Opel Astra Hatch 1.6 Review: Whole new world

What we like:

Beautifully proportioned and styled - makes other hatchbacks look awkward

refinement and high-level of standard equipment.

What we dislike:

Refined

laid-back nature goes against the aggressive

sporty nature of its rivals.

While some European car makers have embarked on radical new transmissions and multiple charged power plants, Opel has decided to stick to the tried and tested, but refined and updated to match the Astra's up market aspirations.

A brand new 6-speed automatic transmission replaces both the 5-speed semi-automatic in the previous 1.6-litre Astra, and 4-speed automatic in the last 1.8-litre model. It is a thoroughly conventional unit, and paired with the mildly revised 1.6-litre ECOTEC engine, provides the Astra with a smooth, modern and efficient powerplant combination. It provides the car with a relaxed and unstressed power delivery which none of the new-fangled transmission/engine combinations can muster. There is something to be said for staying with and refining existing technology rather than having the edgy-ness and touchy aggressiveness of something completely new.

This relaxed powertrain is in keeping with the new Astra's upmarket aspirations. Acceleration is fuss-free and smooth, especially around town, and when one reaches cruising speed, it never fails to impress me when the revs drop even more when the car moves into 6th gear. In fact, as the instruments continually display which gear the transmission is in, the fact that the gearbox consistently moves quickly and smoothly into the next gear shows that it has been tuned to achieve the lowest possible fuel consumption figures, but without unnecessary fuss or bother. If this comes across as being a tad tame, turbocharged 1.4-litre, 1.6-ltre and 2.0-litre models are in the pipeline.

The Astra is built on GM's Delta II platform, and although it doesn't break any new grounds in terms of design, it has been developed to provide a solid basis for a wide range of models and bodystyles. The rear suspension for example, looks like a simple torsion beam layout, but it has a Watt-link design, which this gives the Astra its nimble handling characteristics without the bulkiness of a multi-link set-up..

Behind the steering wheel, the chunky but well-shaped, leather bound-steering wheel and precise switchgear really make the driver feel he is in a car that is extremely refined, and is many times more expensive .

Apart from looking wonderfully attractive and beautifully proportioned, the new Astra does not re-write the book on how 1.6-litre family cars are built or engineered. Instead GM (Opel's owners) has focused to moving the Astra and the Opel brand upmarket, providing a refined, and luxurious 10th generation model.

Now that GM has sold off Saab, it is Opel that will be GM's the technological flagship. This means the Astra is sets the benchmark in GM's 1.6-litre.family car segment,, which also includes the Chevrolet Cruze. So just as there are many technological similarities between the Audi and Volkswagen, it is the former that is targeted at the higher-end, while the latter will be for the masses.

This is the plan for Opel, and with the Astra, these upmarket aspirations are clear and obvious. It is also no surprise that with a thinly disguised form, the Astra marketed in China, GM's largest market, as the Buick Excelle GT, and in GM's own home market of the United States, it is sold as the Buick Verano.

Credits: Story by Justin Lee photos by Justin Lee and Raymond Lai