Faults:

When I got it first, the windscreen was fogging up badly when it rained etc. Garage changed the pollen filter and it has been grand since.

Poor radio reception. Garage couldn't resolve the problem, just one of those things I guess.

General Comments:

I gave the car 8/10 for performance, because having read other reviews most of them say this car is underpowered etc. I totally disagree. The engine is a 1.4 16v and has 90bhp, for a 1.4 it really has some poke. 1st gear is short and doesn't like to be over revved, but 2nd and 3rd are nice and 4th gear acceleration is nice! 5th gear motorway cruising is good. I find that up to about 120km/h @ 3500 revs is noisy, however when ya push it up past 4000 the engine gets noticeably quieter and much more comfortable.

Obviously the people who say the 1.4 is slow are used to bigger engines, don't let them fool you. It is more than adequate, and economy is good, average about 42.5 MPG over mixed roads.

I have the 5 door SXI version which as far as I know, has slightly stiffer suspension than the club etc. It also runs on 205 R16 continental tyres, which probably don't help for bumpy roads. However, on the upshot, it handles VERY well. All in all a very solid and safe car. The brakes are very good.

Build quality is fantastic.

Great car.

Faults:

The horn stops working on occasions.

One of the rear left passenger door hinges is rusting.

Strange buzzing noise coming from the engine bay, most probably from one the belt pulleys.

Dust is leaking into the inside of the transparent headlamp casing.

General Comments:

The car drives well & handles great.. Feels like a light sports car.

The interior is tight for someone tall and the bucket seats are not that comfy. The gear lever area and the central console is cramped.

Faults:

Around 60,000 KM the water pump made a sound and it needed to be changed, then at 70.000KM a very tricky and noisy sound occurred in the engine, and it was very tricky because the sound was near the valves and the cylinder head; then after long investigation and many wrong diagnoses, finally the sound was in the intake manifold and it was repaired by one of the car dealers.

General Comments:

Advantages: It is a very good car, strong body, AC is not bad at all, average accelerating rate, stable and handles good till its boundaries speed is reached, speakers sound nice.

Disadvantages: Although there is ABS (Anti-Lock braking system), but the brakes are a bit weak, especially at high speed. About the interior space is not very big; but its great as long as you are less than 185cm tall and also you don't have many children (2 max.)

Faults:

Cable for petrol filler cap broke.

Insignia on the boot pulled off.

Screws on front left door panel pulled out, making door rattle.

Seat cloth showing signs of wear.

Radio volume cannot go up when hot.

Steering wheel shows signs of wear.

Driver's armrest on door panel shows signs of wear.

General Comments:

My Astra Essentia is a bold, innovatively built Astra, compared to previous Astras. It stands the test, looks the part and beats many so-called hatches around.

While it looks solid and has quality interior components, and state of the art equipment, plastic finish on the door panels and seat cloth are already showing signs of wear at 110,000km (about 2 years of ownership)

For its model, it's not expected to give an oomph and tends to hesitate on acceleration.