Quick Drive: Holden Astra MY 7.5

By Feann Torr - 23/April/2007

The Holden Astra has been the mainstay of the Australian automaker's small car fleet for more than a decade, with some 200,000 cars sold here since 1996. Clearly, the Astra is doing something very right.

The top three cars in the Australian new car marketplace (a country where almost one million cars per year are sold) are the Toyota Corolla, the Mazda3, followed by the Holden Astra. When customers decide they want a small car, there are a two major factors in this category that are most influential in driving sales: image and price.

With the launch of the new MY 7.5 Astra, Holden has sensibly kept prices unchanged from the previous models and hasn't fiddled with the design too much either. Sure, there are design tweaks here and there, but they aren't wholesale changes and more of a 'refresh' to provide the car with a contemporary look and feel.

The prices remain the same - the range kicks off at $21,990 for the 1.8-litre CD 5-door hatchback - and the good news is that a new engine type has been added, one that has more power, yet is more fuel efficient at the same time. This new 4-cylinder engine is the biggest single change in the new model line-up which will be in dealerships by the time you read this, and can be matched with a number of different body shapes, from the 5-door hatch, to the stylish coupe and even the wagon.

Holden has also swelled the Astra ranks by adding a number of sporty SRi models that use larger 4-cylinder engines to provide more grunt on the road, and they also get a number of other features that are likely to attract plenty of attention, including leather heated seats and sports alloy wheels.

Holden hopes to capitalise on the strong sales of the Astra in the past year, of which about 20,000 units models sold in 2006, and this updated model is predicted to increase interest in the new model, thanks chiefly to the advanced new 1.8-litre engine and the keenly priced SRi models that begin at $29,990.

The revitalised Astra range is gunning for Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla, and with new weapons like the SRi and TwinTop (above, middle), Holden has found a good position

Holden's new range of Astra's have been given a slight refresh - we're talking slightly different headlight designs, new grilles, new alloy wheels, and some models get new interior appointments too.

There's also the new SRi models that come equipped with a direct injection 2.2-litre 4-cylinder engine, in both 5-door hatch and 3-door coupe body styles, but before we look at these things, there is the question of the new 1.8-litre 'XER' engine, as it's known by Holden internally. 

This 1.8-litre unit is more sophisticated than the one it replaces and can make more power with less effort, and this was evident on the road. When combined with the 5-speed manual transmission the 5-door Astra CD hatch felt considerably more responsive than the previous model, and felt far less raspy when the engine note rose to higher levels.

The new engine is far more flexible than the last version, which means less gear changes and less stress on the motor. It's also easier to drive at freeway speeds, and overtaking is completely with less effort.

The new engine generates 103kW @ 6300rpm, which is up by 11kW on the previous models, and torque levels have risen by five New metres to 175Nm @ 3800rpm.

Being a small car, the Astra is easy to drive, and punting it around Melbourne city during lunchtime traffic was effortless. Foreward and rearward vision is good; the controls fall to hand; and though the centre stack is fairly devoid of details this simple approach to interior design is appreciated.

Interestingly though, if you decide to order one of these new 1.8-litre Astra's with the 4-speed automatic transmission, you still get 103kW of power, but torque drops from 175 to 170Nm.

From 2000rpm the 1.8-litre engine feels more like a 2.0-litre sized unit, with a good mid-range punch and adequate pulling power at freeway speeds.

As well as being more powerful, the new XER 1.8-litre motor gains double continuous variable camshaft phasing. This may sound like some sort of futuristic vacuum cleaner, but in essence it makes the engine more flexible to provide improved power delivery when you need it, while also ensuring that under lighter loads the engine is more fuel efficient. 

The new camshaft phasing basically means you get more power at higher revs, and more efficiency at lower engine revs. 

The previous model 5-door 1.8 Astra hatch used to drink 7.8 litres of petrol for every 100km travelled, but the new model returns 7.4 litres, a good improvement. Another benefit of this is reduced noxious emissions, which is becoming a more important factor for many new car buyers as climate change makes itself felt.

For $21,990, the entry-level Holden Astra CD hatchback is pretty good value for money, with the new engine making the car feel far more energetic than before. Standard features are pretty good too, including electric front windows and mirrors, twin front airbags, a CD/MP3 stereo, air-con, and a 6-way adjustable drivers seat.

As well as the spritely new engine there's a lot to said of the Holden Astra's driving dynamics. The chassis hasn't been changed for this mid-life update, but that's not a real concern because it was never really in need of changing (though the Astra SRi Turbo could do with a tweak here and there).

Cornering in the entry-level Astra hatchback - and even in the coupe models and TwinTop convertible models - is relaxed but progressive, and really allows you to feel your way through a corner which is great if you like heading off on the odd spirited drive through the alps.

Better still, however, are the new SRi models, which feature even sportier suspension than the entry-level Astra CD and well equipped CDX models. While the CD and CDX models get the recently upgraded - and largely impressive - 1.8-litre engine, the two new SRi models get a 2.2-litre direct injected 4-cylinder engine, which output more power and torque.

These models not only feel more powerful on the road thanks to their larger engines, and have slightly more more rigid rides to deal more easily with curvy roads. They also benefit from a new wardrobe. 

Joining the rip-snortingly quick Astra SRi Turbo (road tested here) are the two new cost effective SRi models: the Astra SRi 5-door hatch and the Astra SRi 3-door coupe. Both models get a new look that distinguishes them as vehicles far more sporty then the entry-level Holdens, including new front and rear aprons (bumpers), low side skirts, and attractive new 17-inch alloy wheels. They sit lower to the ground and make a much sportier statement than their stablemates.

On the road the SRi models don't disappoint, with stiffer suspension settings that give them a good deal of poise through corners. They are more powerful as well, with 110kW of power hitting the skids @ 5600rpm, and they certainly feel more powerful when accelerating from standstill. Unlike the new 1.8-litre engines, the 2.2-litre engines don't feel as refined however, and tend to get somewhat raspy the harder you rev them.

With 210Nm of torque @ 4000rpm, the SRi models belt out 35Nm more torque (for more pulling power) than the 1.8-litre engines and this does make them quicker in most respects. These SRi models have a firmer ride than the entry-level Holden Astra models as well, and you do feel the road underneath you more acutely and particularly when driving on poor quality roads, but the ride/handling compromise is fairly well balanced. You get the fun of driving hard through corners and the reward of responsive feedback thanks to the well-weighted sports steering wheel, but you can also cruise in relative comfort when in urban surroundings.

Other features found on the new Astra SRi models, which begin at under $30k, include leather seats and aluminium accents which add a more upmarket feel to the interior, plus there's more airbags than the standard models, you get ESP, and front fog lights are also included in the price.

Having already tested the brilliant Astra CDTi in the past (road tested here) - powered by a supremely powerful and very efficiency 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine - we had one last final test drive of the most expensive Holden Astra in the range, the $45,490 TwinTop. The range-topping Astra TwinTop is a convertible car, but one with added security bonus of a metal roof. It even has a remote control so that before you even step into the car you can drop the top.

Like the SRi models, the TwinTop's front wheels are also powered by the direct injection 2.2-litre engine 4-cylinder engine, and it gets about without ever bogging down or feeling underpowered. The previous version of the Astra Convertible was offered with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, but at this stage only the normally aspirated 2.2-litre engine is offered in the new TwinTop.

I came away from the new Holden Astra launch with positive impressions of all cars. The SRi models are in a new price range and as well as offering a more comprehensive safety package, with things like ESP and a total of six airbags, and though the new 2.2-litre direct injection engine wasn't a revelation in terms of refinement, it did deliver the good in terms of performance.

My favourite Astra model of the day? Well, it was a close call, and the convertible Astra TwinTop was great to drive with an excellent folding roof mechanism and it even has decent rear seat room compared to some of the drop tops on the market, but the entry-level Astra CD 5-door hatch makes for a very compelling proposition. 

The engine is far more flexible than the unit it replaces, and in both 4-speed auto and 5-speed manual models it provides more than enough power to shift the small cars weight easily, and it's not as loud as the 2.2-litre engine either. Best of all, it's even more economic, able to sip fuel relatively slowly so you save a bit of money while making less of an environmental impact.

Conclusion

Holden has one of the most comprehensive small car ranges in the market with the Astra, spanning 5-door hatch, 3-door coupe, wagon, and convertible styles with a range of four engines measuring between 1.8- and 2.2-litres. With almost every conceivable niche in the small car market covered, the Astra is in a good position, and the MY 7.5 refresh adds even more interest.

The new 1.8-litre engine made a strong impression on me, and we'll give the car a full road test soon. The improved engine also gives the Astra a more competitive base with which to compete against its main rivals including the Mazda3, Ford Focus, and Toyota Corolla, and the addition of more SRi models will please customers looking for a something sporty. The icing on the cake is the Astra TwinTop, the mast-head vehicle for Holden's second most popular car.