Faults:

Clutch and gearbox issues caused the most trouble, and very expensive to fix.

Most other things were just wear and tear. I kept the car serviced on time and drove carefully.

General Comments:

A stunning looking hatch/coupe from Vauxhall, this GTC Astra stands out from the duller hatchbacks!

Very fun to drive, 1.4 turbo has decent performance and 37 - 41 mpg is doable. I'd avoid the diesels, the petrol engine is much more reliable.

Pretty comfortable despite a firm ride.

It's a shame the car has had the famous gearbox issues Vauxhall had during this time period. Not exclusive to the Astra however - the Insignia and other models had problems too.

But once reconditioned the car is as good as new, but definitely something to look out for when buying used. Walk away from cars with notchy/noisy boxes.

Faults:

Nothing, but it has only been in my ownership one year.

General Comments:

Sharp looking little sports hatch, this Astra GTC stands out from the rest.

My car is black with the optional fancier alloy wheels - love the look. Sport model is very basic, but still has A/C, electric windows, and so on.

Rear visibility is limited, but you get used to it. Seats are comfortable. I hate the center console controls for climate though - they are a mess! Not intuitive at all. But this is a small complaint on an otherwise fine car.

1.4 turbo petrol engine is quick enough for me. Manages around 40 mpg with careful driving.

Cheap to buy and run, a great looking simple reliable run about, love it so far!

Faults:

Wear and tear.

Exhaust system seems to corrode early.

Central locking sometimes won't work.

Load cover broke.

Paint fade.

General Comments:

Sport Tourer just means estate version of the Astra. Lots of space though. You won't get a more boring car than the Astra, but I like mine because it has never gave me any major problems and I got it for a good price.

1.4 is not the best, slow and struggles a bit for low 40's mpg. Cheap to tax and insure though.

Cabin is dull, but this is the most basic model.

A Ford Focus is more fun to drive.

Not the best car and not the worst, pretty much as average as you can get. You can get them for a reasonable price now.

Faults:

Injectors, and gearbox whine (expensive).

The rest was just maintenance, wear and tear and so on.

General Comments:

Fast, economical and fun to drive, my Astra Elite has done me well the last few years.

Good looking car.

Comfortable interior.

Wouldn't like to keep it beyond 100,000 miles though, starting to get expensive.

Faults:

Suspension springs and mounts.

ABS sensor and brake pads.

Exhaust rear section.

Oil service essential every year or around the 10K mark. Service history is essential. Also be aware the 1.4 has a timing chain that needs changed like the belted 1.6 petrol engine (usually between the 50,000 - 100,000 mile mark), some claim the chains last forever but this is not true, if it rattles or is otherwise noisy it is best changed and it is a little more expensive than a belt (I was quoted over £400, most timing belts I got changed in cars in the past was only £250 - £300!).

Another common fault on this model is apparently the gearbox can fail and the bearings get noisy; thankfully mine seems OK though, walk away from a noisy one.

General Comments:

The Astra has always been a bog standard family hatchback, and this fairly modern looking 2012 car is no different. I do like it better than the previous generation however. It is a smart looking car with a nice set of alloys I put on, as this basic "Exclusiv" model has wheel trims. Bright red, looks pretty good now.

There are a few version of this 1.4 engine, I have the middle range 100 bhp version. There is a slower one with around 80 bhp that is best avoided, and the pick of the bunch is the turbo charged 1.4 model, but that is usually in the "Coupe GTC" model Astra's, but you can get it in the standard hatchback I believe. All do around 45 mpg and are more reliable than the diesels.

Interior is a bit dull, but the seats are very comfortable. Visibility is a bit limited in the rear, but front and side is OK.

The car's handling is pretty boring. Gear change is slick however and the car is nice to cruise in, very refined.

Running costs (tax + insurance) are reasonable so long as you are over 21 and been driving a while. Servicing and repairs are as expensive as any car these days however. I wouldn't bother with Vauxhall main dealers at this age; try and find a local independent garage to help you out to keep costs down.

Overall this Astra is nothing special, but it is a very nice reliable car to daily drive. I bought mine used last year for only £3150, good condition full MOT with no nasty advisory. Already 10 years old and getting on a bit, but if it lasts a few more years I will be happy, it is still a pretty modern smart looking and good enough to drive car.