The Vauxhall Astra is a household name in the UK and one of the most popular vehicles in Britain. It’s success is unarguable with over 2.9million vehicles shifted ever since the first iteration in 1979.
Now in it’s seventh-generation there seems to be no sign of the Astra’s relentless progress being halted and arguably one of the key factors in this is that Vauxhall have always maintained a similar design and outlook to their vehicles. Updates are invariably improvements but Vauxhall continue to enjoy the success claimed from the vehicles appearance which has made it such a hit over the last thirty years. Built in Cheshire, there are few vehicles that resonate more with the British publics car preferences than the Astra.
The new Astra has undergone a number of design tweaks, gets a whole fresh set of engines, a newly trimmed interior and a host of other features to keep it in-line with the competition. Set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show there is a lot of anticipation to see if the latest Astra can continue to cement it’s place as one of the best-selling vehicles of the last three decades.
DESIGN
In terms of the design, the introduction of LED Matrix Headlamps will give Vauxhall drivers increased whereabouts of changing environments both in terms of traffic and pedestrians. It’s also a lot sportier with an angled front end and a more smart rear that has previously been criticized for being a little drab. Other features include new tail lamps and a floating roofline. The Astra’s sportier design is helped by the fact it is slightly smaller than the previous model and apparently 200kg lighter.
ENGINES
Onto the engines and there’s a completely new range offered by Vauxhall including the 1.4-litre which will start as the entry-level standard, an impressive three-cylinder 1.0-litre that will do less than 100g/km of CO2 and the EcoFLEX model which has been touted at 91.2mpg. Towards the other end you’re looking at the 1.4-litre ECOTEC turbo and the three turbo-charged petrols for power. That’s without mentioning the 1.6 Turbo which can deliver a healthy looking 197bhp. Amazing. Diesel lovers will be disappointed to learn that there is only one on offer – the 1.6-litre that can offers power output as high as 158bhp.
INTERIOR & TECHNOLOGY
The interior of Vauxhall’s are not necessarily known for their luxury but times are changing and the latest Astra’s interior is no less impressive than that of a luxury saloon. With plenty of height and legroom its easily one of the more comfortable arrivals this year. You get a 7” touchscreen and a clean and polished centre console. It’s all very tidy. In terms of the technology “On Star” Road Assistance is unarguably the focal point offering road assistance in the form of contacting Vauxhall as soon as an airbag is deployed or giving you directions and putting them in the sat-nav. It also offers Lane Keep Assist, Advanced Park Assist, Autobraking and much more and as per the norm there’s plenty of mobile connectivity with the vehicle acting as a 4G Hotspot. It’s all very impressive and Vauxhall will hope it will carry some weight for them over the next few years. In addition to those features there is also a boot offering 370-litres of load space.
There is plenty to look forward to with the Astra and we can’t wait to see what else is revealed at Frankfurt later this year.
