Thatcher's child comes of age

It feels a bit strange reviewing the Vauxhall Astra.

After all, it’s part of Britain’s motoring heritage, and has been in existence now in various incarnations since Margaret Thatcher came to power.
The present version was launched in 2004, in a bid to challenge Ford’s domination of the middle-of-the-road market with their Focus.

From the outside, the updates to the body of the Astra have given it a more stylish and modern exterior than its predecessors, making it look quite stylish, especially towards the rear of the car.

The build quality is also good, and the whole car feels sturdy and well-made. It even managed to pass the middle-aged-man test of a new car’s reliability – shutting the door provided a more than satisfying clunk.

In terms of access, the Astra scores highly. The doors open to a refreshingly wide angle, and the sills are low enough to facilitate transfer reasonably easily, although there is something of a drop to reach the seat, which may prove tricky for some.

Once inside the car, though, things seem to go horribly wrong.

The dashboard contains more plastic than a five-year-old’s toybox, and have been designed with all the flair and imagination of a concrete paving slab.
This is a real shame, because in terms of drive, the Astra really holds its own, and in some cases, betters other cars in its class.

Shooting around the lunchtime, inner-city traffic, its handling and grip were sharp and extremely responsive, even at low speeds. All in all, the ride quality was very smooth.

The diesel engine also provided a surprising amount of poke for 1.3 litres. It did sound a little strained at higher revs, but never enough to cause any noticeable hit in performance.

All in all, if you’re after a dependable, accessible car from the Ronseal school of manufacturing, you won’t need to look much further. That is, as long as you don’t mind a cockpit that looks like a phonebox.