Vauxhall Astra Estate 1.6i

The Astra estate is a spacious vehicle which is ideal if you need extra boot space but need to drive on a budget. I own a diesel estate in blue and have done so for almost a year now. In that time the only repair needed has been a replacement suspension spring/coil which was due to wear and tear from driving on country roads.

However, the Astra estate is prone to one condition which I was advised of by a mechanic prior to purchase but has only materialised now after 10 months of daily use: bonnet discolouration. Astra estate engines have a tendency to overheat somewhat and although this may never cause you or your engine a problem it eventually leads to the paintwork on the bonnet becoming dull. I haven't looked into the cost of a re-spray yet but presumably it will be worth it considering I have had low maintenance costs.

The seats are particularly comfy and can be adjusted in height as well as angle which I have found very useful as my partner and I are different heights. I like to be able to see over the bonnet!

The boot size was the main reason why the vehicle was purchased as we own a large breed dog who needs a fair bit of space. The carpet can easily be removed for cleaning and there is a pull out plastic cover at window height to pull over the contents of your boot (but not the dog!) if you wish to conceal the boot. I have found this especially usefull when using the vehicle for shopping or when on business to conceal valuable objects.

If anyone is thinking of fitting an Astra estate with a dog cage I would advise getting one made independently rather than purchasing from Vauxhall as they cost over £300 and are no better than others on market.

Of course, as has been said in other reviews, the Astra Estate is a practical vehicle and certainly wont help you set any trends. It doesn't tell anyone anything about your personality but if you don't much care about that and would rather have space for your family/dog/shopping then you can't go wrong with this car! Corner handling is not brilliant so a bit of extra effort is required (it will improve muscle tone!!)