2002 Holden Astra CD review from Australia and New Zealand
"Sheer driving pleasure"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing yet - though has only gone 800kms!
General comments?
This is a fantastic car that I've been considering buying for a while and am certainly not disappointed now that I've bought it!
The vehicle is extremely smooth and quiet to drive, handles brilliantly (just as well as the Peugeot 302 or VW Golf which I have driven), and the 1.8L engine gives more than enough power around the city and on the open road. I'm only using standard unleaded so I imagine performance is even better with premium.
The cruise control in the CD works really well and holds speed on steep hills and inclines as well as could be expected for this size engine car.
Shifting back from 3rd to 2nd is a little stiff, and the throttle takes a little while to adjust to however these are more characteristics of the car rather than problems which are easy to adjust to.
Being one of the new 2002 builds Holden has just about overcome all pervious complaints by adding rear-head rests, allowing the fuel-door to be opened by the remote, and I haven't heard any of the infamous door rattle (yet!) that has been reported in earlier Astras.
A great value buy for those drivers wanting a quality car that's fun to drive and matches the performance of considerably more expensive European cars.
Recommended Reviews:
  | An excellent all round package |
| Good looks coupled with great performance and handling |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8L Manual |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 22 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 800 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mitsubishi Lancer |
| Date of Entry | 15th April, 2002 |