2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR from UK and Ireland - Comments

No faults.

Everyone always asks why I chose this over a Golf GTI or Focus ST. Several reasons:

1) It's the quickest of the three by a considerable margin.

2) It's the best looking of the three (in my humble opinion)

3) It's the only one of the three that really excited me to drive. Granted, that's in some way due to its flaws, but its occasional waywardness and the massive respect with which you need to treat the power hark right back to the days of the old school raw hot hatchback. No, it's probably not as capable as the Focus or Golf, but it makes me smile more than either of them, and that in my opinion is what a hot hatch should do.

The engine is an absolute belter. Boost comes in at around 2,000 RPM and the car just slingshots toward the horizon. It sounds absolutely gorgeous too, and is an object lesson in how to make a four cylinder engine sound and feel exciting. VW would do well to take notes here. It reminds me a lot of the old C20XE "red top" engine, with a slightly gravelly, raspy note to it, and an instant wallop when you open it up. Like the XE, it also sends the odd "zizz" and resonance through the pedals and the seat at certain points in the rev range, but it just has a raw energy to it that none of the rivals I drove (Focus, Golf, Megane 225) got even close to. Vauxhall have always known how to build a decent high performance engine, and this is one of their best yet. Certainly the VW unit can't hold a candle to it in terms of either performance or charisma.

Handling is much better than Vauxhalls of old with good bite from the front end (if you're careful on the loud pedal), and very direct, quick geared steering. Feel isn't as good as the Focus ST, but is easily the match of the Golf. The biggest problem is the ease with which you can overwhelm the front tyres with the power, but you soon learn to be smooth and feed in the power progressively. It's two handfuls in the wet, but again it can still be driven quickly once you learn it. To some this will drive them nuts, but I personally really like the fact that this car takes time to learn to get the best out of. You need to be able to (and be willing to) drive around its shortcomings, it really rewards. And you can drive around its shortcomings, and cover ground at ridiculous speeds. If you want to drive it everywhere foot to floor in all weathers, buy the Golf. Don't even waste your time test driving the VXR - you'll hate it.

The driving position is good, and build quality first class, although some of the interior plastics look a bit bland and cheap. Ride is very firm though (the reason I marked it down a bit for comfort) with sleeping policemen and potholes verging on the painful at times. Other than that, it's a comfy, refined car with a real Jekyll and Hyde character. Cruising the motorways in top it's quiet, responsive and stable. Under full chat exiting a corner, the engine snarls and bellows, and the steering wheel tugs gently as the chassis really starts to work for a living. The whole car comes alive and makes you concentrate - just like the best hot hatches of old.

So, the VXR is flawed, but brilliant fun, and a "classic" hot hatch in both the positive and negative sense of the word. It's well made, reliable (so far) and apart from the appalling ride quality, an absolute doddle to live with. If the new Golf GTI is too middle aged (and middle class) for you and the Focus too bland, try the VXR. It might just be what you are looking for.

This has to be one of the best reviews I've read on this site. There's no "badge-ism", no slagging off other hot hatches for the sake of it with no real justification, just constructive criticism of all the hot hatches (none of them are perfect) and genuine reasons for choosing the VXR. There are a lot of commenters and reviewers on this site who should take note of reviews like this, after all that's what this site is about... opinions not slanging matches. I'm waiting for delivery of an ST, but then that was my personal choice. A mate of mine has got a VXR and it's a stunning car... each to their own and all that. Nice one!!

A very good honest review. Are you Jeremy Clarkson?

This has to be the best review I have read on this site.

Excellent Review, totally unbiased which is very difficult to do when writing about your own car sometimes. I have a ZS 180 and saw one of these today. On looks alone it won me over - stunning. Hope you have a happy trouble free time with it.

Excellent review, very well written and I agree with almost entirely with what you say.

I would have the VXR over the common and bland Golf GTi or the Focus ST any day. The Astra VXR is easily the best hot hatch out there at the moment and in my opinion by quite some considerable distance too - especially in terms of fun.

I have been lucky enough to test one of these out at Oulton Park back in May on a VXR Race day I was invited too. Ignore the usual press comments about the way it drives - a badge is the one and only thing which makes a car in their world - they can't stand to see anything else with a so-called 'lesser' badge win. Having tested it around the track, I find it a ferocious accelerator in any gear at almost any speed and understeer in my opinion was minimal. It really is a hard car not to like and I am seriously considering upgrading my current Astra Sport Hatch SRi to the VXR within the next couple of years.

Very good initial review. You choose the VXR as you wanted the raw hot hatch feel for the best price. I own an ST, but that in part is down to getting a discount through a family member who works for Ford. If I was buying one full price it would be a close call between the VXR and the ST, for me the Golf GTi didn't do what I expected from a hot hatch, that catapult effect when you plant your foot to the floor! The GTI's engine for me also lacked the note, the growl that the VXR and the ST has (although you have to agree the engine sound in the ST is above the other two). Horses for courses, but it amuses me that a lot of VW GTI owners seem the need to put down the VXR and ST purely on 'badge snobbery' rather than praise the GTI at what it does. Personally I think the VXR and ST are in a different league to the GTI if your talking 'Hot Hatch' similar to putting the old ST170 in the same league as an RS Focus, Civic Type R or even the Clio 182. The ST170 was a great car to drive I owned one, but no match for the latter I mentioned in terms of raw performance.

I agree that the vxr is a beautiful looking car.

The way the car drives is superb and the acceleration is very good.

I have been lucky enough to own a R32, Cupra R 225 (mapped to 275:) ) and my parents have a Focus ST 2.5.

I have driven all of them and they all have their good and bad points.

Personally my favourite was the Cupra R. When the engine was remapped, the acceleration for a 1.8T engine was unbelievable!

Handling was not as responsive as the others, but not really too noticeable (afterall, you can only go a certain speed round a corner until you start to loose control.

The focus and astra are very quick and stylish (in my opinion)

They both have a better feel whilst driving.

The R32 was a looker. It disappointed me a little whilst driving however as the 3.2 V6 is capable of sooooo much more.

My parents are tinkering with the idea of getting the Volvo C30 hothatch. It looks very sweet and being a Volvo, should take a head on collision with a tree nae bother (please don't try!)

I honestly think that you cannot go wrong with any of the mentioned hothatches above, it's all down to personal preference.

I'd test drive all of them and then make your mind up then.

For me though, for £12000 or so, the Cupra R 225 is untouchable at that price and also looks very sweet.

All the above cars are very similar in performance and I would take any of them!

Cheers :)

Iv got a vxr engine in my mk4 astra sri turbo, recently had a problem with turbo cutting out when hot, took to vauxhall and 2 other garages which ran diagnostics check and each time could'nt find anything. turned out to the the actuator sticking which was rectified by wd40. running stage 3 tune with 300bhp/350 lb/ft. in a car 150kg lighter than vxr this car is grin inducingly quick, have yet to find something which can beat me.

Would be good to compare against my 300bhp integra type r turbo, would prob be good race.

.. Or..a "Chav" in his 6 year old 1.2 Corsa!!!., Now that would make me smile..

Currently I own a MK4 Sri Turbo which has the 200bhp Z20LET variation of the VXR engine. I test drove the VXR and found it to be no quicker than my current car - admittedly the engine was under 100 miles.

I look forward to trying a loosened up version to see what it can do, I just feel it was an opportunity missed by VX as this Astra weighs nearly 1400kg whereby the Mk4 weighs 1250kg and the old MK2 was 1000kg exactly! Seems a shame that the weight of all these cars are going the wrong way.

Astra 2009 should weigh the same as a current Monaro!

I currently own a 330ci sport bmw and I'm offered a new vxr as a company car, but will I be going backwards? I've test drove the car and the car isn't as well built interior reliability, but in the sense of power will I miss it? I've seen the statistics and the two cars are exactly the same, but the bmw is so easy to drive with bags of torque all over the place. I had this problem with the type r as I had to race the nuts off it to get similar performance.

'I currently own a 330ci sport bmw and I'm offered a new vxr as a company car, but will I be going backwards?'

I would say that is very much a backward step. A 335 (d) coupe would be a better choice.

I would go with the VXR, have a change, a bit of excitement. It may not be as luxurious as the 330 but I expect its quicker and a lot more fun.

Go for it. nothing to loose.