Summary:
A great driving car with benefits of safety features and gadgets and quality finish for a fair price
Faults:
Very soon after I picked up the car the brakes started making a creaking/squealing noise. So, I immediately phoned the dealer who knew immediately what the problem was. Apparently as an improvement, new brake caliper/dampers were put on the new Astras. Unfortunately they had this noise problem. The dealer ordered the replacement parts (took a few weeks from Europe) and they have now been replaced - no noises so far.
General Comments:
I picked this car over the Peugeot 206 and Toyota Corolla Levin. I was looking for a sporty Hatch with a bit more power than a 1.6L which struggles when the air conditioning is switched on.
Great car to drive. The suspension gives you a firm ride, but not too hard. As a comparison I found that driving the Peugeot 206 you would feel every hole in the road.
Nice interior and decent 8 speaker stereo (for the average music enthusiast) compared to the Toyota Corolla which still has an awful sound system. Also quite like the music controls on the steering wheel which I initially thought was a bit of a gimmick.
Like the cruise control which helps prevent you from accidentally speeding.
Noticeable good aerodynamics in the sense that you can drive with your windows down and not experience wind noise and movement. Just feels like a pleasant breeze. Great for summer.
Seats are hard, but I like them this way as I use sheepskins which provide a soft cover over a firm surface.
ABS and traction control are also an added benefit.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th November, 2002
2nd Feb 2003, 00:25
Go Astra!! I also found the nifty steering wheel controls weird at first, but after a quick drive castle towers fixed me... i think it's great!!!
10th Mar 2004, 18:04
I brought an SRI Astra in Feb 04 and found the car to be fantastic value. The handling is great, and the engine has a surprising amount of torque. The only criticism I could provide would be the non-linear acceleration curve. When accelerating it feels as if the cars electronics system is deciding how you should accelerate i.e., not giving you the response you would expect. After getting used to this though it is not a problem. The build finish is great, and no problems at all after the first service. The car is reasonably fast, though I wish at times I had the turbo model - Long term I feel the normally aspirated engine is probably a better choice though.
26th Aug 2004, 23:07
A good way to improve the performance of this car is to run it on Premium unleaded petrol. You will use less fuel/km overall which makes up the difference in cost and the performance curve is a lot smoother and a much better shape. The difference is very noticeable. Much sportier!!!
26th Oct 2004, 09:00
I purchased my Astra Sri 2002 model in Feb 04 with 24,000 kms. In the first 2 weeks the water pump went (which was under fact warranty) and then on a hot day the ignition went and was replaced by holden. It was a common problem as they had 200 on back order. Apart from that it's a nice car to drive with spirited performance and a quiet ride. I found the rear spoiler a bit of a hindrance, but got used to it. The electric throttle was bit weird at first and found Bosch braking excellent. I reckon it needs a factory fitted sunroof to finish it off.