1.4T 150ps Elite Nav Auto 5dr

Forget SUVs - Include An Astra On Your List Of Estate Choices

The fact that many people have asked me what the car is whilst, at the same time, saying how distinctive it looks says a lot about the mystique of an Astra Estate. Conversely, if I said I was buying, or had bought, an Astra Estate expect an unimpressed reaction.

The thing is, this car just doesn't look like what most people perceive it would look like. It is in fact very upmarket in appearance & extremely well appointed on the inside.

As a used car it's an absolute bargain with even very low mileage recent models available for hardly half the price of a new car. Originally, I was looking for an SUV & then I saw this. A good test drive later & it was mine.

Sports Tourer is a reasonably accurate description as the car is no slouch reaching 60mph in well under 10 seconds despite the auto gearbox. For boy racers there's even a sequential gear change if you wish. On the other hand steering is quite direct & suspension is soft meaning you can't throw it around too much. And the 18" tyres don't help either. Nevertheless it's a bit more fun than you might expect. Pretty quiet at all speeds with a bit of noise from those larger tyres at motorway speeds.

Petrol consumption doesn't quite reach the stated figures. Mind you, what cars ever do? Even so, 38mpg isn't unacceptable by any means for an automatic heavy and luxurious estate. Road tax is £140 at the time of writing this.

And luxurious it certainly is. Heated leather seats front & back with powered lumbar support for the driver and sporty contours in the front. Then there are automatic lights & wipers, heated steering wheel, electric folding mirrors, cruise control, sat nav, Apple/Android Play, dual zone auto a/c, hill start assist, auto stop/start, DAB radio, WiFi hotspot, centre console and even a direct line to the Vauxhall concierge service.

There are loads of other features & facilities too but I think you get the point. Inside layout is very smart too making you feel you're in one of the more luxurious, spacious and comfortable marques, many of which don't have this level of goodies. . Even the boot has no lip so it's ideal for a day at the races with your hamper & the tailgate providing good shelter from the sun or rain!

It's actually lavish enough to leave me feeling slightly short changed. I mean, where's the electric panoramic sunroof, headlight washers, heated windscreen washers and start/stop button - yes, you have to use the key? Vauxhall had done such a great job it just makes you wonder why they didn't complete the the luxury add ons for this range topping model.

Still, I'm not really complaining. I really look forward to getting in & driving this car. It has an element of the wow factor, both inside & out and it's a Vauxhall which means it should be, and is, reliable & reasonably economical to run & maintain.

Remember, I was originally looking for an SUV. Now I wonder what advantages they have, apart from an elevated view of the road of course.

So, I reckon that it's always a good idea to compare SUVs with estates next time you're in the market. And if you'd like considerable luxury on a budget, just make sure one of the Astra Sports Tourer Elite models is on your list.

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