Vauxhall Astra Hatchback (2009 - 2015) 1.6i 16V Exclusiv 5d (2010/10) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

The 2 main comments I get are 'briefcase car' meaning the business man cruiser, and 'grandpa car'. Neither bother me, it's comfy, quiet, practical and cheap. What more could I want?

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My Dad loves it - mainly because we both bought cars at similar times at opposite ends of the country and bought the same car... Red, 1.4, Vauxhall Astra. Friends seem to like it, I get a few comments about it's poor performance but they all say it is very comfortable which makes up for it!

Would you buy this car again and why?

I would buy it again - maybe even with the 1.4 engine. I would probably try and get a 1.6 petrol or 1.7 diesal next time though.

What are you likely to buy next?

I would have no problems in buying another Astra - but I plan to keep my current Astra for around 7 years (or 100,000 miles) so I dont need to think about replacements yet.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£8,500

When did you buy the car?

May 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

I felt I got a very good deal - I had no deposit to put the car onto Finance due to the last car breaking down while only a year old. The garage knew the problems with the 207 but still took it in part exchange for the Astra.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I felt Vauxhall was a name I know and can trust.

What was the dealer like?

Very good - cannot fault the sales team at all. They were very helpful.

What's it like to drive?

The 1.4 engine struggles to accelerate because of the cars size. You wont win any races with it. Once it gets up to speed, I have no issues with it. Climb hills in 4th gear rather than 5th, drop to 3rd to over take slow vehicles, etc. Very good on fuel and quiet on motorway. 70mph is just under 3000rpm. Suspension is soft enough to absorb the bumps of the road but firm enough to stop the car handling like a wardrobe.

What's it like to park?

Easy enough to park. It is a little bigger than my previous cars but the rear window is big enough to give a good view. Front pillars are a bit on the large side but there is a small window at the base of them to let you get a better view of where you are going.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Only 2 minor things that were fixed under warranty. The door hinge creaked which the garage pointed out to me and got fixed. There was also a coil pack issue in the engine that was part of a recall on the car but that was also fixed easily.

What's most practical about your car?

Huge boot space with seats up - rear leg room is pretty decent too. Can easily fit 2 large road bikes in the back of the car with the rear seats down.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The cruise control is fairly handy on the motorways. It's a good way of avoiding a speeding ticket.