2004 Vauxhall Astra SXi review from UK and Ireland

Nothing so far, though I do get a a whistling noise with the throttle at certain positions. It's odd, but backing off or pressing the pedal stops the noise.

Style: you don't need me to tell you that the car looks fabulous.

Vauxhall has pulled all the stops out and produced one of the most

attractive cars in its class. The 5-door looks great from any angle,

especially the sport models with the bling wheels. Vauxhall interiors

are rarely great - the old Astra was ghastly - but the Mk5 Astra's

new cabin is their best effort yet.

Engine: performs as expected for a modern 1.6. You need to work it to

make quick progress, but it responds well and is very smooth and refined,

with a mildly sporting tone. Certainly adequate for most people, whilst

still being cheap to run. I'm getting 38mpg so far.

Handling: excellent all round. The SXi has the uprated suspension and

quicker steering, and it drives beautifully, staying flat and controlled

through the corners. It's a quantum leap over my old Seat Toledo. The ride remains pretty good despite the taut setup.

Refinement: excellent as well. At motorway speeds, it feels like a

more upmarket car than it is, remaining quiet and unruffled, even with

the engine running at high revs.

Practicality: adequate, but not the car's strong point. You get a nice

big glovebox, but the door pockets are small, there are no cubbyholes

and the centre console space is rather wasted. The boot is fine and

quite deep, though with a higher and narrower opening than some.

Quality: another leap forward for Vauxhall. The car has an air of

Germanic solidity about it, with chunky, solid controls and a satisfying

door clunk. The materials are fine, if not up to VW/Audi standards. But it's well built and feels as though it should last the distance.

Gadgets: there are plenty of things to play with. I love the way the

dashboard lighting fades in when you unlock; it looks very snazzy

at night. Mine has the uprated CDC40 stereo, with the CD changer and

DAB radio. It's very complex, with lots of menus and options, but does

everything you could want. Not to be messed with while driving - you'll

want to spend a good amount of time fiddling with it in the driveway

before setting off!