Focus on Vauxhall: The Astra
smooth, composed and oh-so comfortable to the point where a Golf feels a little lumpen by comparison.
A ford Focus still has a slight edge when it comes to handling, but the Astra is hot on the Ford’s heels thanks to its poise and grip through corners. There is also the choice of Vauxhall’s Flexride system that offers a choice between comfort and sport settings for the suspension and the difference in the two is obvious. However, neither setting offers any great advantage over the excellent balance of the normal suspension set-up, so Flexride is best left on the options list.
Another area where the Astra gains ground on its fuel- sipping rivals is refinement. At any speed and over any ground, the Vauxhall is supremely quiet. Wind, road and engine noise are impressively muted, while the six-speed manual gearbox has a precise, light action to add to the overall feel of a brilliantly well sorted hatchback.
Inside, the Astra borrows its style from the Insignia, so the cabin and dash look classy and are solidly built. Only the profusion of small buttons on the centre console let the side down as they take a while to decipher.
The driving position is comfortable and adjusts easily to suit all drivers, while rear seat space is generous and the boot is one of the biggest in the class.
There’s a slightly more limited range of trims to choose from for the ecoFLEX Astra, but all come with air
conditioning, cruise control, electric front windows, CD stereo and alloy wheels. Six airbags and ESP stability control to help avoid accidents also come with every Astra.
The generous level of standard equipment is appealing in the Astra and its price undercuts its arch rivals from the Ford Focus camp. Unfortunately for both the Astra and Focus, the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion is cheaper than both.
Despite this, the Vauxhall Astra ecoFLEX more than deserves to be considered alongside the two class leaders for its comfort, refinement and space.
Facts at a glance Model: Vauxhall Astra Engine: 1.7-litre turbodiesel Performance: 0-62mph: 11.9 secs; top speed: 117mph CO2 emissions: 119g/km Combined fuel consumption: 62.8mpg
The Instructor : September / October 2011 Visit
www.ukdicmagazine.co.uk
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