Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer full 9 point review

  • Performance

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The entry-level petrol engine is a 1.4 with 99bhp, then above that there’s a 1.6 with 113bhp. They’re smooth, but you might want the 138bhp turbocharged 1.4 if you’re going to regularly use the car fully loaded. The diesel range includes two flexible 1.7-litre units with either 108bhp or 123bhp, or a pacy 158 bhp 2.0.

  • Ride & Handling

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Astra's ride is super-smooth on the standard suspension, but although there’s lots of grip in bends, it’s not as sharp to drive as the best cars in the class: there’s too much body roll and the steering feels lethargic. The sports suspension on SRi models gives better body control, but maintains a healthy measure of comfort. The optional Flexride adaptive suspension feels appreciably different in its various modes, but it doesn't make the Astra any better.

  • Refinement

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad You'll barely hear a peep out of the Astra's suspension over a bumpy road, and road noise is also extremely well suppressed. Wind noise can be an issue at high speed, though, and some of the engines, particularly the 1.7 diesel, can be a little boomy. You can occasionally feel vibrations through the pedals, too.

  • Buying & Owning

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The Astra Sports Tourer’s list prices are high compared to many rivals, which is a big issue because many will be run as company cars (and taxed accordingly). On the other hand, private buyers will get substantial showroom discounts, which is vital as the Astra doesn’t hold its value particularly well. At least the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and leasing rates are affordable, if not a match for the class leaders'.

  • Quality & Reliability

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The Astra's cabin has big wow-factor, but once you start poking at the plastics, you'll realise that they aren't quite as sumptuous as they first appear. It's still very smart, though, and the slick switchgear helps the general feeling of high quality. Vauxhall's reliability record is reasonable, too, so the car should prove to be dependable.

  • Safety & Security

    5 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad All models have stability control to help you avoid getting into a pickle, but in case you do, there are also front, side and curtain airbags to help keep you safe from harm. Active head restraints should help minimise whiplash injuries in a rear-end shunt as well. All the security measures you'd expect are present and correct, too.

  • Behind The Wheel

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The swooshy dashboard design is interesting to look at, and with all the gadgets on show, it looks quite high-tech. However, that does mean there are lots of buttons on the dash, and some of them are small and poorly marked. Visibility isn’t great at either end of the car, either. At least there's plenty of adjustment for the seats and steering wheel to help you get comfortable.

  • Space & Practicality

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin Despite its sleek styling, the Astra Sports Tourer is impressively practical. The boot – with the optional tyre inflation kit – will take 500 litres, which is on a par with the VW Golf and Ford Focus. It’s well shaped, too, and there’s a handy two-stage load cover. The rear seats fold to create a long, level space and the top two trim levels have handy seat-release buttons on the sides of the boot. You can even lift the rear seat bases out to give you a total of 1550 litres of space.

  • Equipment

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin Vauxhall isn’t as generous as some rival brands when it comes to equipment. The basics are there, but although entry-level ES models have air-conditioning, you have to upgrade to Exclusiv trim to add cruise control and stereo controls on the steering wheel, and to SE or SRi for standard alloy wheels.

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