Test drive Opel Astra Sedan 1998 - 2008 Sedan

Opel Astra Sedan

Most modern mass models offer a choice of several body options. This is convenient for customers, beneficial to manufacturers and allows you to more flexibly cover various markets. And if the model in the arsenal does not have at least three or four body types, it is likely to not withstand competition. Opel Astra has a wide range of modifications
Usually, when a new family appears, the main basic versions are presented either at the same time, or with a small interval in time of a year or two. From this point of view, the situation with Opel Astra is somewhat atypical. The third generation of the model, which started in the beginning of 2004 in the form of a 5-door hatchback, was replenished after six months with a station wagon, and a year later a 3-door body. In 2006, he made his debut and a compromise compartment with a folding hard roof. And only now, after three and a half years, a car appears on sale with the most typical, in our opinion, body sedan. Although in Western Europe they have not considered compact 3- and 5-door hatchbacks so long ago for so long (moreover in 90% of cases with diesel engine and manual transmission!). But the sales geography is much wider. Both in Eastern Europe and Russia, coupled with the CIS and Turkey, 4-door versions are everywhere. They look more solid, and they have enough advantages.
There are a lot of examples when the already existing 5-door body is attached. And, as a rule, all this creativity does not seem to look. Severe feed and lack of integrity in the appearance can only be attracted by a buyer, far from aesthetics and more preoccupied, so that others are, and preferably more practical. In this series Astra is an exception. The sedan, which appeared in this family later than others, turned out to be clearly a welcome and planned child. Clean lines, simple, easily memorable shapes, no dissonance in the proportions of three volumes can not be drawn so for an additional order, this should be laid down initially. You go around the car from different sides and you understand that it looks, perhaps even more organic than 5-door hatchback and station wagon! Although, in fairness, in terms of integrity of perception, the 3-door GTC/OPC still remains out of competition.
Perhaps the secret of the pretty and convincing appearance of the sedan is that it is built on an extended at 90 mm base as, by the way, the station wagon. As a result of the dimensions of the Astra sedan, only a few centimeters do not reach the parameters of Opel Vectra that survives its age! And even to the first generation Omega. This is how classes for three or four generations are growing on two steps!
A car with an elongated silhouette always looks more elegant shorty (however, like the proportions of the human figure). In addition, gentle rear racks not only increase the streamlines of the body, but also visually shorten the trunk. At the same time, the height of the roof allows the rear passengers to sit without bending. By the way, at the same time, the Aerodynamic resistance coefficient of the sedan is the lowest in the Astra 0.30 family!
For supplies to the Russian market (the main one, not counting Turkish, for 4-door Astra), cars are offered with a 1.6-liter (115 hp) engine operating paired with a manual transmission or robotic Easytronic (20 thousand rubles more expensive than the basic version), or with a 1.8 liter engine (140 hp) with mechanics (30 thousand rubles more than the basic version) or automatically (70 thousand rubles more expensive than the basic version).
From a dynamic point of view, mechanical modifications, of course, are more lively, but the machine noticeably dulls the emotional component of the Ecotec engine. Although in fact, I would consider that automatic transmission is more consistent with the style and image of the sedan. On this car, I do not want to fuss and light it created for people of respectable people. It is not shameful to arrive on both work and a solid reception. But still, when accelerating, the claim to him is thoughtfulness when changing the programs. But in fairness I note that these switching is extremely smooth, without hints of jerks, and they occur quite predictably.
But what ASTRA is not in the sedan is not a magnificent, honed handling. By sensitivity, the steering wheel is like a sports car. The slightest movement leads to the exact execution of your order. And not only on controlled wheels. Yes, on the mountain serpentine, according to which we managed to travel by this car, I even had a real feeling that the rear wheels are stinging, helping to be screwed into the turn as accurately as possible. Although the design is not provided, the whole thing is precisely in the balanced setting of both pendants, which allows to be extremely tenacious to stay on a winding road. For this five with a plus! Astra gently licks the turns, noticeably removing the moment when the trajectory begins to straighten up and the wheels will go into slipping. This sedan has a completely neutral rotation: when gliding in a bend, it shifts outside without pronounced drift or demolition.
The suspension, however, was very sensitive to poor quality coating. She works out all the average irregularities, without disdain and small. But on large -caliber potholes of the parish of hard racks, it still does not occur. But on a long trip, the child is not rolled on the body of the body is extremely stable again thanks to a more loaded rear axle and proportional weight weight.
Let's return to the merits of the sedan not to external or image, but to its functional advantages. In order what we get and what we lose. The passenger salon of a 4-door car is smaller than that of the hatchback, which means that it will be able to faster and more uniformly heat or cool. It is quieter here, and the review through the panoramic rear window is wider. The result of not only increased length and proportional weightlifting, but also greater rigidity. Do not forget about passive safety the chances of staying alive and healthy in case of impact in the back in the sedan is much higher than that of a car without a third volume. And finally, where it would be possible to start, huge, with a volume of almost 500 liters, a luggage compartment.
There are only two minuses compared to the hatchback: extra centimeters can make it difficult to park in the conditions of crowding, and you can’t put a large -sized cargo into the trunk, even folding the rear seats. But, if you are honest, do you often have to carry a refrigerator or sofa in a passenger car? If so, then the sedan, alas, is not for you! And we ask everyone else!
Sales of the 4-door Astra have already started, and soon it should add to the company Opel for new customers. Although this division of General Motors is already beating the records of attracting customers recently. This can be partially explained by the fact that, remaining relatively affordable, Opel cars have now become perfect and reliable. As the Executive Director for Sales and Marketing of GM in Europe Chris Leisi told us, today Opel cars are characterized by such keywords as innovations, progressive technologies and high -quality German products. In practice, the Astra sedan is more expensive than a hatchback of only 15 thousand rubles: the simplest version with a 1.6-liter engine and a manual gearbox costs 497 thousand rubles, and a version with a 1.8-liter engine and an automatic machine that had a chance to ride , will cost from 598 thousand rubles.
 
Vladimir Smirnov
Photo by the author and the manufacturer.
 
 

A source: Avtopanorama magazine