Recently crowned 2016 European COTY champ, does the new Astra have what it takes to unsettle two former title holders?
While the prestige associated with global car-of-the-year awards results in much marketing fanfare, the biggest challenge the winners of these competitions face is their relevance to the buying public. That’s one of the reasons CAR publishes its annual Top 12 Best Buys awards, where we select best-in-class model ranges rather than single, usually unattainable or otherwise impractical winners. One of the most respected annual competitions that mirror our approach is the 52-year-old European Car of the Year (ECOTY) awards.
Judged by leading publications representing seven European markets, it has gained a reputation for favouring a model range that not only impresses in terms of engineering and innovation, but crucially also offers immense market appeal. It would come as little surprise then to learn that all seven generations of Volkswagen’s perennial over-achiever, the Golf, have been among the top three finishers in ECOTY in the years they’ve competed. The Golf has even won the title on two occasions: in 1992, the third generation wore the crown; and, more recently, the current Mark 7 claimed the 2013 title.
Imagine the feeling of gratification then at Peugeot’s head office when, 12 months later, its all-new 308 hatch inherited the title from the model it was built to target. Launched here in 2015, the similarly lauded 308 range continues to impress with its blend of solid engineering, impressive build quality and traditional Gallic flair. While monthly sales remain relatively low compared with the likes of the Golf, the recent broadening of the local 308 range to include an automatic transmission is another step in the right direction for this dynamic French brand.
The significance of the new Opel Astra’s 2016 ECOTY victory will not be lost on South African audiences. Indeed, the last Opel-badged hatchback to have worn the best-of-Europe crown was the last-generation Kadett, a much-loved vehicle in the local market. Making the most of parent company General Motors’ all-new D2XX platform, the new Astra is not only up to 200 kg lighter than the outgoing model, but it also offers greater interior space and increased levels of comfort housed in a sleeker, more compact shape. While the CAR team was split on whether the new blacked-out C-pillar design (and resulting floating-roof effect) is a welcome, or overly fussy, inclusion, we all liked the clean, swept-back lines of the newest Opel hatch.
That said, while the front-end designs of both the Astra and Peugeot 308 GT Line are distinctive within their brand DNA make-up, they appear to have taken a leaf out of the Golf’s book, as their overall executions are on the conservative side – no doubt in the interests of broad market appeal.
Interior
One of the highlights of the modern Golf package is its impressively well-thought-out and solid interior. Making the most of all available space, there’s a welcome simplicity and lightness to the inner workings and switchgear of this best-selling Volkswagen’s cabin. By contrast, there’s a touch more visual sophistication on offer from behind the small-circumference steering wheel of the 308. While comfort and a view of the instrumentation over the wheel is dependent on the height and positioning of the driver, the 308 rewards you with a more intimate (read: cosier) environment. The combination of slush-moulded materials and a large, full-colour touchscreen infotainment system means the Pug also feels a tad more expensive than its rivals.
Where the previous-generation Astra received criticism for its busy centre console and splattering of small buttons, the new car combines a comprehensive multifunction steering wheel and user-friendly touchscreen infotainment screen with a minimal number of subsidiary controls on the console. We were, however, somewhat disappointed with both the diminutive size and flimsy feel of the air-conditioning controls. Experience with the Sport-specification Astra made it clear its automatic climate-control functions are neater and easier to master. Indeed, it’s the overall selection of materials and their tactility that let the Astra cabin package (in Enjoy specification) down slightly when compared with the other two.
This, though, is the only blight on an otherwise impressively well-packaged, versatile interior. The inclusion of a space-saver spare wheel below the boot board (both the Golf and 308 offer full-size spare wheels) allows for a Golf-rivalling, though middling, 216 dm3 worth of luggage capacity; but its true trump card is the generous rear-passenger leg- and headroom. Despite matching its German rivals in terms of exterior dimensions, the 308 offers the least amount of luggage space (200 dm3) and notably more compromised rear-passenger comfort, accentuated by narrow door apertures. Isofix child-seat anchorage points are offered in all three cars, but it’s worth remembering the relative space limitations of the 308. Volkswagen is the only manufacturer to provide rear passengers with their own air vents.
Powertrains
While the Peugeot features the smallest engine of this trio, the plucky three-cylinder PureTech powertrain is the most characterful. Mated with an Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic transmission, this free-revving 96 kW/230 N.m engine feels impressively well suited to the 308’s trim 1 303 kg mass. Left to its own devices (and away from rev-holding sport mode), the unit was capable of returning 6,7 L/100 km on our combined-cycle fuel run (the manual version recorded 7,2 L/100 km).
Where the 308’s drivetrain closely matches the DSG-paired 1,4 TSI unit of the Golf in terms of fuel consumption (6,3 L/100 km) and performance (0-100 km/h in 10,24 seconds for the Peugeot and 10,26 for the VW), it’s the Astra’s newly developed, turbocharged 1 399 cm3 engine that proves the most eager to please, comfortably able to outperform its rivals in the crucial 60 to 120 km/h stretch. Offering 110 kW, this new direct-injection engine delivers an impressive 245 N.m of torque when mated with this six-speed automatic transmission, or 230 N.m once linked with a six-speed manual option. The former, as tested here, returned a 6,60 L/100 km fuel-route figure.
As with most small-capacity engine/auto ‘box combinations, we prefer steering-wheel-mounted paddles (they’re standard on the Golf) that allow you to pre-empt a downshift and avoid an unwelcome loss of mid-corner momentum.
Behind the wheel
The most impressive trait of the Golf 7 package is the ease with which it goes about its business, whether negotiating traffic, soaking up long-distance miles or coping with enthusiastic driving. Thanks to a lightweight platform and superbly well-balanced suspension (independently sprung at the rear), the VW feels both light on its feet and compliant no matter what the conditions.
Compared with the Volkswagen, owing to that small steering wheel and firmer overall ride (combined with standard 17-inch wheels on lower-profile rubber), the Peugeot’s appeal is in a more engaging driving experience. Certainly, on the open road this might count against the 308, but around town the car feels alive and even fun to pilot.
Weighing less than 1 300 kg, the Astra 1,4T Enjoy AT feels engagingly agile. While some larger road imperfections unsettle the otherwise impressively compliant ride (it has a fairly basic torsion beam rear-suspension setup), the Astra has clearly taken notes from the class-leader when it comes to overall comfort levels. That said, some testers noted a relative absence of “character” historically associated with older Opel products. We look forward to discovering whether this is simply a model/specification-related issue.
Lacking in feedback, the electrically assisted steering in the Astra is nevertheless precise and well geared, making town-bound driving easy. Visibility out of the cabin is excellent thanks partly to glass three-quarter sections, and standard front and rear parking assist is a boon. One area where the Astra gains the jump on its older rivals is safety features only recently introduced in this class of vehicle. These systems include lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign memory and a standard collision-detection system that’ll likely be beneficial to distracted modern motorists. All three of the hatches featured here, however, do offer comprehensive stability-control setups, together with strong, fade-resistant brakes.