Vauxhall ASTRA CDTI RANGE
Vauxhall Have Certainly Upped The Ante With The Latest Range Of Astra Diesels. Andy Enright Reports
Unless youve been living under a rock recently, you probably wont need us to remind you quite how good the latest Vauxhall Astra is. It has changed the perception of the model from a car you were given if youd repeatedly parked in your fleet managers reserved spot to something you could conceivably buy if you were putting your hand in your own pocket. Of all the models available, the diesel versions probably represent the most attractive choices.
Five diesel engines are available, in 1.7-litre 80 and 100bhp forms as well as in 90bhp 1.3-litre guise, plus a beefy 1.9-litre powerplant (offered in 120 and 150bhp guises) that has been developed by
Fiat.
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As would be expected, all meet the Euro IV emissions regulations which means that business users wont have to pay the onerous three per cent benefit in kind surcharge that drivers of non-compliant cars get tapped up for. Prices start at a very reasonable £13,895 for the 80 and 90bhp Life editions, with the 100bhp models starting at £15,195. Add around £1,000 and you can land yourself an estate. Three-door Sport Hatch models come with 100, 120 or 150bhp diesels and cost from £16,195.
On the road, the 100bhp unit feels willing enough, accelerating to 60mph in 11.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 115mph. A combined fuel economy figure of 56.5mpg wont give too much cause for complaint given the performance on offer, nor will the emissions figure of 135g/km.
The 1.7-litre diesels arent the most refined oil burners you can buy but they both pull strongly from low revs and make some very respectable figures. Should you choose to place an order for the potent 1.9-litre unit, you should find it worth the wait.
Until recently,
Volkswagen was the only manufacturer to offer a genuinely punchy oil burner in the shape of the 150bhp Mk IV Golf TDi but now that the Golf has moved to Mk V guise, the most powerful engine on offer is a 138bhp unit. This cedes ground in the power stakes to
Vauxhall, whose 150bhp unit generates a hefty 315Nm of torque, almost as much as the Volkswagen 150bhp engine.
"The tale of the tape shows the Astra is one of the biggest cars in its class"
Although even noisier than the Golfs powerplant, the Astras is very smooth, the lack of vibration at speed being particularly laudable. Despite being turbocharged, theres not the elastic power delivery of the Volkswagen TDI engine and acceleration feels more measured and not a frantic struggle to hook up the next gear. Performance is excellent, the 1.9-litre engine hauling the Astra to 60mph in 8.
4 seconds with a combined fuel economy figure given a more measured application of right clog of 50.4mpg. Emitting just 151g/km of carbon dioxide per kilometre, this car will doubtless fulfil Vauxhalls brief for the Astra, namely that it will be just as desirable for private and company users alike. One thing that Vauxhall trust will be immediately apparent is the Astras ride quality, courtesy of an advanced suspension system.
Its the first car in its class to feature Continuous Damping Control (CDC), electronically controlled shock absorbers that continuously adapt to the road surface and the drivers style. Its all part of what Vauxhall dub the Astras Interactive Driving System (IDS) that can integrate all of the electronic functions in a way thats a good deal cleverer that you might think. For example, the ESP stability control system now beefs up the damper forces first before applying the brakes to the front wheels during extreme cornering manoeuvres, making for a more sensitive and less intrusive intervention. Upspec models will also feature a Sport button so that the suspension settings, accelerator and steering response can easily be adapted to the mood of a driver.
Its something weve become used to on premium sports cars but not on a family hatchback. Despite all of these high tech touches, the Astra still uses a relatively simple beam axle at the back instead of the sophisticated multi-link layouts used by Volkswagen and
Ford. Whilst GM executives contend that this system provides good handling while transmitting less noise into the cabin, the more powerful Astra variants will doubtless show up any flaws in this logic. 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. A Vauxhall spokesman claimed that the interior of the new Astra fitted like a glove, but as few people we know are shaped like hands, this would seem to present certain problems. Not so.
Big doors and surprisingly upright side windows give an airy feel to the interior, although anybody familiar with the look and feel of the latest Vectras cabin wont find much to excite them with the Astras fascia. Youll need to sit down and carefully consider which Astra model best suits your budget. Dont believe the party line that diesel models are cheap to run as the initial upfront costs will offset any benefits in fuel consumption if youre a medium to low mileage private buyer. What cant be argued against is the sheer driveability of the Astra diesel models.
If you appreciate instant overtaking ability and have an aversion to Tiger Tokens, you know what to do.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Vauxhall Astra CDTi range
PRICES: £13,895-£18,245 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 132135g/km
PERFORMANCE: [80bhp CDTi ECOTEC] Max Speed 104mph / 0-60mph 14.0s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [80bhp CDTi ECOTEC 5-door hatch] (city driving) 34.4mpg / (rural/highway driving 54.3mpg / (combined) 57.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5-door hatch] Length/width/heightmm 4249/2030/1460mm
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