Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi Ecoflex Exclusiv (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Stylish Astra ups its game

11:43am Wednesday 9th February 2011 in Cars By Richard M Hammond

DECEMBER 2010 saw Vauxhall’s Astra return to the top spot as the UK’s best selling car. In its decades-old battle with the Ford Focus and previously the Ford Escort, the Astra has often come out on top.

In these more austere times the contest is not to be the fastest or most glamorous, but to be the most frugal.

As might be expected where these two vehicles are concerned, the efficiency specialist line-ups are similar, with both offering stop-start and no-stop-start equipped versions of their economical family hatchbacks.

The non-stop-start versions have a cheaper initial purchase price but lose out in terms of fuel economy and emissions. With the Astra, this is less of an issue than with the Focus because, whereas the addition of stop-start drops the 1.6-litre diesel Focus Econetic from 104g/km to 99g/km CO2 emissions and thus from tax band B to free of charge A, the Vauxhall drops from 109g/km to 104g/km, remaining in tax band B.

The Astra loses that battle, then, but not the war, as it works hard to make up for the initial shortcomings elsewhere. The biggest thorn in Ford’s side comes in the form of the Astra’s interior.

There’s a high quality ambience in the cabin, giving the Astra a mini- Insignia feel. In the Exclusiv model, soft lighting beneath the gear lever surround and in the door handle moulds is a premium touch and the chunky, sturdy feel to the steering wheel is replicated in the metal rimmed knobs and the solid column stalks.

The Astra holds its own outside, too, with a contemporary design that’s attractive but refined and sensible.

The Ecoflex model needn’t suffer visually for its greener emphasis, either. 17-inch alloy wheels are optional, to replace the flush-covered steels as standard. The revised aero package does little to harm the Astra’s attractive exterior lines and the automatic aero-flap behind the grille is discreetly hidden. A keen eye may spot the marginally lowered suspension, which reduces drag alongside the low-rolling resistance tyres.

However, the major changes, although still hidden, are more noticeable. The taller gearing, for example, which comes courtesy of a longer final drive ratio, affecting all five-forward gears. The positive side is that high speed and long distance cruises are more refined thanks to lower rpm. This works well with the Astra’s impressive ride quality, even on the revised suspension.

It does result in less inspiring straight line performance than some eco rivals, however. Using a smaller capacity diesel engine seems like an obvious way to reduce fuel consumption and works very well around town, but when greater acceleration is required the 1.3-litre unit does need to be pushed harder and kept above 2500rpm for any real performance.

This means the engine remains audible in the cabin, too, particularly when cold. A lower idling speed counters this slightly in the standard Ecoflex model, but not as much as the zero-idling philosophy of the stop-start equipped model.

The on-paper figures suggest that the Astra hasn’t quite trumped the Focus in the battle to be greenest, but the stylish and noticeably wellbuilt model is impressive enough to keep the contest alive for the foreseeable future.