Vauxhall Astra
The Astra is brilliantly reliable, but it has been for a long time. It is cost efficient, but again it always has been. Now the ‘new’ Vauxhall Astra has managed to do the one thing it was always missing, its huge amounts of fun to drive.
Visually, the new Astra is a very appealing car. The designers at Vauxhall struck the balance just right between updating the look to get a modern feel, whilst still making it appeal to all markets. Inside, the Astra continues to impress with everything feeling well built, sturdy and still soft to the touch. There is plenty of room to seat four adults plus their luggage.
For its price, all models come reasonably well equipped. The entry model comes as standard with electric front windows, power steering and remote central locking. Move up a model and you also get a CD player.
The real buzz about the new Astra is the driving appeal. It is now one of the best to drive in its class, which is a real accomplishment since it shares its class with cars like the Focus and Golf. The handling is nimble and with plenty of grip, the steering is direct and the ride is supple. There is also a massive range of engines to choose from as you would expect, ranging from the sprightly 1.4 petrol to the mighty 237bhp 2.0 turbo VXR.
09/10/2007 09:29:33
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