astra

2014 Opel Astra 1.6 / 115 Active

It has been a while since I drove a new car in this class without turbo. A noisy engine that has to be revved hard, modest performance and heavy on the fuel, – brings me back to the nineties.

I have taken the Astra for a test trip to La Cite in Carcassonne, France. A place kept intact from European Middle Age. No Wonder it is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Look-and-Feel
Astra looks good in white – Summit White. 17” alloy wheels with 10 double spokes. Leather steering wheel and fog lights are the only extras. The Astra looks and feels like a true German car, both from the outside and behind the wheel. It feels safe and solid. But nothing inside makes me think of a premium car. I really dislike the two gloomy orange displays. They are cheap. No armrest between the front seats, and the contourless seats doesn’t leave any good impressions, either. I also hate the jumble of buttons on the dashboard middle console.

Driving
The engine does feel a bit outdated when you drive it, but on paper it looks okay. The ECOTEC engine provides 115 horsepower and features VVT Technology (Variable Valve Openings). This is the entry-level motorisation. I strongly recommend to choose the new turbocharged 1.4-liter petrol engines at either 120 or 140 hp instead.

The problem with the test car’s engine is that it doesn’t have any punch unless you drive it hard, – or at least get the feeling that you are pushing it to the limit. The engine is noisy, and a lot of that noise enters into the cabin. I shift up to the fifth gear already at 60 km/h (40 mph) because of the noise. When I get to 80 (50) I get an urge to shift up, – but I can’t because there are no more gears.

With this engine you get the best torque around 4000 rpm. By that time the noise is real intrusive. But reality is still not so bad. At 3000 rpm in top gear, the speedometer shows respectfully 109 km/h (68 mph). On the motorway, in about 120 km/h (75 mph) and above, I get a better impression, however. The car feels very safe at motorway speeds – and it gives actually some driving pleasure. I think the Germans never would make a car that didn’t feel right on the Autobahn.

Aside from the engine, the car is good to drive. Suspension, steering and brakes are as I expect in a German car: Safe and responsive, – but not as responsive as the best in the class.

Comfort
The seats in the test car are not as good as Opel’s sport seats, but not bad. They are one step up from the entry-level seats, because they seem to have some extra padding, and they seem very durable. The air conditioning with dual zone function worked fine.

Space
The Astra has quite a long wheelbase for its class. That is the reason why the cabin feels spacious, and offers plenty of legroom. The trunk however is average for the class. It has a double floor that can be folded in, or possibly taken out completely.

Safety
The A-pillars look quite dominant, but they do not reduce visibility. At least not for me. I think they might feel dominant for drivers who like a low seat position. Astra’s A-pillars give me a good feeling of sitting in a steel cage.

All relevant safety equipment are in place. For more active safety, it is possible to order adaptive lights and adaptive cruise Control as extra features.

Economy
Basically, Astra is quite economical to own. Expect lower resale value than bestsellers like Volkswagen and Toyota. The fuel consumption on this car was pretty high compared to the 140 hp turbocharged engine tested previously. You can roughly calculate 50% higher consumption.

positive1
• Plenty of legroom
• Feels safe on the motorway

negative1
• Engine is noisy and not very powerful
• High fuel consumption
• Bad taste information displays
• Too many buttons on the dashboard’s center console

2013 Opel Astra 1.4 / 140 Turbo Excellence 5 door

The new Opel Astra is distinguished by the chrome portion of the grille. It now has a wider smile. And the Astra truly offers a smile. I like German cars. They feel safe and a bit heavy. So also the New Astra.

Look-and-Feel
The last facelift added a little touch of elegance to the model. But although the Astra is quite modern and stylish, it really lacks character, compared to competitors like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. Still, I can’t put my finger on anything specific.

Getting into the car, behind the wheel, gives me the kind of impression I expect in a German car. Sport seats in partial leather and fabrics. Leather steering wheel that gives a good grip.

As soon as I turn on the ignition, the nice quality impression was gone. Two small, horrible information displays on the dashboard. Red letters on an gloomy orange background is neither informative nor elegant. I am sure it is possible to tone down the brightness of the displays, but I would definitely have chosen an upgraded infotainment system.

I don’t like the many small buttons on the dashboard center panel, either. It looks stylish with many small buttons, especially in the dark – but the function level in new cars today requires better user interface. It should be possible to operate the radio and climate control without having to stop the car.

Driving
The chassis is a little sporty and works very well on the motorway. Steering and suspension feel safe and responsive, – but not as responsive as the best in the class. Still, it feels alright both in the city and on the motorway.

The new 1.4-liter gasoline turbo engine of 140 horsepower contributes to an absolutely nice driving pleasure. My test car was brand new, and I felt that it was a little hesitant when I tried to drive it sporty. I had to check to make sure I really had the 140 PS engine. Anyway, It is not a very zippy engine, but still feels powerful. Modern turbo-feeder gasoline engines have the same characteristics as turbo diesel engines – the same strong low-end torque and the same low frequent sound.

Comfort
I sat quite firmly in the sport seats. At first, I felt them squeeze my butt and back a little, but this is typical for such seats. After two hours in the same seat, I felt good.

Although the suspension is a little sporty, it felt comfortable on the motorway. The sound level on the motorway is comfortable, as well.

The test car had the equipment level “Excellence” (equivalent to “Cosmo”) which includes comfort features like automatic lights, rain sensor, automatic dual-zone climate control, trip computer and more.

Space
I am 1.88 meter (6’2”) and had plenty of room in the back behind a driver like myself. Three adults will be okay in the back seat for a while. Inside, it feels nearly as spacious as a car in the Mondeo class. The luggage compartment is quite normal for the class. It has a double floor where the cover can be folded in, or removed. Anyway, the trunk is too small for being a full family car, but the wagon will work fine as a family car.

Safety
Opel Astra has all relevant safety equipment in place, and the car feels very safe. I have heard that some drivers feel that the A-pillars block their sight a little, but I don’t feel the same. To me, they give a feeling of sitting in a steel cage. The new Astra is available with intelligent, adapting front lights. You can also order adaptive cruise control. This was not installed on my test car.

Economy
This car offers great fuel economy compared to the car’s size and motorization. Astra 1.4 140hp comes with a nice price tag, as well. I am a little uncertain about the resale value. Opel’s popularity has faded – and is still fading. Used Opels are not sought after.

positive1
• Powerful Engine
• Cabin Space

negative1
• Gloomy and ugly displays in the dashboard
• Too many buttons on the dashboard’s console

opel-astra-1.4-140-2

Honest about Cars

No Turbo? No Fun!

A wider smile