It’s been a lean few years for fans of the Opel brand in South Africa. With the popular Corsa Ute in the midst of an identity crisis, and the Corsa hatch embroiled in its toughest fight yet – against a host of very competent rivals – for market share, it would seem that the Opel brand is in rather desperate need of a hero to aid in its attempt to regain the relatively strong foothold that it had in the South African market in the ‘80s and ‘90s – and the recently launched new Opel Astra could well be that hero…
I had the opportunity to sample the new Astra, and all three of the new engine options, during the local press launch, on some of the best roads in the country, around the Limpopo Province.
I get the feeling that the marketing department had the final say on the new Astra’s design brief as, even though there are some angles and lines that hint at what an exciting looking concept it must have been, the end product errs on the conservative side. While the new cars front-end is distinct enough to not be confused with anything else on the roads, it’s the rear three quarter view of the latest Astra that is possibly the most exciting. The chap that was in charge of styling the latest Opel’s hatch must surely have some Italian in his family…
The interior of the new Opel Astra seems very well put together and manages to look and feel much classier than the Chevrolet Cruze layout upon which it’s based. A mixture of soft-touch plastics and chrome highlights lift it from the ordinary and even though all the buttons and controls seem to have been designed for people with much smaller fingers than mine, there is a comprehensive list of standard specification in all models.
I can testify, after piloting and then later navigating our long and winding test route, that both the driver and front passenger seats offer good levels of comfort and support.
The new Astra’s initial run comprises three petrol engine options. A naturally aspirated 1,6-litre takes on the role as entry-level model. This unit produces 85 kW of power and 155 N.m and is good for a claimed fuel consumption figure of 6,3 litres/100 km. It’s a good job that this model’s clutch pedal and slick five-speed manual transmission are effortless to operate as a downshift or two will be needed to keep the engine on the boil – especially up on the reef. That said, once up to speed, it is a good cruiser that combined with its neutral and predictable dynamics and comfortable ride will make for a sensible purchase.
Two specification levels are offered on the all-new turbocharged 1,4-litre engine option – Enjoy and Enjoy Plus. This unit produces 103 kW and 200 N.m of torque between 1 850 and 4 900 r/min. With this engine Opel offers customers the equivalent performance of the outgoing 1,8-litre unit, but with the frugality that a small capacity performer offers. Opel claims a combined fuel consumption of 5,9 litres/100 km. I drove this car after lunch on the first day of the launch and it coped admirably with the additional weight that myself and my co-driver had put on in the hour prior to the drive. The six-speed transmission felt solid and precise and the, even though the engine is a hard-working one, it sounds and feels refined from within the cabin.
To my amazement the Enjoy Plus package offers the driver the option of selecting a firmer damper setting for more enthusiastic driving, while the “Tour” setting delivers a more comfortable ride for, well, touring. Opel calls this system “FlexRide”.
The top-of-the-range Astra – for the time being – is the 132 kW 1,6-litre turbo. Its 230 N.m of torque is available between 2 200 and 5 400 r/min. There is an additional 36 N.m, available on overboost, for up to 5 seconds, so you’ll have to be quite decisive with your overtaking manoeuvres. This most dynamic option of the new Astra range is good fun and should have enough power to keep enthusiasts both happy and optimistic about what the hotter versions might deliver. Certainly the platform on which the next OPC versions will be based feels solid enough.
ESP traction control and ABS braking are standard throughout the range, while three trim level options allow for a certain amount of customisation. Overall though, the new Opel Astra range seems comprehensively specced and competitively priced.
I’d say that, at first glance, the latest Opel Astra feels like a very nicely sorted car. It offers distinct, if not slightly conservative styling; a good choice of engines (although no diesel option yet) to satisfy most needs, and a healthy dose of driver enjoyment. There are a good few solid competitors lined up against the Astra these days, but Opel fans can breathe a sigh of relief that the latest Opel Astra should, at very least, hold its own against them.