“GM has never sold a competitive small car in America.” Not true. The imported rear wheel-drive Opel 1900– the sedan version of the Manta– was a superb machine for its day. Unfortunately, a rising dollar and a lack of marketing and development vis-a-vis the Japanese competition (Datsun 510) doomed the 1900 to footnoted obscurity. And now, once again, General Motors NA turns to Opel to get back in the small car game. They've brought over the Eurozone’s best selling passenger car: the Astra. Starting this January, you can buy an Astra in America, only with the logo swapped from Opel’s lightning bolt to Saturn’s rings. Should you?
The Astra’s exterior is no more ground breaking than Dunkin Donuts’ Gingerbread latte. While I wouldn’t call the Astra boring, it’s an entirely familiar design. I’m thinking a squared off Golf/Rabbit, or a slightly more muscular Mazda3. More importantly, the Astra’s not available as a sedan or coupe. America-friendly body styles have been eschewed for a racy three-door hatchback and a more traditionally proportioned five-door hatch. How great (a.k.a. expedient) is that?
The Astra’s interior, however, is worth the international intrigue. Again, it’s not particularly exciting. You might even say the Astra’s cabin is a piece of cold coal. I’m sure Alice Cooper picked the grey and darker grey color scheme. But the basic design is sharp (especially the crease down the middle of the center stack), modern and clearly Germanic (Das ist ein Opel, nicht wahr?), complete with bright orange interior lights. The fit and finish is at the very top of the segment, at least as good as this writer’s VW GTI and, in many cases, superior.
But the interior’s construction is missing creature comforts, leaving you asking uncomfortable cross-cultural questions. Why is there no center armrest? Why is there one puny, small, out of the way cupholder that couldn’t fit a shot glass (never mind the U.S.-requisite Big Gulp). Why does the clock display only 24-hour time? Why is the multifunction display so confusing? Ergonomically, the Astra’s papers are also not in order. The hatch looks nice, but why is the opening such an inconvenient shape?
Saturn’s PR has an explanation for this lack of naturalization. In fact, the press materials chide picky anal retentive reviewers before they can even get warm-up their OCD-o-meter. This isn’t a car for multitasking. This is a car for driving! Dummkopf! That’s a tacky, spin-cycle explanation, but hey, with that in mind, let’s take GM’s latest, greatest foray into compactcarhood for a spin.
You can have any engine you like as long as it’s a 1.8-liter four-cylinder powerplant with a genuinely underwhelming 138 horses. I’ll skip the usual lack of diesel diatribe, in large part because there’s no particulate reason to single out GM in this regard, and the zippy little engine really is quite good. Zero to sixty takes… probably between nine and ten seconds, and that’s enough for your small car isn’t it? Perhaps, if someone wasn’t trying to sell it to me as an enthusiasts’ driving machine…
The majority of American Astras will be equipped with an four-speed automatic transmission bereft of any manual lockdown. Sure that’s fine for most people, but why does Saturn keep telling me this is a car to “make a trip around the block exciting?” If you insist on an enthralling cicrumnavigation, you can opt for a first rate five-speed stick.
And I really shouldn’t cavil; the Astra drives superbly. The helm imparts such a premium feel that I started to get nervous that it might best my GTI in premiumfeelosity. The Astra’s steering has laser guided precision. Feedback? Enough to know where you’re going, but not so much to vibrate your hands off. Think mid 1990s BMW.
If the rest of the car is the Burger, the suspension is the King. There are “sport-luxury” cars in the $30k range that don’t ride like the Astra. Zero body roll in cornering, and still totally forgiving over rough pavement. I wrung the life out of my little tester without once becoming a person of interest. Even through a tight slalom, the Astra was nonplussed. Talk about confidence. It may as well have looked me in the eye, insulted my mother and lit up a cigarette.
Taken as a whole, the Saturn née Opel Astra falls between two stools. It’s not quite as sporty as the Mazda3 or MINI Cooper. It’s not quite as cushy as the Corolla or Civic. Its closest competitor is the VW Rabbit, and the best selling Rabbit is the Jetta. The Astra’s got a great price (so great that GM will lose money on every single one), but the lack of creature comforts, hatch-only configurations and decidedly unsporty spec-sheet will put most of its potential customers in other dealerships. Once again, a great car is doomed to failure.
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Like the 1900 reference. My Dad, Bro and myself had several and drove them hard. I remember them fondly.
Bunter
Thanks for the timely review!
Funny, I strayed away from this vehicle, but it’s suddenly back to the top of my list because it’s a two-door hatchback (a rare bird these days). Possible deterrents: I’m 6′4, and though the Astra has a driver’s seat height adjustment and tilt-telescope wheel, it may still be suited for the Euro morpholgy.
The Astra (esp. in “3-Door” trim) has a lot of bells and whistles for its price, yet no AUX input jack, even for the upgraded stereo. Also (probably an omission) there is no cruise control listed in any spec (even the Vauxhall Astra doesn’t list it); makes me wonder if they’re going to install it at the dealership.
The 1.8 Ecotec has “adequate” HP, but the torque curve isn’t as strong as a relatively heavy car like this needs… consequently, the 2008 mileage ratings are actually lower than the 2.2 Et available in the Cobalt — hopefully, it will surpass these ratings, but the Civic does notably better (no hatch, though).
The car is damn pretty, (esp. in the blue) and has an “upscale” air (and price) to it; if the real world performance and fuel mileage live up to America’s expectations, it stands a chance in the resurging “non SUV” utility market.
The Saturn dealers will have to seal it with an excellent customer experience. (We’ll see in a month or two)
Oh,
“I’ll skip the usual lack of diesel diatribe, in large part because there’s no particulate reason to single out GM in this regard…”
Why I read TTAC… ;-)
GM manufactures a traditional four-door version of the Astra for central- and eastern-European countries, as well as Asia. It isn’t sold in western-Euro countries, as hatches are far more popular there.
After seeing Dodge’s faltering Caliber (which, despite its terribly ungainly appearance and craptastic interior would probably sell doubly as quickly with a sedan variant – look at the old Neon’s sales numbers despite some of the poorest design and build quality in the industry), why in God’s name has GM left this out of the US market? They also make a five-door wagon and a “Twin Top” folding-hardtop convertible, but the Focus wagon never sold and Americans aren’t about to pay $35 grand for an overweight, 138-hp four-cylinder convertible, so I don’t expect to ever see those versions here.
Possible deterrents: I’m 6′4, and though the Astra has a driver’s seat height adjustment and tilt-telescope wheel, it may still be suited for the Euro morpholgy
It should be fine, I’m 6′3 and if I recall correctly it was ok, in fact I remember even the rear seats are surprisingly good in terms of headroom (relatively speaking) for the 3 door. You don’t want to sit there at this length but still.
I personally like the opel Astra, even now after 4 years since the introduction, it still is a serious consideration in the market that we Europeans call the C segment and is the most hardfought of them all.
I immediately believe the 1.8 isn’t great but “sporting driving” is all about chassis dynamics and just a little about Horse Power. Still, the new 1.6 Turbo with 180 horses and similar if not better fuel economy might be a better choice for driving . In Europe the gasoline options start with a 1.4 and ends with the OPC 240 HP 2.0 Turbo. But I guess that would make it more expensive (for GM) and moreover, a completely different car with completely different competition.
Anyway, the should sell it as a Chevy. It’s more than good enough for that, and push Saturn back to Scion territory. If you can only have one decent car line up than at least make it Chevy, and after Cadillac, and after that Pontiac and then Saturn. I can see why they won’t focus, but this small steps for all brands doesn’t seem to work for them.
I can only assume they are sandbagging in preparation for the Redline model, which will probably sell well and be very competitive (see JJ’s comment about the 2.0T version)
And once again, I’m torn between applauding a domestic maker for a fine product…and slapping my forehead as they trot out yet another cherry-picked foreign product as part of their “American Revolution.” I guess product development deserves a big shrug, while marketing deserves a round of applause. Note that this time, they didn’t even bother coming up with a new name ;)
GM DID compete in small cars since the 1900 – the first Saturns were quite competitive (I bought one of the first SL2s and got a good life out of it).
M1EK
GM DID compete in small cars since the 1900 – the first Saturns were quite competitive (I bought one of the first SL2s and got a good life out of it).
Mr. Berkowitz did not mean to imply that the 1900 was the ONLY competitive GM small car. There are other examples. In fact, before publishing the piece, I pinged one of our resident historians, Paul Neidermeyer, on the question of GM’s small car competitiveness. Here’s his reply…
In a addition to the Opel 1900 (Ascona in Europe), GM has sold (and still does) a number of competitive small cars:
Since the mid ’80’s, the Corolla twins from the NUMMI (Toyota joint venture) factory, sold as the Chevy Nova, Geo Prizm, and currently, the Pontiac Vibe.
Also, other cars from GM partly owned companies Suzuki and Isuzu: The Geo Spectrum (Isuzu I-mark); Geo Storm (Isuzu Impulse) and the well known Geo Metro (Suzuki Swift). All of these were truly competitive, and enjoyed varying degrees of success. The Metro may be ridiculed, but it was in a class of itself, sold well, and was competitive.
GM has shown itself to be perfectly capable of making excellent small cars, especially in Europe. I have followed Opel very closely for forty years, and their products have always been competitive in Europe, sometimes even at the top of their class. Opel has suffered mainly from image problems, in the rush to embrace “premium” brands in Europe. In the many comparison tests by Auto Motor und Sport over the years, the Astra has always done well against the Golf, beating it a couple of times in recent years (depending on configuration).
GM of NA’s hubris, organizational disfunctionality, and penny-pinching have been the obstacles to their small car success in the USA. I could never figure out why they didn’t just build the excellent Opel 1900/Ascona as a Chevy in the US, rather than the Vega. The Opel had non of the Vega’s shortcomings. But the story of how the Vega actually came to be is interesting, and explains things to some extent.
I have high respect for GM’s engineering capabilities. The problem lies elsewhere.
But the story of how the Vega actually came to be is interesting, and explains things to some extent.
Robert any chance we might get an editorial about it, I would like to know more.
The lack of a center armrest is absolutely inexcusable at any price
thetopdog:
“The lack of a center armrest is absolutely inexcusable at any price”
True, but the saga of the disappearing center armrest seems to happen quite often in cars these days (i.e. Honda Fit Sport, for one). It seems that the positioning of the handbrake in these smaller cars dictates whether there’s a center armrest or not; the Honda Civic has one, but the parking brake lever is just to the left of the shifter, where it digs into one’s right leg after a time. The Mazda 3 does it right; wish everyone else would copy that setup.
I’m 6′-6” and in general I fit in this class of cars nicely. I haven’t tried an Astra recently but I do not expect any problems there. Actually, in my experience, large US cars do much worse. At least the ones I tried did not have an extending steering column. The result is always a compromised driving position for somebody my size.
As I posted some time ago, I was in in the market for a new car in this class. Actually, I signed the contract for a Peugeot 308 1.6 THP aut. It does have an armrest in the middle. ;-)
Regards
The company had Dyslexia but able to make a better vehicles for the environment.
Where can you find a company that makes environmentally friendly sport cars.
Listening to consumer will over come that learning disability that Saturn was.
A Greener Pasture for Saturn an American Company.
And what about when they release a redline version with a 200 hp, 2.0L ecotec that will be extremely tunable?
My first car was an 1974 Opel Manta. That was a great little car, with a bullet proof engine.
So, does this mean the Astra will be on my future car buying radar? Maybe as a used car. Give the way Saturns decpreciate, I bet you will be able to pick one of these up in a couple of years for a song.
i hate center armrests.
i always bang my elbow when i’m shifting.
besides, with 10/2 or 9/3 hand position, who’s resting arms?
by the way have you tried denting one of Saturn’s car¿
While “The Competition”, Honda and Toyota appear to be willing to bend over backwards to ensure that the design and features of their cars are Just what the American consumer wants GM is once again coming at us with a half-ass approach.
So let me get this stright. The gameplan for GM today is to beat the competition in its OWN HOME Market. To do so they need to bring superior products or products that at least appear to be superior to market. Yet time and time again GM come up with a compromised product that is missing features and details that Americans have come to expect because those OTHER companies DO include these features in their “class-leading” products.
The Astra will go on sale as a 2008 model yet it lacks a AUX port for the sound system. WTF! This is a standard feature in just about every single car you can buy today from $15,000 up to $200,000. And not for nothing, IT IS A BIG DEAL! Not offer an Aux jack today is like not offering a tape or CD player 20 and 10 years ago.
The engine is enemic at best. Another ho hum feature of the Astra that offer NO advantage over the competition. The autobox is old news and behind the sophistication of the majority of the competition.
While the chassis dynamics may be excellent, this trait will be seriously hampered by weak powerplant and drivetrain.
After years of convincing Americans that they do not like small hatchbacks GM decided that Americans now want one, while the competition are all offering sedan models in this class?
After years of convincing Americans that they need a cup-holder (or TWO) for every passanger GM is now telling its costumers that they only need one insufficent one.
A 24 hour clock only, WTF???????
Why all of the cheesy chrome all over the place?
The devil is in the details! What will it take for GM to understand that they need to make and sell something that is better or actually offer more than what the transplants are making.
GM wants our business. GM likes to use the concept of “American Pride” to sell us its goods, yet refuses to build products that actually express this feeling of Pride.
i would rather not have an arm rest if it turned out like the one on the old Focus. It always manages to get the way.
In regards to arm rests – we don’t have one in our Mini Cooper “S” – a 40k vehicle in Canada (luckily we paid half that in the US and imported – but that’s another story)! At first it really bothered me – I’m used to being able to rest my arm with my hand hovering just above/behind the shifter, however for these vehicles that require a bit more rowing, I found it wasn’t quite as necessary – this ain’t no cruiser!
This car is a great start to carving out a significant share of a crowded market, way better than GM’s other limited production prospects over the years: Fiero, Allante, Reatta, Corvette ZR1, etc.
Too bad we know how the story usually ends.
The Astra will “win” with Continuous Improvement. It remains to be seen if GM is in it for the long haul.
Great review Justin – the Astra, while flawed, is a great drive and very good value thanks to GMs generous subsidies. I had one as a rental in Germany and apart from the wheezy 1.4 Ecotec and the alarming hollow sound every time I bumped the dash, it was a fun little car (way more fun than the Rabbit).
Does the Saturn version inherit the really annoying electronic indicator stalk that it has in Europe?
I left off the original Saturn from my list of “GM’s competitive small cars” because even though it had some redeeming qualities (plastic panels, good mileage), it’s engine was a terrible thrasher, the chassis was crude (fun to some, I suppose), and generally the development was not up to the standards of the class-leading Civic and Corolla. It sure was marketed successfully.
Robert Farago: I could never figure out why they didn’t just build the excellent Opel 1900/Ascona as a Chevy in the US, rather than the Vega. The Opel had non of the Vega’s shortcomings. But the story of how the Vega actually came to be is interesting, and explains things to some extent.
I remember reading that when GM was developing a smaller Cadillac (which ultimately became the original Seville), it considered basing it on an Opel platform (Diplomat, if I recall correctly).
Apparently, the German car was built to much closer tolerances, which made it cost prohibitive to simply use the platform in the U.S.
If this was a problem for a Cadillac, one can imagine how much more of a problem it would have been for a car that was to be sold as the cheapest Chevrolet. Also shows how far the U.S. automakers had fallen behind the foreign competition by the mid-1970s.
Great review.
The last time I was looking for a small car was 1994. Wow have things changed in the last 10-15 years. Back then, average power was just over 100hp — the Neon was king of the class at 130hp. Major concerns for buyers were reliability and safety; today these are simply assumed.
Now the biggest gripes are about cupholder size, auxiliary iPod ports, armrests and whether the clock has AM/PM.
Inflation adjusted, cars are cheaper today, of much higher quality, and a lot more interesting. But buyers are still just as whiny.
Thanks Justin. Great review. This car is now on my short list to replace my VW.
Justin, did you have a chance to drive on rough/broken/challenging pavement? The biggest technical difference of the Astra from the Golf/Rabbit is that the VWs have a more sophisticated (read:expensive) multi-link rear suspension, while the Astra still has the twist-beam rear axle. In European tests, that seems to give the VW an advantage in ride quality on anything other than very smooth pavement.
Interesting that the Vega should come up (a very competitive car by the way, despite serious problems it competed very well, to the tune of over 1-million in the first 3 years).
We stopped by our local Saturn store last night, I got an Astra brochure and was asked if I wanted to book a “preview drive” this weekend (it won’t be here in Canada for a while yet).
Right after our brief chat my wife asked – “Astra, Astra? Wasn’t that a Pontiac Vega?”. Geesh, some people never forget.
Maybe they should have changed the name.
DPerkins: From my perspective, a car selling well doesn’t necessarily mean “competitive”. It often takes a couple of years to know if a car is competitive in reliability, build quality, etc. The Vega flunked.
BTW, the Pontiac was “Astre”. Close enough, though.
@ash78 and others:
GM swears up and down that there will not be a Redline model of the Astra in the U.S.
@Paul Niedermeyer:
I did drive it over some bad pavement, but wasn’t going more than 25 mph at that point, so it’s difficult to say. Overall I’d say they were comparable. What I got in the Astra going over rough pavement in a turn was a tiny bit of hop, where the Rabbit might have been more planted. Would the different suspension components account for that?
In my GTI, the low profile tires and idiotic 18 inch wheels make driving on anything other than glass a punishment.
Virtually no cupholders? That may sound not like a big deal, but us Californian’s spend a lot of time in our cars and therefore cupholders become good friends of ours. Most of my employees are females who love their Starbucks (which we affectionately call Fourbucks) and their sodas and none of them I know would much consider a car without a cupholder. May sound trivial, but that is the age we live in. That will cost many potential sales in my opinion. But that may not be a bad thing if GM is losing money on everyone they sell.
My father ended up with a brand new Astra as a rental in Europe. The clutch pedal broke off within 500 kms. Manbe the auto IS a better idea ;-).
So, let’s see…nice, Euro-spec suspension saddled with a powertrain more suitable for a Corolla. 128 hp would not be so bad if the Astra (like the 3 and Civic) was not cozying up to the ton-and-a-half mark. And a four-speed automatic, insuring that there’s no great advantage in fuel economy for the lack of grunt? Clever.
The made-in-Belgium approach doesn’t bother me in principle, but I can already hear the dealer service departments claiming they can’t get parts because they have to come from overseas, etc. Since I fear it’ll have Volkswagen-like reliability, it gives me the fear.
The ergonomic/equipment gaffes trouble me for a completely different reason. I’m not one to buy or not buy a car based on the clock or the cupholders, but, GM being GM, it makes me wonder, if they flubbed these obvious, trivial details, what other blunders are hidden beneath the skin.
So I’ll have fresh coffee, smiling employees, and a children’s play area while I wait for the parts to arrive from Europe? Like always, like never before :D
Add me to the “Meh” crowd on center armrests. I only appreciate them in large trucks with giant seats and no lateral support. In cars, I just flip them out of the way or curse at them while I shift.
Can it be! That GM will build the car I’ve been wanting so long? A small hatchback with a small engine! That’s fine, because I’m sick of carrying around excess power I never get a chance to use. This won’t be the family tow car, after all. But I do want that BMW steering, and cornering flat as a pond, because to me, performance is something enjoyed in curves, not straight lines. (Yes, I am an American. Officially, anyway. Just an odd one.)
Nah, can’t happen. I’m sure GM’s elves have been working overtime to add giant cupholders that will spill my humble 20 oz drinks. They’ll swap out the Euro shocks for Corvette duty, and add two inches of play to the steering system. Then they’ll have a car they can be proud of…
@Wheatridger:
I’m sure GM’s elves have been working overtime to add giant cupholders that will spill my humble 20 oz drinks. They’ll swap out the Euro shocks for Corvette duty, and add two inches of play to the steering system.
You might be right for the next model year. For now, what you see (and read about) is what you get.
Are these things for sale yet? Saturn doesn’t have the online builder, and its not listed in their vehicle line-up either … Justin, how did you get ahold of one? I thought TTAC was banned everywhere ;)
ZCline:
They go on sale in January (ish). TTAC is only officially banned by a few mfrs. The rest just don’t give respect (usually).
Check out “Future vehicles” on Saturn’s website.
No center armrest? Not a car for me.
I like to have at least a pair of decent cupholders too.
Other than that it looks alright.
GM should use the Mazda3 as its base reference point for this class of car. They need to understand why the Mazda3 is such a success and NOT look at the Civic or Corolla. Honda and Toyota current have what GM desperately wants a solid products that sell based on it reputation. Yes these cars do have their brite shiney attritbutes that make them good cars but it is the reputation that solidifies the sale.
Mazda has always had to take a different approach and offer MORE in their cars for the same price or less. While the Mazda3 does have excellent dynamics to appeal to our crowd it is also a very well equiped, good looking car that manages to appeal to just about everyone shopping this class of cars. The Mazda3 offer features that the other cars dont or require a premium payment to get. Even though the Mazda is considered to be a less reliable car and made out of cheaper materials it has enough extra goodies and dynamics to make the sale.
As the Astra stand it is missing stuff that WILL be a deal breaker for many. It will be hard to trade in a older car like a Mazda3 and end up with a new car with less standard feature only to find out that things like an AUX port can even be had as a option. This is NOT Europe and good driving dynamics will NOT win the day.
It is sad that GM is once again says “not superior in any way but good enough”. You mean to tell me the largest automaker in the world is incapable of making the necessary changes to better this car’s chances of it being the MAJOR success that it needs to be in the USA?
@whatdoiknow1:
You know, I drove a friend’s Mazda3 hatch soon after my time with the Astra. I think the Astra has it beat in most departments except one: helping Americans commute comfortably. I preferred the Astra’s suspension and steering, interior design and fit and finish to the Mazda. The acceleration of the Saturn was even more fun in the stick Astra (138 hp) compared to the stick Mazda3 (160 hp).
But the Mazda’s option list versus the Astra’s non-option list is, as you say, going to be a dealbreaker for many. Audio input, cupholders, complex audio controls, no navigation option, no manumatic shifting option, etc are all not available.
I’m confused can you get this with a stick or not? I am assuming if you can it’s just a 5 speed. How was the tranny and shift feel?
Also is the grey interior the only color option you can get because it is horribly cheap looking from the pictures, I hate that elephant hide looking plastic.
I wonder if you could toss a supercharger onto the existing mill.
@Redbarchetta,
Yep, it’s available with a 5-speed stick. It’s a really nice transmission. Easy clutch pedal. The gear level action is clean – obviously not at that magical Honda standard, but not rubbery or vague or anything.
It’s a totally viable transmission to get, if you can find one. Fortunately, since the options list is so short, it’s not like you’ll have to compromise on other stuff to get a stick model.
@Justin-
I’m boldly encouraged by the general thrust of your review – it sounds like the Astra is a solid vehicle and far superior than anything GM currently offers in this segment… I’m ecstatic to learn that we might have domestic compact car that goes toe-to-toe with the imports for interior appointments, etc. I’m also relatively unconcerned about the pedestrian drivetrain, since that can easily be remedied down the line…
What I *am* confused about, though, is your overall appraisal of the car (via the star ratings) and in particular the suspension/handling of the vehicle.
All this, at least to my ears, sounds great, especially for an entry-level compact vehicle… It’s exactly why people come away impressed with the Rabbit/Golf and the like…
Okay, I think there’s a vocabulary problem here, because nonplussed suggests bewilderment and confusion, but it seems as though you want to indicated that the Astra was planted and poised (good things, both).
Assuming, then, that the handling is not at fault (unless I’m mistaken), what could possibly be dragging this car down into 3-star territory? Excellent handling is now 3-star? Minis start at near $19k and this guy is almost $4k cheaper [source] – where’s the competition? Seems like objections are coming in for the lack of Toys (this is entry-level, is it not?), and lack of Desirability (compared with what – this competes in price with the Civic, etc.)… I just don’t have a good grasp of the rationale here…
The Astra is a great little car.
I’ve had the pleasure of driving it abroad and here in Arizona about a month ago. As far as small cars go in this class this is among the best overall. The reviewer is correct in his assessment of the Astra’s dynamics. It’s very similar to the VW Rabbit in every sense and feels a bit richer, nimbler and more substantial than the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. It also makes those two compact cars feel huge.
You can get this car with a manual transmission. The shift and clutch action is very light, lighter than what I’m used to but not horrible by any means. The automatic will still be a better choice for most people I suspect. It doesn’t feel like it gives anything up to the manual in performance.
If anything fails the Astra it will be the Saturn brand itself. It’s one of GM’s weaker brands and despite having a slew of good to excellent new products in the showroom none of them are sales hits. I doubt the Astra will reverse that trend but it is a good small car entry, something GM really needs.
My uncle let me have his 1974 Opel Manta Ralleye my junior year of high school (1990s) to learn to drive stick-shift with. No A/C, no power steering, less than 100hp and RWD, yet it was an absolute blast to drive. The Astra shares that personality with the old Manta I fondly remember.
Really well-written review of a car that I thought was clearly inferior to the Euro-style Focus, Golf, Auris, in both steering and suspension subtleness, when I reviewed it Euro-guise earlier this year,
meaning that either GM is listening to us, or
we have pretty different POVs.
Sounds like a great car for me. I’ve been looking for an economical hatchback that handled well. Now the question remains as to whether it is competing with the vw rabbit/GTI on the un-reliability spectrum. That has always kept me away from a car I otherwise enjoy very much (GTI). How have the Opel versions faired in reliability in Europe?
It sounds like a “good” little car, but kind of pricey for what you get. And with Saturn’s fixed pricing policies, there won’t be any additional discounts. Maybe Saturn dealers will give generous trade-in allowances like they have sometimes done in the past.
One thing about the original Saturn SC, SL and SW was, even with their thrashy engines, they had one of the nicest clutches to be found in an American car. It was light and smooth like those found in Japanese cars. As I examine the door dings in my current ride I think the plastic body panels probably had some merit, too. Even if the body panel gaps were wide.
@AndyR:
You caught me using a nonstandard definition for nonplussed. I meant undisturbed. As in good.
The reasons for the 3 stars:
- 4-speed transmission is annoying, doesn’t match marketing of “sporty” car.
- It’s not that cheap if you get the sportier XR models (easy to get to $18k or $19k)
- Creature comforts are lacking, which is bad for many commuters. Cupholders, armrests, 24 hour time on the clock, confusing radio interface.
- No toys even available either. I know it’s an economy car, but come on, no audio input? Young frugal people still have iPods.
It’s still a very good car. It’s just got too many basic flaws to get 4-stars.
All this lil puppy has to do is make up for the steaming pile that was the Ion. And it sounds like it accomplishes this nicely. With a few more beans it could make major inroads into Mazda3 and Golf (or should that be Rabbit?) market share.