Vauxhall ASTRA 1.4 CLUB
Buyers Looking To Get A Lot Of Car For Their Money Cant Do Much Better Than The
Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Club. By Andy Enright
Its common knowledge that the best way to defray serious depreciation when buying a new car is to plump for a value model residing near the bottom of the range. The problem with that course of action is that its usually about as fulfilling as an all-you-can-eat baked bean buffet. Luckily, there are a few entry level models which can offer a more satisfying menu. The Vauxhall Astra 1.
4 Club is a case in point.
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Priced from £13,295, the Club is a mid-level Astra model pitched above the basic Expression and the Life but below the sporting SXi. A quick perusal of the price list, however, doesnt do the Astra any great favours, its price nudging close to that of Volkswagens Golf 1.4 FSi S. As you may well appreciate, bald figures can be misleading.
Specify the
Volkswagen up to the Astras trim level and youd be looking at a vastly more expensive car. Were not just talking about niceties either. The Astra is fitted with air conditioning and alloy wheels which, if added to a Golf, will tack more than £1,100 onto the price of the Volkswagen. Even when residual factors are taken into account, its not difficult to see where the
smart money goes.
Kit like curtain airbags, body coloured addenda and audio controls on the steering wheel isnt universally common at this price point. With 90bhp at your command in what is a fairly heavyweight body, the Astra 1.4-litre Club isnt what wed describe as a fireball but the sensible gearing and refined nature of the engine make it a car that you wont feel inclined to flog within an inch of its life. Should you choose to do just that, youll be able to return a sprint to 60mph of 13 seconds and a top speed of 106mph.
Of more relevance to most customers will be the 44.8mpg overall fuel consumption figure and the 151g/km of CO2 thats emitted from the tailpipe every kilometre. Peak torque of 96/lb ft is reached at 4,000rpm so although you will need to rev the engine to maintain decent progress, your ears arent punished as a result.
"Its not difficult to see where the smart money goes"
The torsion beam rear suspension of the Astra bestows a number of benefits. Being very compact, it allows rear passengers to snuggle down that little bit lower and in turn gave the stylists the opportunity to pen a sweeping roof line for the five-door car thats a good deal sassier than most of its boxy rivals. That said, this sort of suspension system has in the past gained a reputation for being a little crude but the installation in the Astra brings new technology to the game and its very impressive. While it cant match the multi-link arrangements of the Golf and the Focus when driven at ten tenths, its a good deal quieter at normal speeds, contributing to the 1.
4 Clubs big car feel. The five door hatch and estate variants are the sole body options
Vauxhall will offer for the time being, although leaked photographs of the alluring three door version have been circulated and this will replace the current coupe in early 2005. Later that year, its expected that a coupe-cabriolet version will make its debut, the range finally being fleshed out by a
mini-MPV version to replace the ultra successful Zafira model. Clever packaging and a long wheelbase have helped to maximise the Astras interior space, helped in no small part by the fact that the exterior tale of the tape shows the Astra is one of the biggest cars in its class.
That sloping roofline looks as if itll pinch rear headroom but look a little closer and youll notice the sloping line that catches the eye is but a chamfer and the actual roofline arcs higher. Rear headroom is in fact better than the outgoing car and legroom and shoulder room is in another league. The luggage bay isnt the largest and there is some intrusion by the suspension turrets and a relatively small aperture caused by the angled tail lights but 1270 litres of room with the seats folded down and 350 with them in place isnt bad. Better still, the estate increases these capacities to 1550 and 570 litres.
If its ultimate space youre after, it may well be better to opt for the versatile Zafira mini-MPV. Vauxhalls product design philosophy is now able to bear fruit, a range of practical MPV style cars allowing the designers to make the hatches that little bit sleeker. Interior quality will be a revelation if all youre used to is old Vauxhall. Even lined up next to a Golf, the Astra 1.
4-litre Club can hold its head high, the soft touch plastics and the stylish silver centre console looking a good deal more chi-chi than the Volkswagens rather sombre finishes. Chrome ringed dials brighten the instrument binnacle and the front of the Astra feels airy despite its comparatively high waistline. The Astra 1.4-litre Club is a car all but the most unreconstructed badge snobs should put on their very short list.
Excellent build quality, neat design, a refined and well mannered powerplant, keen pricing and excellent vehicle dynamics all come to the fore. Some may write the car off due to its perceived proximity in price to some premium rivals but the Astra offers a lot more equipment and is built to last. Even if you dont want to belong to any club that will have you as a member, you may owe it to yourself to try this one.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Club
PRICE: £13,295 - £14,045 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 151g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 13s/ Max Speed 106mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 44.8mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5-door] length/width/heightmm: 4249/2030/1460
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