Astra is smart - inside and out

THE Astra has been taking on the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf for what seems like forever. It's an endless game of cat, mouse and, er, cat.

The latest Astra is an all-new lightweight design, incorporating new engines and technology. Such is the weight-loss programme the hatchback has been subject to, depending on the model, it is up to 200kg lighter than the outgoing model.

Those new engines range from an all-new 1.4 litre ECOTEC direct injection turbo to the 1.6 litre CDTI Whisper diesel, as featured in our test car.

Penned to look more agile, the new Astra caught the eye of my passengers, a couple of whom, before realising what it was, questioned whether it was something from out East. I understood what they meant. Far from the staid, stiff upper lip British look, it has the air of something a little more adventurous, like say, the design favoured by Kia's Peter Schreyer. The slogan 'Yes. It's an Astra' suggests Vauxhall feels the same as me.

Reducing weight means our oil burner was nearly a second quicker to 60mph - nine seconds, compared with 9.7 seconds. Top speed is 127mph.

The Astra's light steering makes changing direction easy and a decent turning circle means you can negotiate tight turns easily.

The ride borders on the firm, but it's by no means uncomfortable and I'd go as far as to call it entertaining. For what is ostensibly a family car, it does allow you to enjoy yourself a little.

ON THE INSIDE:

THE inside of the Astra is very definitely a Vauxhall. The company's genetics are present throughout the range and this, for me, is a good thing. It's a good space in which to sit and I like the chunky nature of all the important switches and knobs. The gearstick, for example, is substantial and there's a meaty feel to the travel through the gate. We aren't talking VW quality, but it's a decent enough attempt.

The dash is logically laid out and there aren't a myriad of buttons to come to terms with.

Vision out the front and sides is good, but the rear can be a little problematic due to the thick pillars.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

STANDARD features on our SRI badged car included 17ins alloys, front fog lights, rear spoiler, steering wheel audio controls, sports-style front seat, six speakers, Navi 900 IntelliLink system, air conditioning, electric windows, rain-sensitive wipers, automatic lighting, Sport switch, door-to-door illumination, OnStar personal connectivity, forward camera system, remote control alarm. Options on our car were LED Matrix headlights (£995) and Electronic Climate Control (£395).

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT:

IT'S a spacious cabin in which to sit, regardless of whether you are in the front or the back. Legroom and headroom are both in plentiful supply.

With the seats up there's 370 litres of space. You can fold them to increase the load area, but they don't go totally flat. I should probably mention the OnStar feature which via a Smartphone or Apple app turns the car into a 4G mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing up to seven devices to be connected simultaneously. As well as the entertainment aspect, OnStar also has practical and security applications for subscribers such as finding specific locations, remotely lock or unlock the car and trace it should it be stolen.

RUNNING COSTS:

VAUXHALL say you should be able to get more than 72mpg on the combined cycle. CO2 emissions are slightly higher than the magic 100g/km coming in at 103g/km. This car falls in the 16E insurance group.

VERDICT:

SMART in more ways than one, the Astra is a decent threat to its rivals.

ALTERNATIVES:

VOLKSWAGEN Golf, Ford Focus, Kia Cee'd