Opel Astra – AutoWeek Test

Well, tell me: is the new Astra still a real Opel?

When we first got acquainted with the new Astra, the engineers from Rüsselsheim confided in us that they had been involved in the development of the Astra from a very early stage. In this way, Opel has been able to give its own twist to the new Astra, so that the loyal Opel customer immediately feels at home in the new family hatchback. It is true that it is powered by the same engines as the Peugeot 308 and its wheelbase of 2,675 m is identical (Astra Sports Tourer and 308 SW: 2,732 m), but if you call the Astra a uniform sausage, you are really short of it.

Where has Opel been able to make the difference with the new Astra?

First of all in the design. The Opel designers have been given the freedom to give the new Astra futuristic shapes, with some subtle retro elements. We already knew the ‘Vizor’ nose, inspired by the classic Opel Manta A, from the Mokka. The central crease in the bonnet again refers to the Kadett A, B and C, while the triangular grille in the wide C-pillars is reminiscent of the Kadett D and E.

A touch of D-Kadett in the C-pillar.

Inside, the futuristic line is continued by the black instruments, which Opel has christened ‘Pure Panel’. It houses two large digital displays, with all essential information for the road behind the wheel and the multimedia system on the right. A head-up display is available as an option. Although you also encounter details from the Peugeot 308, such as the automatic transmission selector button on the center tunnel, the working environment in the Astra is completely different from Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, with its instrument panel placed above the (small) steering wheel.

You do notice that Opel is more of a ‘no-nonsense’ brand within the Stellantis family. The finish of the interior is neat, but the materials used are of simpler quality than in the Peugeot 308. This does not detract much from the ergonomics and ease of operation: you activate a number of functions of the central display by touching the screen, but Opel has installed a whole row of physical buttons for climate control, for example. That works so nicely.

Is it only appearance, in which the Opel Astra differs from the Peugeot 308?

No, because Opel, for example, uses its own unique seats. In the test car, which is designed as a GS-Line, sports seats are optionally available with electrical adjustment, whereby the front cushion of the seat can be moved for better support for your thighs. The standard version of the Astra has not skimped on the seating furniture either. The medical specialists of the German Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR), an interest group for people with back problems, have long attached their quality label to Opel seats.

Good seats have been a spearhead of Opel for years.

If we still praise: the new Astra drives well, say! It has a nice tight chassis with a pleasant steering, in which the touch of dynamism that often characterizes Opel models is certainly not lacking. The Astra clearly distances itself from its French brothers on the same platform, although it must be said that in the Opel you do lose something in terms of suspension comfort. However, the Astra is certainly not disturbingly hard sprung.

As a plug-in hybrid, the Astra is 300 kilos heavier than the standard petrol version with 130 hp, but that weight is hardly noticeable. The chassis has little trouble with speed bumps and you can corner much faster than 90 percent of all Astra buyers will ever do. This also shows that Opel is given plenty of room within the Stellantis group to set its own accents.

What about the performance and consumption of the Astra?

The test car has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, in which a 1.6-liter turbo engine with 150 hp (an old acquaintance from the PSA Peugeot Citroën stable) is supported by a 110 hp electric motor. Together they peak at 180 hp and a torque of 360 Nm. If you take every opportunity to plug in properly, you will often only drive on the electric motor. The battery has a capacity of 12.4 kWh, which gives a range of 60 kilometers on paper. In practice, a distance of more than 50 kilometers should be feasible.

Strictly speaking, the 1.2-liter three-cylinder is already sufficient.

The way the electric motor and petrol engine work together is very good. You can hardly hear the 1.6-litre four-cylinder start up, and thanks to the eight-speed automatic transmission that is linked to it, you have a smooth and quiet drive unit at your disposal that never lacks power. From 0 to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, the top speed of the Astra 1.6 Turbo Plug-In Hybrid is 225 km/h.

Opel promises an average consumption of 1.1 l / 100 km (1 in 90.9), but you will only come close if you have made plugging an obsession. If you would never charge at all, take into account an average consumption of about 5.9 l / 100 km (1 in 16.9), which is in fact already a neat result. With the help of the electric motor, it is certainly possible to increase consumption to 1 in 22.

How much space does the new Opel Astra actually offer?

For the Astra you can place the seat nice and low. This gives you plenty of legroom and headroom. The center console is on the high side, so it sometimes gets in the way of your right arm. The Astra meets all the requirements of a good family car. In the back, the car has enough leg and headroom to offer. That is, if you have not grown to above average height during your puberty. If you approach 2 meters, you will soon experience the spaciousness under the sloping roof differently, and the Astra will take you into a headlock.

For taller people, the headroom in the back is not excessive.

If you opt for the plug-in hybrid version of the Astra, you will lose 70 liters of cargo volume in the trunk compared to the standard petrol version. That volume is swallowed by the battery of the hybrid system. You can still take 350 liters of luggage with you, which is not even wrong for a C-segment plug-in hybrid. If you lay the backrest of the rear seat flat, you have 1,268 liters at your disposal. The Astra PHEV is allowed to tow a braked trailer of 1,450 kilos.

What is standard on the Opel Astra?

Also as a 180 hp plug-in hybrid, the Opel Astra is available in all available trim levels. In order of price, the range starts with the Business Edition, while this version is more complete than the slightly more expensive Edition. In addition to air conditioning, alloy wheels, the Pure Panel with 10-inch instrument cluster and 10-inch touchscreen and a multimedia system with digital radio reception and smartphone integration for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Business Edition also offers an AGR driver’s seat, seat – and steering wheel heating, separate temperature control and a reversing camera.

Large screens, but better developed than in the Peugeot 308.

We see the same with the Elegance. It is equipped with, among other things, an AGR driver’s seat, keyless entry, automatic air conditioning with separate temperature control, a reversing camera and 17-inch light metal. But if you opt for the slightly cheaper Business Elegance, you also get seat and steering wheel heating, navigation, voice control, a wireless phone charger and Intelli-Air, which maintains the air quality in the car.

The top model is the GS-Line, with a more sporty character. Sports seats, black headliner, aluminum pedals and a Black Pack for the exterior – with a black roof and a black frame of the Vizor nose – emphasize that. A functional extra on the GS-Line is the parking aid with 360-degree camera.

And what does the Astra have to offer for safety features?

Every Astra is equipped with the Opel Safety Pack as standard. This consists of traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed adjustment, fatigue detection, automatic emergency braking and an active Lane Keeping Assist. Drive Assist can be ordered at an additional cost, with blind spot detection, positioning in relation to the road markings and warning of approaching traffic when reversing. As a PHEV, the Opel Astra is equipped with adaptive cruise control as standard, this system is an option on the other engine variants with automatic transmission.

422 liters fit in the back with the seat up, which is quite spacious.

The choice of AutoWeek test coordinator Marco Gorter

If you have no objection to switching yourself, the basic engine with 110 hp is actually enough. The performance is modest, but due to the early available engine torque, it does not feel like an extremely slow car in practice. In combination with the Business Edition version level, you already have a fairly complete car with the necessary safety features, climate control, comfortable seats and steering and seat heating for a relatively favorable price. Anyone who is in the market for an automatic transmission will have to go to at least 130 hp and then it may be smarter to immediately save for the plug-in hybrid with 180 hp. The 225 hp version is barely faster in practice, so it doesn’t add much.