Astra test drive

[Z-06]

No one would like to see jewels hidden under the kilt on a windy day really right?

Is it a good enough rationale for a light comment? I think it is.

[Guest aatbloke]

No one would like to see jewels hidden under the kilt on a windy day really right?

Is it a good enough rationale for a light comment? I think it is.

Which is exactly why I said it wouldn't be good on a windy day. However kilt weddings generally are very classy affairs.

The mind boggles, it really does.

[The O.C.]

UK folks are generally sour on US folk,

I totally disagree.

I've never been treated better than when I went to London for a week's time by myself. I've never felt more welcome........

I think all this crap we see on TopGear from Clarkson making fun of americans is not indicitive of the country in general. (And I saw just as many "fat" people in Great Britain as I see here....LOL)

One of my best friends is British too....and he says they pretty much LOVE americans....they just hate Bush and his policies......

[The O.C.]

... and strangely enough, of all the winters I spent in north eastern Ohio,

Ooooo....I'm SO sorry your "american" experience was northeastern Ohio......LOL

(no offense to my Ohio friends....)

[The O.C.]

No worries. The last think I expected when we were in San Francisco was fog shrouding the Golden Gate ... talk about a piece of England!

Well the truly strange thing is.....drive 15 minutes inland over the Bay Bridge.....and over into the East Bay.....the weather will be totally different...! Warm, sunny, and clear.

Gotta love California's micro-climates.......

[A Horse With No Name]

Thank you for your concern. Firstly, the word is a noun in this case, not an adjective.

I wasn't making direct reference to the poster, I was speaking in the third party - "if you want to act" being "if one wants to act" and a coloquialism. That's what differentiates it from mere directed slander.

Here in Britain, the use of such words has no bearing on the level of an individual's maturity; they are used to enforce a point in a common-or-garden, down-to-earth manner using our unique brand of subtle ironic humour. With respect, I occasionally forget how Americans are far more direct and straight-laced in their use of language, obvious in their use of humour, and puritanical in their beliefs - as evidenced often by their television shows - so I can see how such verbiage there would be viewed simply as trite teenage vulgarity. My apologies for the evident misunderstanding and in the interests of Anglo-American détante, I've edited both posts concerned!

.and please keep posting. I am quite enjoying reading your posts, and actually hear them in a British accent in my head as I am reading them.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Which is exactly why I said it wouldn't be good on a windy day. However kilt weddings generally are very classy affairs.

The mind boggles, it really does.

Off topic really, but I just have to get to the british Isles sometime. Wish I'd have thought of something like a kilt wedding when Kim and I got married. She (Kim) just loves celtic culture, and I am a bit of an anglophile myself.

Off topic again, but are there any old MG's, Triumphs, Healy's etc. in any kind of regular use in Engladn around where you live?

Or dare I ask any Lotus?

I just LOVE old British sports cars.

Chris

Edited March 3, 2008 by 66Stang

[A Horse With No Name]

Well the truly strange thing is.....drive 15 minutes inland over the Bay Bridge.....and over into the East Bay.....the weather will be totally different...! Warm, sunny, and clear.

Gotta love California's micro-climates.......

My best friend from high school, who lives with his family in the Bay area, would agree with you.

Given Ohio's climate I am really, really jealous of you O.C. for living out there...

Chris

[Guest aatbloke]

.and please keep posting. I am quite enjoying reading your posts, and actually hear them in a British accent in my head as I am reading them.

Chris

I felt a bit bad after I wrote it because I didn't want to sound condescending, but you have to make a stand now and again!

As for kilts, if you're in Ohio then I recommend Gaelic Imports in Cleveland. They have a website. They can kit you out with a made-to-order kilt of a clan of your choice for about $500, then you have all the accessories on top of that. Well worth it and given the current rate of exchange, probably cheaper than you could get one in the UK. When I enquired they had the tartan of my mother's family right there in their guide.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I don't worry about the wind. I'm a hairy boy, so the static electricity buildup will keep things in their proper place! :AH-HA_wink:

Edited March 3, 2008 by Pontiac Custom-S

[SuperSport623]

Borger in a kilt?

[The O.C.]

My best friend from high school, who lives with his family in the Bay area, would agree with you.

Given Ohio's climate I am really, really jealous of you O.C. for living out there...

Chris

Oh I've gone on-and-on here about the weather....but we pay a price for enjoying it (literally in housing costs.) And it's very congested here.

Ironically it's not for everyone......my parents would rather <gasp> be in Florida. While they agree that the lack of humidity is really nice out here, my Mom is very sensative to temperature and she doesn't like the cooler nights we get out here....even in the summer. For me? I LOVE how it gets nice and cool in the evenings. At her house, when you walk outside at 10pm in the summertime, you still break out in a sweat.

And for those people that like 4 seasons, you won't find it here......(although winter snow and skiing are about 1.5-2 hours away at most.)

Probably the best part of our weather would be during May through the end of November/beginning of December. Other than a few weeks of "June Gloom" you get sunny days, low humidity, a HOT sun, but a cool breeze. Here by the coast, that will mean temps, generally, in the mid-70's-to-80's and lows in, oh, the mid-50's-to-60 at nite. In late summer, early fall, it will get into the low-90's pretty frequently even here by the coast....but we'll still have the low humidity and cool breezes to make it comfortable.

Another wierd thing is the micro-climates. Let's say on a warm summer afternoon here (3 miles from the beach) the temp could be 85-degrees. If I drive a mere 30mins inland to where my office used to be, over the hills and in another valley, it will be easily 95-degrees. AND, if I head down to Laguna Beach, only 3 miles away, but on the other side of the coastal south O.C. mountain range, it could be only 70-75 degrees. Finally, I've had many days when I've been seeing clients up in the San Fernando Valley (north of Downtown L.A.) and it's been in the 100's.....but I drive home an hour or so south, and it's easily 25-30 degrees cooler (I'm not exaggerating.)

The beaches are typically cool here.....mid-60's to mid-70's. While someone used to, say, south Florida might think that's too cool, you have to remember we are effectively in a desert here and the sun is really hot here. Hotter than it feels in alot of other places. That truly makes it feel warmer than it actually is. Think Phoenix without the surface temps. That's how I could best describe it. Therefore it's still nice when you are out at the beach.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.....sorry for the off-topic rant.....

[Oracle of Delphi]

Borger in a kilt?

What's your point?

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'm thinking of seeing Scotland this year... Tracing some family roots, seeing Calgary Bay in Mull (near my Grandmother's birthplace), the namesake of my hometown, Buy a MacDonald kilt, maybe Eat some Shortbread

[The O.C.]

I'm thinking of seeing Scotland this year... Tracing some family roots, seeing Calgary Bay in Mull (near my Grandmother's birthplace), the namesake of my hometown, Buy a MacDonald kilt, maybe Eat some Shortbread

I heard Scotland is beautiful........

Next time I go to London, I'm going to get out of the city more and venture out into the countryside more.....

[CARBIZ]

Oh I've gone on-and-on here about the weather....but we pay a price for enjoying it (literally in housing costs.) And it's very congested here.

Ironically it's not for everyone......my parents would rather <gasp> be in Florida. While they agree that the lack of humidity is really nice out here, my Mom is very sensative to temperature and she doesn't like the cooler nights we get out here....even in the summer. For me? I LOVE how it gets nice and cool in the evenings. At her house, when you walk outside at 10pm in the summertime, you still break out in a sweat.

And for those people that like 4 seasons, you won't find it here......(although winter snow and skiing are about 1.5-2 hours away at most.)

Probably the best part of our weather would be during May through the end of November/beginning of December. Other than a few weeks of "June Gloom" you get sunny days, low humidity, a HOT sun, but a cool breeze. Here by the coast, that will mean temps, generally, in the mid-70's-to-80's and lows in, oh, the mid-50's-to-60 at nite. In late summer, early fall, it will get into the low-90's pretty frequently even here by the coast....but we'll still have the low humidity and cool breezes to make it comfortable.

Another wierd thing is the micro-climates. Let's say on a warm summer afternoon here (3 miles from the beach) the temp could be 85-degrees. If I drive a mere 30mins inland to where my office used to be, over the hills and in another valley, it will be easily 95-degrees. AND, if I head down to Laguna Beach, only 3 miles away, but on the other side of the coastal south O.C. mountain range, it could be only 70-75 degrees. Finally, I've had many days when I've been seeing clients up in the San Fernando Valley (north of Downtown L.A.) and it's been in the 100's.....but I drive home an hour or so south, and it's easily 25-30 degrees cooler (I'm not exaggerating.)

The beaches are typically cool here.....mid-60's to mid-70's. While someone used to, say, south Florida might think that's too cool, you have to remember we are effectively in a desert here and the sun is really hot here. Hotter than it feels in alot of other places. That truly makes it feel warmer than it actually is. Think Phoenix without the surface temps. That's how I could best describe it. Therefore it's still nice when you are out at the beach.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.....sorry for the off-topic rant.....

Yeah, when I was in L.A. in October, it was 65 degrees in the city and 90 in Toronto. My partner and I went down to the beach (right next to the oil refineries - very scenic), thinking we could lay out in the sand. Not so much. Too cold for even Canadians.

[A Horse With No Name]

Yeah, when I was in L.A. in October, it was 65 degrees in the city and 90 in Toronto. My partner and I went down to the beach (right next to the oil refineries - very scenic), thinking we could lay out in the sand. Not so much. Too cold for even Canadians.

Your partner is from Brazil, we can excuse him. You Canadians are supposed to be able to put up with the cold...

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Your partner is from Brazil, we can excuse him. You Canadians are supposed to be able to put up with the cold...

Chris

Yeah...I remember a couple years ago when I was whinging about 0F temps here in Denver, my Canadian buddies would be bragging about how it was 50 below and sunny or whatever in SK..

[regfootball]

I test drove an Astra XR 5 door w/ 17" A/S tires and sport suspension upgrade over lunch today....will post a writeup later.....also drove a base jetta 2.5/manual right after that. nice comparo.

[regfootball]

engine - very smooth, revs nicely . nice power for urban cut and thrust and gearbox is well matched. could use more grunt thru entire powerband, especially at low end but really is not a big deal for everyday driving. very entertaining drivetrain, even if sporting driving requires more power. salesdude says 35+ mpg is possible. needs a 6th gear to keep revs down at 75+ mph. no engine vibration or buzz or coarseness until illegal speeds.

chassis, very balanced. right combination of supple and firm. steering was jest perfect in terms of quickness. nimble. light nose. not nose heavy like the jetta.

felt a little undertired, like it could use wider and better tires.

seat was nice. perfect for a mid level econocar....jetta i drove right after had wider and more substantial seats....still astra's were good. love the driving position.....wouldn't mind more cabin width.

drives with verve like the focus zx3 USED to. i had an 08 focus for a week in feb and the astra is a much sportier car.....focus now is a cruiser.....astra will entertain drivers!

interior is nice, not best in class, but very good......i had no issues with controls....stuff like the turn signal you just get used to. the cupholder is in a dumb spot. needs an armrest. seat cloth is cheap. the leather is nice....one must pop for it. definitely. love the shifter except for the reverse lockout which gets in the way.

i had a little issue with ergonomics. i felt like i couldnt exactly get my feet on the pedals and keep the the steering wheel far enough away. the upright position is nice but the dash seems a bit in your face.....LOVED the gauges (way more than the dash of death in the Jetta)...minor complaints really. Loved the gauges and the red.

trunk is nice, well appointed, wish it were a bit larger! rear seat comfort is very good.

no thoughts either way on the brakes.

price is the problem for this car. it losing bragging rights on the spec sheet. with the XR with sports suspension, you have a real fun car. It won't spin the tires like the 170hp jetta i drove right after, but its not an achilles heel or reason to not buy the car unless you are HP starved. its a reason to pause slightly but for most it won't be a deal breaker.....if IF they could adjust the price some. I'd like to see that price come down a bit because there are too many bigger sedans with more utility crowding that price point. like the aura sedan which the sales guy forced me to drive on saturday.

Jetta 2.5/man felt larger, had a choppy ride the astra did not, felt nose heavy. steering was heavy but secure. jetta feels one class larger than the astra. astra is nimble and balanced. Jetta felt like a vault in comparison. Jetta's shifter can not be bettered but the astra's clutch had a nice light feel to it, the jetta's was heavier. Jetta had the interior of death. those VW interiors look great in the showroom, but 40k miles and wear and dust and such, the black on black with leatherette felt pretty dour. I bet the astra with leather and big ass moonroof would be COOOOOOOOL. Jetta has a tangible amount more room...its commodious to the point of luxury in comparison to the econosized astra. too bad the jetta has the boat anchor under the hood. jetta needs a new base motor, an aluminum 4 thats revs quicker and is smoother. NOW though, I want to drive a GTI!

anyways, the astra is a nice car! makes me want to wait for the cobalt SS turbo now! that and i need to drive the Vibe GT now and see how that compares since it has much more utility than the astra.

if i decide to go small next car, the astra will for sure make it near the top of the shopping list.

i just reread car and drivers writeup on the car from the comparo earlier this year. boy what a useless review. they said nothing tangible about the car.

Edited June 19, 2008 by regfootball

[AAS]

engine - very smooth, revs nicely . nice power for urban cut and thrust and gearbox is well matched. could use more grunt thru entire powerband, especially at low end but really is not a big deal for everyday driving. very entertaining drivetrain, even if sporting driving requires more power. salesdude says 35+ mpg is possible. needs a 6th gear to keep revs down at 75+ mph. no engine vibration or buzz or coarseness until illegal speeds.

...

I want to believe that it gets 35+ mpg, but whatever I have found online says it's tough to get. Even worse, it sounds like the high revs at higher speeds really hurts mpg above 70 mph. (I'd be more than happy if somebody could find data to the contrary.)

(About a month ago I found a blog somewhere that was dedicated to people posting real world mpg figures. Now, for the life of me, I can't find it and it's pissing me off!)

[pow]

Jetta 2.5/man felt larger, had a choppy ride the astra did not, felt nose heavy. steering was heavy but secure. jetta feels one class larger than the astra. astra is nimble and balanced. Jetta felt like a vault in comparison. Jetta's shifter can not be bettered but the astra's clutch had a nice light feel to it, the jetta's was heavier. Jetta had the interior of death. those VW interiors look great in the showroom, but 40k miles and wear and dust and such, the black on black with leatherette felt pretty dour. I bet the astra with leather and big ass moonroof would be COOOOOOOOL. Jetta has a tangible amount more room...its commodious to the point of luxury in comparison to the econosized astra. too bad the jetta has the boat anchor under the hood. jetta needs a new base motor, an aluminum 4 thats revs quicker and is smoother. NOW though, I want to drive a GTI!

Jetta TDI pricing has been officially announced - starting at $21,990, or nearly $4K less than a Camry Hybrid.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/18/volkswa...di-from-21-990/

[regfootball]

I want to believe that it gets 35+ mpg, but whatever I have found online says it's tough to get. Even worse, it sounds like the high revs at higher speeds really hurts mpg above 70 mph. (I'd be more than happy if somebody could find data to the contrary.)

(About a month ago I found a blog somewhere that was dedicated to people posting real world mpg figures. Now, for the life of me, I can't find it and it's pissing me off!)

a few posters on edmunds have said they can get 35.

[regfootball]

Jetta TDI pricing has been officially announced - starting at $21,990, or nearly $4K less than a Camry Hybrid.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/18/volkswa...di-from-21-990/

i bet the tdi is nicer to drive. the 5 cylinder is ok and has power but is not a free revver. the car as a whole feels too hefty for a car its size. like i said i gotta try a GLI / GTI

i wonder how well equipped that TDI is becuase that is a good price. same as the gas version apparently. i may need to look at this car. wow they are dead set on making a splash with the pricing.

Edited June 19, 2008 by regfootball

[turbo200]

astra 5 door might make a great purchase at the end of summer. interesting review you got here, got me going on the astra again. I will say I really like the looks of the 5-door, but being a design snob the roofline and c-pillar shape look somewhat outdated to me, especially since I can picture the Cobalt's so clearly. A less attentive person would not know or care. The sunroof is fantastic, I found the cloth to be adequate, great even. The Astra feels like a quality piece, and to me it's closest competitor is the A3, because imo, golf isn't all that attractive, so if I want a new hatch it's either A3 or Astra...and I don't like the Volvo anymore [too demure]...... or look at older hatches...

I want a sporty hatch bad...but it's still a while away most likely

Edited June 19, 2008 by turbo200

[Oracle of Delphi]

astra 5 door might make a great purchase at the end of summer. interesting review you got here, got me going on the astra again. I will say I really like the looks of the 5-door, but being a design snob the roofline and c-pillar shape look somewhat outdated to me, especially since I can picture the Cobalt's so clearly. A less attentive person would not know or care. The sunroof is fantastic, I found the cloth to be adequate, great even. The Astra feels like a quality piece, and to me it's closest competitor is the A3, because imo, golf isn't all that attractive, so if I want a new hatch it's either A3 or Astra...and I don't like the Volvo anymore [too demure]...... or look at older hatches...

I want a sporty hatch bad...but it's still a while away most likely

Why not wait for the new Astra that is coming?

[turbo200]

Why not wait for the new Astra that is coming?

true. I could. I don't know when this new car thing will be happening yet, I'd like to go GM, but A3 is really appealing on the inside, as well as being sporty and elegant on the outside. but then I could wait for any number of other cars, Insignia is also tempting there. Camaro is coming sooner than that. I do know for sure, I will go with something I like next time around, Civic is not quite there, good drive notwithstanding. I'm also looking for something younger, since I am young and do still wanna live that

[AAS]

Why not wait for the new Astra that is coming?

When? Sooner then the new Cobalt? Based on thegriffon's post from the Cobalt spyshots thread (see below)... I don't think I'll be able to wait for the Cobalt, but something (much) sooner would be good.

Fall 2008 in Korea, Fall 2009 in the US, somewhere in between for Europe (including assembly in Russia from kits).

[michaelv13]

Good Post Mr. Reg. I agree with you on all counts regarding the Astra. GM may have missed the mark on that one, but their priorities were different.

As for the Jetta/ Rabbit, it could do with the DI 2.0L N/A producing about 170hp instead of the 5. That engine will give it better fuel economy, and keep the VW price down by concentrating on one engine instead of 2.

[regfootball]

astra 5 door might make a great purchase at the end of summer. interesting review you got here, got me going on the astra again. I will say I really like the looks of the 5-door, but being a design snob the roofline and c-pillar shape look somewhat outdated to me, especially since I can picture the Cobalt's so clearly. A less attentive person would not know or care. The sunroof is fantastic, I found the cloth to be adequate, great even. The Astra feels like a quality piece, and to me it's closest competitor is the A3, because imo, golf isn't all that attractive, so if I want a new hatch it's either A3 or Astra...and I don't like the Volvo anymore [too demure]...... or look at older hatches...

I want a sporty hatch bad...but it's still a while away most likely

considering the 300 day inventory of astras now, discounts have to be on the horizon.

yes the design is dated but how does a corolla drive

pcs- the insiginia and new astra are still too far off, GM never does things quickly.

IMHO the a3 is way steps above the astra on a lot of fronts, its just that you pay for it and to be truthful I sould go volvo C30 at that point i think. that little volvo is the bomb.

the astra still feels a lot smaller than the a3 jetta etc. but that is the thing, the astra feels sprite and nimble. VW needs that 2.0 DI and to do something about the car feeling so heavy. like i said i think i need to drive a GTI

[A Horse With No Name]

I would like to know WHY this car isn't getting better press/more people don't like it.

Even with the price of fuel I am seeing very few on the road-I haven't seen one in the wild for a couple of weeks now, and this thing should be selling like hotcakes.

Scares me for the future of GM. They've needed a great small car for years, they bring one out and no one cares.

Chris

[MyerShift]

You also get that awful 2.5 litre 5-cylinder lump that gets poor fuel economy and which VW has the sense not to bother peddling to anyone else on earth.

The best fuel efficiency I have seen out of mine is 30.5 U.S. mpg, so nearly 31 U.S. mpg.

Peanuts compared to the potential of VW's TDI engines or the CDTi engines in the Astra, but fairly good by what Americans are used to.

I would like some insight though as to why Volkswagen doesn't offer a decent petrol 4 cylinder in its North American products. Sure, the 2.0T is offered, but only in the Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, and available as an option in the Jetta and so I don't count this engine.

I am anxious for Volkswagen's new Blutech TDI engines. One may be sure that I would have gotten a TDI over the 5-cylinder engine if I could. However, I must say, it does have an interesting sound as it cycles up the tach, and with 170hp and what, 170 lb-ft of torque, it is quite punchy.

I've never had quite so much fun passing even in this, but would love to attain a GTI or such.

I actually was going to purchase an Astra, but was not available in time. Sure the design has aged, but it still looks absolutely fantastic in my eyes, and aside from the crazy stereo setup, love the interior as well.

I just feel that the Astra would have been better off introduced with the 1.6L Turbo ECOTEC. However, to suit lazy American tastes, only the 1.8L was available with the automatic, and so that's what we have.

[AAS]

I want to believe that it gets 35+ mpg, but whatever I have found online says it's tough to get. Even worse, it sounds like the high revs at higher speeds really hurts mpg above 70 mph. (I'd be more than happy if somebody could find data to the contrary.)

(About a month ago I found a blog somewhere that was dedicated to people posting real world mpg figures. Now, for the life of me, I can't find it and it's pissing me off!)

I finally figured out what's going on... the thread I was thinking about was for the VW Rabbit.

I have seen a few numbers for the Astra (on True Delta) that show mpg in the low 30's for mostly highway driving.

The reason I stopped considering the Astra is because no Bluetooth or iPod/auxInput for 2009. This usually wouldn't be a big deal, except that the Cobalt has the auxiliary connection, and will get Bluetooth, and is a bit cheaper (though doesn't have the capacity/capabilities of the 5 door, or 4-wheel disc).

So, now I'm back to looking at the Astra, Cobalt and maybe the Jetta TDI.

Does anyone (maybe PCS) know if the Astra can have iPod/auxiliary jack easily installed? I once read that the reason for not having it is because the stereo only has one "free" input, and it's used for OnStar.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I finally figured out what's going on... the thread I was thinking about was for the VW Rabbit.

I have seen a few numbers for the Astra (on True Delta) that show mpg in the low 30's for mostly highway driving.

The reason I stopped considering the Astra is because no Bluetooth or iPod/auxInput for 2009. This usually wouldn't be a big deal, except that the Cobalt has the auxiliary connection, and will get Bluetooth, and is a bit cheaper (though doesn't have the capacity/capabilities of the 5 door, or 4-wheel disc).

So, now I'm back to looking at the Astra, Cobalt and maybe the Jetta TDI.

Does anyone (maybe PCS) know if the Astra can have iPod/auxiliary jack easily installed? I once read that the reason for not having it is because the stereo only has one "free" input, and it's used for OnStar.

I'm told the new one will have it.

[AAS]

I'm told the new one will have it.

New, as in a year or so off, right? It's actually not that big a deal to me, but would be nice to have (especially since New Mexico doesn't have much to offer as far as FM radio stations go). I'll have to weigh my options to see if I can wait for the new small cars, or get into a short term (~2 year) commitment to what's available now.

[Oracle of Delphi]

New, as in a year or so off, right? It's actually not that big a deal to me, but would be nice to have (especially since New Mexico doesn't have much to offer as far as FM radio stations go). I'll have to weigh my options to see if I can wait for the new small cars, or get into a short term (~2 year) commitment to what's available now.

Well my wife wants a new vehicle when we return to the USA to replace her Nox, she has it narrowed down between the Pontiac Torrent, Vibe and G5, I asked her to wait before deciding until the new Astra comes out.

[Guest aatbloke]

The best fuel efficiency I have seen out of mine is 30.5 U.S. mpg, so nearly 31 U.S. mpg.

Peanuts compared to the potential of VW's TDI engines or the CDTi engines in the Astra, but fairly good by what Americans are used to.

I would like some insight though as to why Volkswagen doesn't offer a decent petrol 4 cylinder in its North American products. Sure, the 2.0T is offered, but only in the Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, and available as an option in the Jetta and so I don't count this engine.

I am anxious for Volkswagen's new Blutech TDI engines. One may be sure that I would have gotten a TDI over the 5-cylinder engine if I could. However, I must say, it does have an interesting sound as it cycles up the tach, and with 170hp and what, 170 lb-ft of torque, it is quite punchy.

I've never had quite so much fun passing even in this, but would love to attain a GTI or such.

I actually was going to purchase an Astra, but was not available in time. Sure the design has aged, but it still looks absolutely fantastic in my eyes, and aside from the crazy stereo setup, love the interior as well.

I just feel that the Astra would have been better off introduced with the 1.6L Turbo ECOTEC. However, to suit lazy American tastes, only the 1.8L was available with the automatic, and so that's what we have.

If Volkswagen North America had the gumption to offer their superb 1.4 litre 170bhp twincharger unit in the Golf and Jetta for the US market, I'm sure they would win a host of new fans in the current economic climate.

[regfootball]

vw needs a good alum 4 cyl.

funny, astra is having to wait for bluetooth and such and ford's half of their lineup i can talk to my car and have it play tunes to me.