By Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring
Holden has added a four-door Astra sedan variant to join the Astra hatch that was launched in December 2016.
A station wagon will be added to the range later this year.
This car market segment is extremely price sensitive in Australia to the extent that prices of the Astra hatch had to be reduced within months of it going on sale.
Even $1500 can make all the difference and hatch sales are noticeably higher now than in the early days.
GM-Holden has learned its lesson and Astra sedan prices start at $20,490 and run through to $29,790.
On-road costs have to be factored in, however some pretty good driveaway deals are being offered during the initial weeks, possibly months, to get the Astra established.
Styling of the new Astra sedan is neat and tidy, but doesn’t really break any new ground. This is a smart move as cars in this class tend to be purchased by sensible buyers who don’t want something that may look out of date in a few years, and depreciate savagely as a result.
Holden Astra is built on an all-new vehicle modular architecture that features up to 120kg weight reduction from the model it supersedes.
This adds performance at the same time as fuel consumption decreases. The cars we tested certainly felt spritely.
Infotainment is centred around a colour touchscreen that’s neatly integrated into the stylish dashboard.
It uses the latest Holden MyLink system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s USB input with iPod connectivity. A clever design feature is the thumb rest to steady your hand while reaching the screen with your forefinger.
On the safety front, all models have six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), automatic headlights, a rear view camera and rear park assist.
Even the basic Holden Astra LS is pretty well equipped. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels. It has a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen, steering wheel mounted controls, a six speaker audio system, cruise control.
The Astra LS+ adds a leather appointed steering wheel, automatic high beam assist, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), Holden Eye forward facing camera, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert (FCA).
Next comes the Astra LT. Over the LS+ it has 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear lip spoiler, an 8.0-inch touchscreen and DAB+ radio.
It also has heated door mirrors, front park assist, Side Blind Spot Alert, Passive Entry & Push-button Start, Advanced Park Assist, and automatic windscreen wipers.
Finally, there’s the king of the hill Astra LTZ.
It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and has climate controlled air conditioning, an electric sunroof, chromed exterior window surrounds as well as chromed interior highlights combined with piano black. The front seats are heated.
The only engine offered in Holden Astra sedan is a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol producing 110 kW of power.
Oddly, maximum torque is 245 Nm with a six-speed manual, but 240 Nm with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Seems that by GM’s internal standards that auto can’t handle that extra five Nm. The Astra LS is the only model offered with a manual gearbox.
The more powerful 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine (147 kW / 280 Nm) that’s featured in the Astra hatch isn’t an option in the sedan.
On-centre steering feel has been softened a little to make it less sensitive in the straight ahead position which makes it suited to our rougher than average roads.
Once you turn the wheel the feel comes in early and is nicely direct. There’s seldom any need to correct it mid corner unless you hit rougher than average bumps and dips.
Comfort wise, the suspension is generally proved supple. However, the stylish low-profile tyres on the upmarket Astra models had a ride that wasn’t as good as on the lower grades.
There was some road roar on coarse-chip surfaces from the low-profile tyres.
To its credit Holden took us over some pretty harsh surfaces during the launch program out of Coolangatta airport and in the hinterland of Queensland and Northern NSW.
The 1.4-litre turbo engine is a lively little unit that’s a real pleasure to sit behind.
There’s the inevitable turbo lag, but once that has passed, which doesn’t take long, there plenty of torque to provide good hill climbing and to prompt overtaking.
Here’s a big feature, don’t take our word for it.
Holden has a Take Your Time Test Drive scheme that lets you borrow a car for up to 24 hours.
Driveaway prices
LS: $21,990 (manual), $23,990 (automatic)
LS+: $24,900 (automatic)
LT: $27,900 (automatic)
LTZ: $29,790 (automatic)
