44 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | OCTOBER 2019
Holding pattern
With the current Vauxhall Astra looking longer
in the tooth than an old walrus, it was more than
ready for an injection of tech and engineering
from new owners PSA. But because of the long-
range nature of car manufacture, the wheels of
the Astra facelift were set in motion way before
any sniff of French intervention. This update is
pure Vauxhall – and not at all bad.
It’s now up to 200kg lighter, a little bit more
slippery, and on average 21 per cent more fuel
efficient than before, largely due to a completely
overhauled aluminium engine range, all triples.
There’s also a pair of automatic gearboxes – a
nine-speeder for the 1.5 diesel, and a CVT for the
1.4 petrol (actually a 1.3, by our maths). That new
1.4 should by rights be more powerful than the
1.2 petrol, but isn’t. So the Astra has two different
petrol engines with 143bhp, because of market-
ing, or something. You do get 8lb ft more torque
with the 1.4, though.
There’s no hot Astra, although this facelifted
family is a lot more entertaining than you might
imagine, with tidy body control and a fast rack
that lends an agile feel to the front end.
The manual gearbox is annoying. It’s hard to
get a smooth shift in the low gears, although this
improves in third and fourth. The CVT manages
power better, pulling away smoothly and picking
up quickly, with artificial shift points rather
than noisily rubber-banding to the redline.
On the motorway the ride is calm and that
wind-tunnel fettling means zero rustle.
Inside the cabin it’s still a plastic-fest, but
now with an eight-inch touchscreen and digital
instruments lifted from the Insignia for a more
modern tech offering. Safety kit includes a
front camera with pedestrian detection, plus
LED headlamps on higher-spec cars. Your
neighbour’s PSA-built new Corsa gets those as
standard, though. Awkward.
The Astra’s always been quite good, and now
it’s even better. Lower CO2 will enhance its
appeal for company drivers but there’s nothing
to tempt a private buyer away from a Golf.
ADAM BINNIE
Facelift brings many benefits, but we’ll have
to wait for the major overhaul it really needs
VAUXHALL ASTRA
THE FIRST HOUR
1 minute
No hands-free entry
or start, so better
reacquaint yourself
with the idea of a key
5 minutes
Why does this 143bhp
auto feel so much
faster than the 143bhp
manual when it’s
0.2sec slower to
62mph?
15 minutes
Stepped CVT is
actually pretty good –
in no way as annoying
as an old Toyota Auris
25 minutes
Drivetrain is quite a bit
like latest Corolla’s,
minus the hybrid
benefit
1 hour
An indicated 20mpg
on country lanes is a
worry. Time to ease off
First verdict
Meaningful updates elevate the Astra to the car it
should always have been, but it’ll be replaced by a
PSA-based model in a couple of years anyway
★★★★★
PRICE
£25,635 (SRi
VX-Line Nav 1.4
Turbo Stepless
Auto)
POWERTRAIN
1342cc 12v turbo
three-cylinder petrol,
CVT auto, front-
wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
143bhp @ 5000rpm,
174lb ft @ 1500rpm,
5.9sec 0-62mph,
143mph
WEIGHT
1205kg
ON SALE
Now
Data
EFFICIENCY
46.3-48.7mpg,
112g/km CO2
▲
PLUS
Fun to drive; engine
and gearbox work well
together
MINUS
▼
Still some scratchy
plastic; entry-level
dials and infotainment
screen look dated
Most minimal
facelift ever.
Slightly bigger
changes inside
First drives
