Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Turbo
Its difficult to pinpoint quite where the inspiration comes from for certain cars to improve beyond all recognition. The first Ford Focus was a quantum leap over the old Escort and for many years rivals tried and failed to play catch up with a product that was shot through with genius. Even the most ardent Vauxhall proponent must concede that the Focus blew the Astra out of the water. That was then.
In the intervening years Vauxhall got very serious and wisely chose to make a full-frontal assault not on the Focus peerless driving dynamics but on its one Achilles heel: namely, perceived quality.
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It wasnt too long ago that 150bhp was the sign of a genuinely pacy hot hatch but much has changed in the interim. One of the downsides of making a car feel bulletproof is that it often consequently weighs about as much as a bank vault and therefore, needs a serious engine to punt it up the road. The Astra 1.6 Turbo has just such an engine, the 178bhp unit rocketing it to 60mph in just 7.
8 seconds. Thats some serious punch, making this relatively unassuming Astra about as quick off the mark as a dedicated sports model like a Fiesta ST. With more powerful models above it in the Astra hierarchy, this car needs to do more than rely on headline performance figures, however, requiring decent economy and tidy handling to make it pass muster.
"If ever a case study in smart vehicle development was required, this Astra is as good as any"
In this case, less proves to be more. Whereas the 240bhp VXR model is rather unruly in its power delivery, a little less for the front tyres to contend with pays dividends. With a top speed of 130mph, this model is quicker than the 169bhp 2.0-litre unit it replaces.
The ride and handling are composed, although a heavy right boot will still give the traction control system a good workout, especially if the tarmac is damp. There are no big surprises with the design and build of the Astra 1.6 Turbo models. If youve driven a Mk V Astra, youll know what to expect.
Solid build quality, sharp styling, and competitive, if not class-leading, space and versatility. Where Vauxhall has boxed clever with this model is by offering a range of utility cars in parallel to it. With models like the Zafira and the Meriva to cater for the needs of those who need serious utility, the Astra has been allowed to let its hair down a bit. Three body styles are offered, five-door hatch, three-door Sport Hatch and possibly the most intriguing choice of the bunch, a five-door estate that uses a stretched version of the Astra hatch chassis with another nine centimetres stitched into its wheelbase and longer rear overhangs to give a fairly spacious luggage compartment.
Although rivals from Ford, Peugeot and Renault may be able to offer more in the way of total volume, this Vauxhall counters by dint of its sheer practicality. For a start, the load bay has straight side walls and storage areas below the floor and in either side, maximising the amount of genuinely useable space available. The rear bench seat splits 60/40, although there is an option of a nattier 40/20/40 split system. Flat roof rails are fitted as standard.
The Astra 1.6-litre Turbo models are only offered in two trim levels, or two and a half if youre a stickler for exactitude. The range kicks off with the sporty SRi variant, then theres a rather more sophisticated Design model. The most expensive version is the SRi with exterior pack, essentially an SRi thats been treated to an aggressive body kit which apes the look of the VXR range-topper.
As befits its sporting nature, the SRi features lowered suspension, sports seats, sports instruments, front fog lights and a matt chromed centre console. Somewhat unusually, prices for the three and five-door hatches are identical, the SRi kicking things off at £18,550 with the Design priced at £18,550 and the SRi with exterior pack being pitched at £19,050. Estate buyers will need £19,000 for the SRi, £19,300 for the Design and £19,800 for the SRi with exterior pack. Fuel economy has been signally improved as well, this model managing a combined economy figure of 36.
7mpg a 16 per cent improvement over its predecessor. Remember that youre getting more power at the same time and the proposition looks increasingly attractive. If ever a case study in smart vehicle development was required, this Astra is as good as any. Quietly and without undue ceremony, this model has become quicker, cleaner and more economical.
Its easy to suspect that the pace of change in vehicle design is slowing but to those who understand the subtleties of engineering, the reverse is clearly true. The sort of performance served up by the Astra 1.6 Turbo was the preserve of top-end performance hatches only a matter of a decade ago. Now its commonplace with added safety, build quality, reliability and, yes, handling prowess thrown in.
The challenge for Vauxhall is communicating these facts to a public that believes that there are no bad cars made anymore. Whilst theres an element of truth in this, theres still quite a gulf between the middle of the road and cars like the Astra 1.6 Turbo. I guess discovering quite how wide is one of the joys of ownership.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Turbo range
PRICES: £18,250 - £19,800 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 156g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.8s/ Max Speed 137mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 36.7mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5-door] length/width/heightmm: 4249/2030/1460
