After three very happy years of motoring with my Vectra, I decided it was time for a change.  That was in part dictated by rising fuel prices here in the UK, and the Vectra, while fairly economical for a big automatic, did cost over £40 per week to fill up.  So, having very much enjoyed a diesel car prior to the Vectra, I settled on an Astra 1.9 CDTi, with the 150 BHP version of the engine.  Mine is the "Design" model, and I got it for £12,995 at 10 months old.  Initial impressions were very good - it seems like a well-made car that is built to last.

The engine is the most powerful turbo-diesel in the Astra range, developing 150 BHP and about 230 lb-ft of torque.  Since the car is fairly light, this translates into a very nippy motor car that has no trouble overtaking or keeping up with other traffic.  The only slight gripes I have are that the engine is weak below 1500 RPM, and first gear in the six-speed box is very short, so making a quick getaway can be quite hard work.  In the few weeks that I've owned the car, it has managed 47 MPG with a mix of driving styles.

The car feels as though it is built to a very high standard.  There are no serious cracks or rattles so far, and everything inside the car seems to be "tight" and made of high quality materials.  The seats are very comfortable on long journeys, though it has to be said that the diesel engine is no the quietest engine that I have ever known.  That's not a serious complaint though.  The stereo is very good and all the controls fall easily to hand.  Coming from an automatic car, I was very pleased to see that the Astra has a light and progressive clutch.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Astra is the way that it rides and handles.  The top-of-the-range diesel and petrol engines get lowered and stiffened suspension, and the result is a car that is really easy to place on the road and to guide around corners.  Perhaps the difference seems greater to me, as my previous Vectra had very slushy suspension and was a nightmare to take down country lanes.  The Astra's ability to corner well is not at the expense of ride comfort either - this is a very comfortable car to drive.  So, overall, I am very impressed with the Astra.  I hope that feeling continues!