Vauxhall ASTRA ESTATE RANGE
Size May Not Be Everything But In The Estate Market Its Still A Big Deal. Andy Enright Sizes Up Vauxhalls Latest Astra Estate
If youre in the market for a compact estate car,
Vauxhall may well have your number. Whether you knew it or not, that number is 1,570. Thats the amount of cubic litres of space in the back of the latest Astra estate with the rear seats folded down and its a big number. Bigger than you might expect of an Astra estate but then this car does have a trick or two up its sleeve.
When the Astra hatch was announced, Vauxhall made great play of the fact that they could design a sleek, sexy looking car without too much emphasis on overall practicality, due in no small part to the fact that they could rely on their more practical cars like the Zafira for the more family-friendly duties. Therefore when they announced an estate version of the hatch, many jumped to the conclusion that it would be something of a half measure. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, we should have seen this one coming.
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When
Vauxhall announced the Vectra estate, they used the stretched chassis of the Signum as a basis, this giving excellent load lugging abilities and ample passenger room. Theyve adopted a similar tack with the Astra estate, using a stretched version of the Astra hatch chassis with another nine centimetres stitched into the cars 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, the Vauxhall counters by dint of its sheer practicality.
"Vauxhall have thought long and hard about the way people who buy these sorts of cars really use them"
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. A stainless steel rim protects the conveniently low boot sill from scratches. The rear bench
seat splits 60/40 although there is an option of a nattier 40/20/40 split system. Vauxhalls FlexOrganiser is also offered as an option.
This system organises the rear loading space into separate compartments and now features horizontal side rails in anodised aluminium. We tried in vain but could not find a FluxCapacitor anywhere on Vauxhalls long options list for the Astra Estate. An automatic levelling system, a trailer stability program and Hill Start Assist, on the other hand, can be specified. Flat roof rails, which will also be familiar to Signum customers, are fitted as standard.
Choose between black and silver. The estates styling is integrated and sleek, the longer wheelbase giving it real presence. The rear light clusters are distinctive, with an angular three-dimensional look that clearly differentiates the rump of the Estate version. Load lugger or otherwise, Vauxhall havent compromised the Astra estates driving dynamics and its fitted with the same advanced suspension system as the hatch.
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. The engine line up consists of the usual wide selection of powerplants, some new, some heavily revised and some carried straight over from the previous model.
The line-up kicks off with an 85bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit, alongside a 100bhp 1.6-litre and the familiar 125bhp 1.8-litre engine.
Two 2.0-litre turbocharged units are also offered for sportier versions; the 170bhp for the rather hot versions and a 200bhp big banger for some serious speed. The entry-level 1.4 and 1.
6-litre engines will use the Twinport technology as already seen on the Corsa whereby one of the two exhaust outlets are closed down at low revs to boost torque and improve fuel economy. Three diesel engines are available in 1.7-litre 80 and 100bhp forms plus a beefy 150bhp 1.9-litre powerplant that has been developed by
Fiat.
As would be expected, all three 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. Future developments are rumoured to include a 240bhp turbocharged engine, a version of the dual-clutch DSG gearbox and even a continuously variable transmission option to supplement the available five and six speed manual boxes, the four speed auto and the Easytronic clutchless manual system. Vauxhall could have performed a quick and easy conversion to turn the Astra hatch into an estate. They could have conjured up all sorts of pretentious lifestyle excuses as to why it had no real carrying capacity.
Instead they went about the job properly, lengthening the chassis and thinking long and hard about the way people who buy these sorts of cars really use them. If youre looking for a not so compact estate car, your Vauxhall dealer could well be your first and last port of call.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Vauxhall Astra Estate range
PRICES: £13,045 - £19,195 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 132218g/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 front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/width/heightmm 4375/2030/1460mm
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