2008 Vauxhall Astra Twintop Design 1.8 VVI petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

An attractive, uncomfortable and sluggish convertible

Faults:

Coolant level warning kept appearing - required a visit to the dealer to update the software on the car.

Roof leak (solved with Gummi Pledge).

General Comments:

Comfort:

It's not. I'm 6 foot and the seat is just too high. Not high enough to hit the roof, but my old 2004 Vectra had a more adjustable seat than this thing.

The seats themselves are rock hard. This, combined with the narrow base of the seat, gives what I can only describe as "nut nip" (think about it). One major benefit is the heater - it is hot as hell, so you can put the top down in freezing conditions and not feel it.

Performance:

The engine is sadly lacking. The car is simply too heavy and the engine underpowered. At low revs, the VVI engine really struggles, and again, compared to a 1.8 2004 Vectra, it is sadly lacking. Just to be clear - I'm talking general "Getting out of trouble" speeds at roundabouts etc. But anything below 60 mph also counts.

Handling:

The car is too heavy. It handles corners well - but you must be really mindful of the weight in the wet due to understeer. Handling gets much better when the top is down.

Economy:

Vauxhall claim 40 MPG combined. I don't know where this testing was done, but I did a solid average of 30.1 MPG - up to 31.5 driving like an old woman. On motorways, 37 MPG is more realistic.

Appearance:

The major redeeming factor on this car - it looks excellent with both the top down and up. The proportions are excellent, and the 3 piece folding roof is a marvel to see operate.

Interior:

Plastic fantastic, and the piano black fascia looks like it was a wrong-colour replacement from another car, as the remainder of the fascia is silver and gray.

Reliability:

I didn't have the car long enough to really comment, but general research before buying one is that it is excellent. Beware of the roof however - there are very few specialists out there and costs can get really high. A common issue is with the plastic cogs stripping the gears and the wiring loom being faulty.

Equipment:

MP3 + Aux head unit. Auto wipers and lights, auto dim rear-view mirror and half leather interior + much more. Cannot complain at all about the toys in the car.

Practicality:

It's a convertible, so you are not going to get the chest of drawers in the car, but you will get 2 kids in the back of the car and some shopping in the boot.

Do not overfill the boot however; some of the complex roof mechanism is at the top of the boot, and you don't want to bash against the plastics.

Overall verdict:

I replaced the car with a 2008 Mazda 6, 2.0d and have not looked back since. The lack of power and basic comfort, combined with the economy, is a real deal breaker with this car I'm afraid.

To be clear, I also own a 1.6 Mazda MX5 from 1991, and can honestly say it is more economic, comfortable, powerful and fun.

Avoid the Twintop. Great in theory, but after about a month, the worry over the roof, the expensive fuel costs or general lack of feel in the car will make you regret it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2013

2008 Vauxhall Astra Design 1.8 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A quality build and feel

Faults:

Nothing- the C4 TFS was an absolute dream to drive. Only sold it as I needed a larger boot area for my dogs.

General Comments:

The Vauxhall 1.8 Design model is a refined car. It is responsive and well equipped.

The cabin area is nice with a black console. It has comfy seats, with leather inserts.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th July, 2010

8th Feb 2014, 08:07

Quite agree. I like them so much I have purchased three (two Life and one Club). The second-hand values are brilliant, having been overshadowed by the both new model and the dearer Ford Focus. All 3 are 1.8 autos, and the oldest has covered 80K without a single problem - superb strong engines from Vauxhall.