Advantages: Good reliable car
Disadvantages: Expensive on tax

...I bought this car just over a year ago and it has been a very reliable car. It has 5 doors and the boot is a fair size you could fit a lot into it. This Vauxhall Astra has power sterring and have had a CD player installed in it. It has a hide away ashtray so if you want the ashtray down you press a button and the front comes down. The locks on the Astra i have got has no central locking. This Vauxhall Astra runs on Diesel which is slightly dearer than petrol but you go the extra miles on diesel. Me and my husband took this up to stanstead airport and it only used a quarter of a full tank of diesel. The engine size is a 1700cc engine which makes it dear on the road tax at £93.50 for 6 months. This Vauxhall Astra has a catalatic converter on the exhaust system and is expensive for a new one as i found out when i had the MOT done... Read review

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Advantages: Comfortable, looks great, VERY economical
Disadvantages: Can be too "electronic"

...My dad had a choice of new company cars. These ranged from the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta through the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus to the Vauxhall Vectra and Ford Mondeo. In the end, he decided to go for the Vauxhall Astra Club 1.7 CDTI (100 HP) hatchback in pearlescent black paint. First impressions are great. It's a fantastically good looking car and bears a resemblance to the new VW Golf. The interior styling is very modern and it feels quite solid - a world away from the previous Astra which was dull and boring. The seats are supportive and comfortable - I drove 250 miles and got out of the car as comfortable as if I'd just popped up to the shops. The equipment levels are very good with electric front windows, air-con and alloy wheels standard on the Club. It can be too electronic at times - turning on the headlights happens... Read review

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Advantages: Value for money, performance is great, economical in fuel, tax and insurance
Disadvantages: Not for the image conscious

...I recently bought this car and it is certainly a winner in my view. I previously owned a VW Golf, 1.9 TDI, and was tempted to by another one because it was a good motor. I was recomended an Astra and thought I may as well test drive it, what harm was there. I booked a drive and was instantly impressed. I not only found that this car handled just as well as the golf but also matched its performance (in terms of handling and response). I recently changed jobs and needed a newer car and being on a budget I knew that if I was to buy another Golf it would be older and I just wanted the reliability of a warranty. Just something to stop me worrying should something go wrong. The Astra Design has the added benefit is more luxurious than the standard spec Golf, or equivalent class of vehicle. The design comes with half leather, sports... Read review

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Advantages: Space age looks (New Model 2004) Great Engine. Quality interior. Equipment
Disadvantages: Driving position. Ride & handling.

...flaked off of it.) Whilst not having any intention whatsoever of buying a new Astra, due to its newness and sure to become ubiquity, this new model was at the top of last years "cars to drive list". Having experienced each model of Astra since the late 80's, and owning three convertibles in the early 90's, I approached this latest model with mixed feelings. My wife and I like the look of it, inside and out, it is vastly preferable in appearance to the latest, or any other, Vectra. The press reports so far have all been complementary; dynamically they say that it is class competitive with the new Golf, if not as sharp as the recently obsolete Focus. The model I chose to drive was a double test as it had one of GM's all new 1.7 CTDi engines under the bonnet. A brand new Astra, with a brand new engine, this does not very often happen, usually... Read review

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Advantages: Stylish, Comfortable, Sporty, Distinctive
Disadvantages: Small Boot

...I am currently the driver of a Breeze Blue 1.7CDTi SXi (100ps) 5 Door Hatchback which when I first aquired the car in October 2004 I wasn't very impressed, this however as changed. It's wonderful. The company I work for gave me the choice of a Ford Focus in various syles and Engine Sizes , and also the New Astra, having previously driven a Focus I stumped for the Astra. I can't put my finger on what I didn't like about at first it just didn't feel right, the driving position felt awkward, the seats were hard and un forgiving. But this all changed when I had to do a 700mile round trip to Penzance from Sheffield. I didn't feel very tired, I didn't have the usual aches and pains I normal got from long cars journeys in the past and to top it all off I didn't stop for any diesel until I got to Chesterfield on the way home which worked out... Read review

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Advantages: efficient, utilitarian, family friendly
Disadvantages: No status symbol, not flash, not over-stated

...I've had Vauxhalls before - Chevette, Cavalier, & 2 Astra estates. They've all been 2nd hand and they've all had loads of miles on the clocks 65, 190, 165 and 185,000 miles respectively and all of them have given me very little trouble despite the mileage. So here I am with the newest one I've ever had - 84,000 miles on the clock, almost four years old and it's going like a dream, bought from a dealer that passes on ex fleet cars, the condition of the bodywork, interior etc is excellent. The fuel economy is very good - supposedly around about 50mpg. Big boot, proper seat belts in the back, Air con, elec windows in front, CD player, roomy underfoot as well as behind the drivers seat. A good solid feel to the drive, it goes well - pulls up hills nicely when full of kids and family & when you put your foot down it goes. This car is a really... Read review

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Advantages: Sporty, Roomy, Leather seats
Disadvantages: Not for 5 people

...Recently I was given the chance to test drive the Astra 2-door Coupe 2.0i 16v Turbo. What a car to drive. For safety, the car has many features including: ABS braking system Drivers & front passenger airbags Height adjustable head restraints Side impact beams Energy absorbing steering column and many, many more. Other standard features are: Air conditioning Internal pollen filter 6 speaker CCR 600 stereo radio/cassette with 4 CD Disc autochanger 17" alloy wheels and others. The look of the car from the outside, I feel, shows real initiative on Vauxhalls part. It looks very sporty, but inside it is roomy and very comfortable with the leather seats, for 4 passengers. The boot is made versatile by having a split 60/40 folding rear seat and load-through to boot opening. *THE DRIVE* As soon as I switched the engine on I... Read review

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Advantages: Reliable, Extremely economical, practical and functional. ECO4, Low CO2 emissions
Disadvantages: Slow, slow, not so quick, slow! Plus what is that under the bonnet, a sewing machine?

...be remembered fondly, for saving me 25% on every fill up compared to my previous Astra 1.7TDi. Possibly the faces of passers by when I am parking too.... Read review

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Advantages: goodlooking, sexy, excellent ride ;-)
Disadvantages: common!

...of miles (60 per day) and it copes really well with this, in heavy traffic as well. I've had regular services and no problems have come up from them, recently had my cambelt done as it's over 40,000 miles now (Recommend you get this done as soon as its due as if this goes then could cost up to £1000 in engine repairs). ~ Fuel Consumption ~ Now i do alot of miles and a full tank lasts me about a week, going to and from work, which is a 60 mile round trip. As petrol prices are quite high at the moment, this works out at £45 per week at £1.01 per litre. Which works out around 30 mpg. ~ Insurance ~ Insurance Group 5, pretty reasonable if you keep it standard, the Astra is a popular car to add expense too. ~ Price ~ I purchased my 5 door, silver Sxi 1.6 16v Twinport (with 17,500 miles on clock) for £6500) in 2005. ~ Conclusion... Read review

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Advantages: Button to lock the doors from the inside.
Disadvantages: Is that a tractor I can hear?

...The first thing that struck me about the Mégane was the engine noise. Louder than my old Astra 1992 1.7 D. Possibly an exaggeration, but as it reversed off the back of the truck, everybody came out to look. The good points are security, and the fact that you can lock it using a button on the central console, and there are no loks on the individual doors. Good for stopping carjackers getting the door open fast, deters thieves (or does it?), and makes sure that your passengers don't fall out. Actually, I found the car quite spacious and comfortable to drive. The engine, though, has far less pull than the Golf 1.9 DTI, and cornering, while good, lacks the sharp edge and responsiveness of most power-assisted steering vehicles I have driven. Not as economical as I had thought, either. Usually I don't need to fill up twice a week... Read review

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