Vauxhall Astra
Having won family hatch tests in the past, Astra still puts up a strong challenge
MODELTESTED: Vauxhall Astra 1.0i Turbo SRI Nav
PRICE: £21,910 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 104bhp THE Vauxhall Astra is one of the most versatile family hatchbacks on sale, and when we last tested this 1.0-litre turbo variant we’ve got here (£21,910 in SRI Nav trim), it beat its rivals. So it’s in with a strong shout against the Focus and Golf, two cars it’s been battling with for years.
Design & engineering
THIS seventh-generation Astra went on a weight-loss programme during its development. It lost up to 200kg over its predecessor and is the lightest car on test, with a kerbweight of 1,188kg. It matches its rivals with Macpherson-strut front suspension, but the rear uses Vauxhall’s compound crank set-up, which helps packaging.
There’s a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit under the bonnet producing 104bhp and 170Nm of torque. Both figures make this the least potent car in this test, but the lighter kerbweight should negate some of this when it comes to performance.
Inside, the Astra is more aligned with the Focus than the Golf in terms of its quality, but even then the Ford has the edge over its Vauxhall competitor for interior plastics and ergonomics.
SRI Nav trim matches the Titanium-spec Ford for its level of kit, though, with sat-nav, Carplay, Android Auto, strong safety tech and cruise control all fitted. Still, the eight-inch colour touchscreen isn’t quite as sharp as the Ford’s, as we’ll see.
The Astra and Golf get the option of climate control (it’s standard on the Focus), while one extra worth noting on the Vauxhall is Onstar. This used to be standard on this trim when the Astra was launched, but it now costs £415. In effect, it’s a concierge service that will send destinations direct to the sat-nav, and features a Wifi hotspot and a diagnostic tool so Vauxhall can tell remotely if your car is healthy. Onstar will also automatically call the emergency services and give your location in the event of a crash, as well as help track your vehicle if it’s stolen.
However, following PSA’S buyout of Vauxhall and Opel, this service will be switched off at the end of 2020, so if you spec this on your Astra be prepared for a usable window of only around two years.
Driving
DESPITE that weight saving over its rivals, the Astra’s engine is outgunned for both power and torque. And when you factor in a five-speed gearbox that offers fewer ratios to cover a similar speed range, the Vauxhall’s performance was the most sluggish. However, this is relative, because in isolation the Astra’s 12.5-second 50 to 70mph time in top gear is similar to the Ford’s, so it still delivers a decent degree of flexibility.
In the lower ratios between 30 and 50mph there was no hiding from the stopwatch; in fourth in particular the Vauxhall’s 7.6-second effort was two seconds adrift of the Golf’s. At least the British hatch is refined on the move at higher speeds, even if the gearshift action isn’t as nice as its rivals’.
Where the Astra catches up is for ride and agility. It doesn’t have the Ford’s precision, nor can it match the Golf’s sense of solidity, but it does blend these attributes with ride comfort in a package that feels well matched. The suspension set-up is composed over all but the worst surfaces, and because it doesn’t offer as direct a connection between car and driver as you get in the Ford or the VW, it does at least mean it’s quite forgiving.
There’s plenty of vertical movement in the suspension, so it doesn’t feel as rigid as the Focus in particular. The Vauxhall delivers softer, looser control, and a good degree of comfort as a result.
This does serve to highlight just how plush the Ford’s damping feels, though, because it easily matches the Astra in this respect but is much sharper with greater body control. The Golf is a close second.
Practicality
DESPITE the rear axle layout helping packaging, the Astra’s 370-litre boot is 10 litres down on the Golf’s and five litres short of the Focus’s. This isn’t a massive practicality drawback, but the more pronounced loading lip than its competitors’ may be more of an issue. At least the Vauxhall’s boot floor has ridges to help stop items sliding about when you’re on the move.
Rear legroom is comparable with rivals’, although the Astra’s more tapered roofline next to the squarer VW in particular, plus narrower rear windows, means headroom is tighter in the rear and it feels a bit more claustrophobic than either competitor. The cabin ergonomics aren’t great, either. There’s some useful storage, but not as much as in the Ford or VW.
Ownership
FINISHING 22nd in the Driver Power 2018 makers’ chart wasn’t a great result for Vauxhall, because it trailed both the other brands here. Its dealers came 21st; Ford’s garages ranked 20th and VW’S franchises were 18th.
Still, the Astra fares better for safety. Its full fivestar Euro NCAP safety rating matches the other cars in this test and stems from the features in our SRI Nav’s Driving Assistance Pack One, which include autonomous braking and collision warning, as well as lane departure warning with lane keep assist.
Running costs
THE Astra claws back some ground when it comes to fuel economy, because its 42.1mpg result was the best of this trio. It means you’ll spend £1,685 per year on fuel (over 12,000 miles) based on these figures.
The Ford and Volkswagen weren’t too far behind the Astra, though. The Golf returned 38.5mpg, which means annual bills of £1,842, while you’ll spend £1,922 a year at the pumps by running the Focus. It returned 36.9mpg in comparison.