First drive review: Eye-catching to look at, refined and polished to drive, and well equipped – but the new Vauxhall Astra is notably pricier and less practical than its big-selling predecessors
A major effort has been made to simplify the Astra’s derivative line-up this time around, in order to present a showroom proposition that’s easier to understand. If you want a conventional combustion engine, you can have a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol three-pot with either 109bhp or 129bhp, or a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel with 129bhp.
Just as when looking at the exterior, you know you’re in something different here as you slide into the car’s lower-cradled driving position, and across in front of a widely digitised fascia that seeks to put this car right back into contention with the very best in class for electronic, touchscreen sophistication.
Up front, the impact of Vauxhall’s notable move upmarket with this car is more positive. The instruments and infotainment display are presented side by side within a curved, glossy black console. Vauxhall calls it the ‘Pure Panel’, and although we were able to test the only basic configuration of it , we understand that both mid- and upper-spec Astras will get a sleeker-looking take with a continuous surface and a more appealing magnesium frame.
On the road, the new Astra rides particularly quietly and smoothly, with a rubbery sense of isolation at low speed that’s a great advert for the apparent care taken during its development. It isn’t soft or limp-handling at higher speeds either, retaining good lateral body control and decent grip levels when cornering hard.
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