Vauxhall New Astra SXi 1.6i 16v

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	Nice styling, outstanding drive and handling, good quality interior !  !
Disadvantages:	Finicky new toys, 1 . 6 lacks real muscle and Vauxhall badge !  !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Test Model
Vauxhall Astra 1.6 16v SXI
Reg no: BF55 FYP
UK model RHD
Mileage 5912

Actual 0-60: 9.6
Printed max speed: 115 mph
Printed economy: 32.8mpg urban
Actual economy: 25mpg

The new generation Astra has gone through a complete revamp since its ageing predecessor, both externally and internally there are very few features kept from the previous shape. The main improvement overall is the driving experience which has been improved by 80%.

The New Astra is a beautiful looking car in sport hatch form and in 5 door form (like the one I tested) is still sporty looking, especially with alloys and front spot lights. As mentioned before the similarities between the previous Astra and the new generation one is minimal, Vauxhall choosing more sporty and dramatic lines to complement the cars shape. Have to say I am no big fan of Vauxhall but have to admit the Astra is a good looking car, better looking than the new generation Focus anyway. The Astra was the first car in the Vauxhall line which introduced the new family face, followed by the new Tigra, Zafira and newly revised Vectra and Signum, to be closely followed by the Corsa and Agila soon.

Despite the dramatic looks of the Astra it is still a Vauxhall which is all too apparent when you get close to it with its cheap plastic inserts in the front valance and rather ordinary shaped rear light clusters, although the lights setup itself is rather cool. The SXI spec has 16" alloy wheels and front fog lights which add a sportier look to the quite ordinary hatchback. Inside you get air conditioning, single slot cd/radio and height adjustment on front drivers seat.

Inside the car looks very up to date and the quality is really quite good with a lot of rubber touch buttons and plenty of aluminium effect trim plastered all over the dash, doors and centre console. The dashboard itself is of good quality rubber and everything is laid out reasonably well. The reach and rake steering wheel, handbrake and gear stick are covered with leather. The 3 spoke steering wheel face itself houses stereo controls, and trip computer controls (which wasn't needed on the SXI spec). The seats are of good quality but sit at a rather strange angle and when you climb into the car it is like you are climbing into a much bigger car, this is also owed to the deeper foot wells. The indicator and wipers stalks are strange as well; Vauxhall deciding on new one touch style stalks instead which take a bit of getting used to. From the glove box down there are also a lot of cheaper plastics, like the door pockets and floor centre console, which easily picks up dirt and prone for getting scratched. The other strange thing is the doors, they are actually quite heavy but admittedly the quality of the materials is good since there is rubber on the top of the door and the handle/arm rest is also soft touch and there is an aluminium effect strip going across the door, but it sounds solid when it shuts (a sign of class), but wouldn't be surprised if the seals wear out soon. The boot is reasonably spacey but has a high and narrow lip which is more triangular shaped, so getting bigger and squarer objects in will prove to be a pain, on the good side I was surprised with how light the tail gate is, especially considering how heavy the doors are.

The cabin is reasonably airy and roomy and overall is comfortable to sit in either driving or as a passenger.

The Nitty Gritty

After getting used to the strange driving position I realised that it actually suited the car and its handling attributes. The 1.6 16v isn't the most potent in the world but the 105bhp can be used well if done right. At the bottom there is virtually no power at all but this can be blamed on the rather heavy weight of the car. Get above 3000 rpm and the engine does come to life, and works reasonably well with the gearbox. The gearbox however is another story, it is very notchy and combined with the clutch isn't very forgiving, but the engine is still rather smooth, reasonably refined and quite quiet when warmed up. The transfer of power itself is actually rather good although to keep it sweet you have to stay between 3000 and 5500 rpm, but the engine does hunger for it. Like most modern petrol engines they rev a lot higher and are tuned for more trash, this is no exception. This engine can go quite well but needs to be worked hard thus meaning mediocre economy. Talking of economy the printed economy in urban driving style is average 32.8, however I achieved an average of 25mpg (the same as my old ST170), but a lot of that was test purposes. When pottering around it is just capable but if you want some more pep the 1.8 or a decent diesel is the way to go. Ok so we have established that we need to work the 1.6, but how well does the new Astra handle. Well to put it in a word, outstanding. The turning circle for the steering wheel (despite the big tyres) is short and the response with the road is fantastic. The 1.6 16v SXI has no electronic aids and really doesn't need them. There is no body roll and it is very nimble easily recovering when thrown into bends with uneven road surfaces. The body hold is amazing and no matter how hard you turn that wheel on a flat dry surface the car just goes round like on rails. However that is with a 1.6 engine, what it would be like with a more powerful unit is any ones guess, I would assume a lot more exciting. The handling enables the car to feel rather racy, in a straight line you have practically no chance against any cars, but when it comes to bends that where the Astra excels. Only alarming thing is the straight line braking it seems to slightly pull the wheel from side to side meaning you need to work hard to keep it straight so a bit more care is needed. Apart from that it has a soft and comfortable ride and is a pleasure to be in.

Overall

I think this is a worthy car to buy, I myself would prefer a choppier diesel, the 1.8 for petrol heads but overall the car package is very good. Or if you aren't too bothered about the muscle but are about the economy I would recommend this over the 1.4, I just can't see how 90bhp would be economical in a car of this weight and size. The price of this test car is £15,010, I would certainly shop around there are certainly a lot better cars for that price out there, even if you go second hand.

The car itself has certainly opened my eyes and I can now see why it is popular, I just can't believe it has the Vauxhall badge on the front. Far more exciting to drive than the previous model, but is still up against some stiff opposition. Not blistering fast but fun to drive around in and quite safe to rally in due to the lack of real muscle. Excellent quality materials found inside, with an adoptable driving position, and reasonable spec. Very nice car just can't wait to get behind the wheel of the new Focus.