Advantages: responsive and quick off the mark
Disadvantages: seats bit too firm

...We have had our astra for over a year (it was 12 months old) and although we had astras in the past our last car was a honda accord. The difference between the two, in handling, was huge. The astra is just so responsive. The steering wheel, the gears and especially the brakes (which can be a little too responsive!). The car starts first time and comfortably seats our family of four. Petrol consumption is good and costs us no more than the Honda or the Astra CD and LS (we have had over the last 6 years). The boot easily fits our suitcases when we go away. We also have a roof box (which fits to the trim on the roof) if we need any further luggage space. The Astra has all the features that you'd expect, power steering, CD, air conditioning and the nifty cruise control (just press a button and the speed is set. Great for motorway driving... Read review

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Advantages: Performance, Cost, Looks
Disadvantages: Common car, petrol and SUSPENSION!

...about the same though - from experience)! and obviously the looks are the same the wheel size etc... you can get cruise control with both aswell, but traction control is an extra with the 1.8. Now, let me get to the bigest let down on the 1.8 (which is crazy) THE SUSPENSION. I'm not one to change things to do with engines, brakes and suspension on cars..... THIS CAR IS SO BOUNCY HOWEVER, IT NEEDS A DIFFERENT SET OF SPRINGS. ok, its not ridiculous, but it is certainly not as tame as the SXi. Being so used to my 1.6 SXi, when driving the SRi i felt a little queasy afterward. it just doesn't seem to hold the road as good. Vauxhal upgraded everything else such as brakes and general tweaks... WHY DID THEY DOWNGRADE THE SUSPENSION??? So in all, yes the astra is a good car. good to drive, good to run, insure, good looks and i like it a lot... Read review

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Advantages: Very quick and well built
Disadvantages: depreciation

...The successor to the MIGHTY Cavalier GSI - but this time in an estate version - this car has got so much power - I can literally smell the petrol fumes from it's engine?! All is well with the car - it is SO right - with awesome looks and great standard equipment - this is a car to be proud of owning. OK - so when you think of a highly innovative car manufacturer 0 do you think of Vauxhall - No. It's hardly the first name that springs to mind - Lotus could be one, and Porsche perhaps, maybe even Fiat - but due to cars like the Vectra - the Vauxhall image has been one of much blandness throughout the past few years. However, all is changing as I type - the latest Astra models and Astra Coupe models show style - and the forthcoming Corsa will be a hit. Add to that the greatest Sports car at under £24000 - the VX220 - and Vauxhall's image... Read review

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Advantages: Performance, spec, reasonable insurance
Disadvantages: Some think the looks are too conservative

...Please humour me as what I am going to do here is actually a review of the Astra 2.0 SRi 16v, but hopefully you will still find it useful. This is the model I have and Ciao don’t seem to have included it on their list of Astras so I’m sticking it under the 2.2 ok?!! Anyway it is basically the same car as the 2.2, just with an ever so slightly smaller engine. I purchased my Astra SRi about a year ago. This was from a Vauxhall dealer I found in Slough after doing a used car search on Vauxhall’s very helpful website. I had decided on the Astra as both the Golf GTi and Peugeot 206 GTi had very similar performance as the Astra but much higher insurance groups. (The Astra 2.0 SRi is Group 11). The price of £11,000 I thought was quite reasonable for a sports model that was just over a year old and only had 8,000 miles... Read review

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Advantages: Great handling, Cruise Control, 125BHP
Disadvantages: Wheel spin with heavy acceleration.

...So firstly this is my 2nd car, moving from 1.6 litre Peugeot 306, and boy was I blown away by the vast improvement in switching cars! The handling in the Astra ( SRi 1.8) is excellent, and takes coners with a breeze. From start to 60mph in 9 seconds. And is a surprisingly nippy car, Now for the boring stuff... The gear shift is short and well positioned. The pedals are sited without any offset from the driving position. There is adequate clearance beside the clutch pedal to rest your foot. The pedal weight on the clutch is perfect although the resistance of the accelerator pedal is a little light. The instruments are clear and attractive, and have like a brushed aluminiuim thing around them which compliments other details on the dash and interior, which is rather spacious, than say the corsa, or other vauxhalls, exculding the vectra... Read review

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Advantages: Sporty feel, improvement over others in range
Disadvantages: Minor technical faults (trim, electrical)

...1998 Vectra 2.0 SRi The SRi (2.0) is a more defined car, than the "normal" range cars. This is helped by "uprated" suspension and wider track tyres. Interior features are slightly similar to the standard range, but enhanced by improved trim, based on the CDX. Performance is near to that of the GSi, as there are many complainants of the GSi, who have also driven the SRi! The vehicle is a compromise between the top of the range GSi (which is a modified SRi, supplied by MSD) and the CDX. Fuel consumption averages 30mpg., and look for "air breather" modification on engine. Insurance is reasonable for the performance.... Read review

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Advantages: Fuel consumption, insurance, looks
Disadvantages: Air conditioning sometimes gives out damp smell, gear change a bit notchy

...profile tyres, smoked rear lights, body colour bumpers, mirrors and door handles, front fog lights and transparent headlights, although no spolier on the back - standard on the high performace SRi. The 1.6 16v twinport engine offers good performance and good cruising ability on A-roads and motorways. Good acceleration from 30 through 70mph. The car handles well with very little body roll and the brakes are responsive and feature ABS. My car was purchased through a Vauxhall Main Dealer for £8995 in 2005 and has been 100% reliable.... Read review

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Advantages: Sexy design, sporty look, good on boot space
Disadvantages: Cheap interior appearance, not comfortable

...*~*~Introduction~*~* This review is based on my experience of using the Vauxhall Astra each week for regular motorway journeys down South every week for work. The Vauxhall Astra has been said to have been developed to offer technical sophistication and exceptional comfort, I wonder if my review will agree with that…read on if you wish to find out. *~*~Exterior Appearance~*~* The Astra SRi looks tasty I am definitely not a fan of the Vauxhall's but even I have to admit this model is a pretty attractive car. The model I am reviewing is the 3 door hatchback complete with a sleek spoiler, body colour bumpers, mirrors and tinted glass. My absolute pet hate is the black plastic on the Vauxhalls and the SRi has definitely skipped on this. The standard black trim on the car is replaced with colour coded trim which gives it a much sexier... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Looks, performance, comfort
Disadvantages: none

...Purchased a '99T Astra CD 1.8 16v as my second ever car and I am very impressed. Used to have a Rover 214. Mine is in dark blue and has the Irmscher spoiler and alloy wheels. Looks are excellent espesially with the Irmscher 17" wheels, makes the car look wider and more ballanced. Dark metalic blue looks great but needs to be kept clean!! Black trim is starting to fade (a problem with all Vauxhalls) but is easily sorted with some back-to-black. Interior looks good and is plain and simple with everything easy to reach whilst driving. Mine has the wood effect dash and gearknob. Could do with having better seats, (maybe the "sports" seats from the sxi or sri models) especially on long journeys, but overall it is comfortable. Build quality seems good, mine is approaching 5 years old and has no major marks or rattles. Interior light... Read review

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Advantages: Affordable, good alrounder
Disadvantages: Cambelt change every 40000 miles (expensive)

..., it does not scratch that easily. A heated rear window is good for them cold mornings and does a really good job, lots don’t. The rear spoiler is a nice touch. All the above are nice features that make the car all the more pleasurable to own and drive. After sales As with most main dealers, they are brilliant and couldn’t be more helpful until you have bought. Then they really don’t seem to care. Under duress they have sorted out a few niggly bits for me under the Vauxhall 3 year warranty. If you are going to buy one, do not get a Network Q warranty until the manufactures warranty has expired, it’s pointless and a waste of money, certainly get one after. Conclusion Having worked in the automotive industry for sometime now, I have a fair knowledge of cars and would not hesitate to recommend the Astra SRI (ashtray) to anyone. All things being... Read review

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