The Vauxhall Astra is reborn: Amid the furore over Brexit, RAY MASSEY flies the flag with an early drive of this smart and frugal new British-built motor
- The Astra remains Vauxhall’s second biggest seller after the Corsa super-mini
- Bosses reckon the latest Astra is its most fuel-efficient version ever
Amid all the Brexit furore, I have been flying the flag with an early drive of the smart and frugal new British-built Vauxhall Astra.
It’s the 8th generation of the popular family and company car hatchback, marking 40 years since the first Astra Mk 1 was launched in 1979 — and more than three million Astras have been sold in the UK since then, including 30,000 last year.
It remains Vauxhall’s second-biggest seller after the Corsa super-mini, and bosses reckon that improvements to engines, a 200kg weight loss, and sleeker aerodynamics make it the most fuel-efficient Astra ever.
Sleek: The new Vauxhall Astra is smart and fuel efficient
With order books now open in time for the new September ’69’ plate, and prices ranging from £18,885 to £29,310, it’ll be on show at the Frankfurt Motor Show in just over a week’s time.
Full production starts at Cheshire’s Ellesmere Port factory in October, in time for the first UK deliveries in mid-November.
There is a choice of petrol and diesel engines — all of them frugal three-cylinder versions — offering a saving on fuel consumption and emissions of up to 21 per cent. And I had a go in most of them.
About 85 per cent of sales are expected to be petrol.
Petrol engines on offer comprise a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder Turbo in three levels of power — 110, 130 and 145 horse-power (PS) — all linked to a six-speed manual gearbox and achieving fuel economy of up to 54.3mpg, with low emissions of just 99g per km.
In a ‘green’ eco-driving challenge I managed 58mpg, but was one of the worst performers, with some rivals achieving around 10mpg more.
There’s also a willing 1.4-litre, 145 horse-power Turbo petrol linked to a continuously variable CVT automatic gearbox. The diesel option is a smooth 1.5-litre Turbo D with 105 horse-power, linked to a six-speed manual, or a more powerful 122hp model with the option of manual or a smooth new nine-speed automatic gearbox.
This auto-diesel has a top speed of 127mph, and sufficient acceleration from rest to 60mph in ten seconds. With a base price of £26,500, it is a smart package.
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