relatively low score is due to the high fuel consumption of the test model. On paper, it should be 0,63 liters per km with mixed driving, but perceived consumption on the main motorway was higher. Much higher. That's why I checked with Astra owners' user experiences online. The same conclusion is drawn. If I compare with 1,4T/140 (previously tested on the same stages), you can roughly count on 50% higher consumption.
- Length in the compartment
- Noisy and low traction engine
- High fuel consumption
- Unusually tasteless information displays in the dashboard
- Far too many buttons on the middle part of the dashboard
