Test drive Opel Astra sedan since 2007 sedan
The joy of the gardener. Opel Astra
ML350, S80, MDX, 530i cool cars, but with empty, nothing meaningful. But it is much more pleasant when the name is the meaning, as often happens with less pathos and more compact cars. For example, many golf class representatives have meaningful, beautiful and easily memorable names. To take the same Astra here you can remember both the stars and the garden flower ... But for the buyer, more importantly, what kind of car is hidden behind the harmonious name, worthy or not? Astra deserves kind words: few can compete on equal terms with the legislator of the mod in this segment with Golf, and Opel has always succeeded. And models of the last generation (Astra H), produced since 2004 (which, in fact, will be further discussed), especially. However, it is impossible to call Astra this series as a sample of reliability ...
Opel outplayed its main competitor in terms of design: the machine turned out to be recognizable, which can not be said about Volkswagen. It is pleasant to note that Astra in different bodies differ from each other not only with layout. So, the three -door version in appearance is much more energetic than others. By the way, the variety of buildings is not a record, but by the standards of the class is still fair: there is a sedan, and a station wagon, and a hatchback with five and three doors, and even a convertible with a stiff folded roof. In terms of reliability, unfortunately, there is definitely nothing to boast of the German compact: chips on the paintwork sometimes bloom, in addition, the windshield is quickly wiped with brushes of wipers. But the electrics causes most of all: devices, climate control, winding and rear glass, as well as the central castle are very often failing or completely refused.
Characteristics of the body type
Hatchback sedan universal convertible
The number of doors is 3/5 4 5 2
Number of places 5 5 4 4
Length, mm 4290/4249 4587 4515 4476
Width, mm 1753 1753 1794 1831
Height, mm 1435/1460 1458 1500 1414
Wheel base, mm 2614 2703 2703 2614
Road clearance, mm 160
Suspension type:
Front
The back
Independent, with racks like MacPherson
Semi -dependent, spring
Type of drive front
Brakes:
Front
rear
Disk ventilated
Disk (ventilated)
Gas tank volume, l 52
Passive safety rating, protection*:
adults
children
pedestrians
*****
****
*
Acceleration to 100 km/h, s ** 10.8
Maximum speed, km/h ** 195
Fuel consumption, l:
town
highway **
10,5
6,2
* According to EURONCAP.
** Data for a car with a 1.8 liter engine and manual transmission.
Alas, the salon did not become a miracle of ergonomics or design, but it is kind and modern even five years after the start of the release of the model. For decoration, materials of rather high quality were used (especially in comparison with other golf-class cars), and the assembly was carried out carefully. There are enough places in the car (only in the three-door version), it is difficult to find fault with equipment (from some time all Opel, even a compact Corsa, began to make perfectly). But the main advantage of ASTRA is running qualities: the suspension is very competently configured, the car is hardly inferior to Golf in terms of the responsiveness of the steering and controllability in principle. At the same time, he has good smoothness, decent brakes, confidently stopping the run of the German compact. As for the dynamics of acceleration, it is different: the base engines with a volume of 1.4 and 1.6 liters for calm drivers, but a 1.8-liter unit is enough to be ahead of the flow in the city. What can we say about turbo engineers, especially those that are installed under the hood of sports modification of OPC: a 240-horsepower four very vigorously accelerates the three-door. True, the OPC version is intended for those who have gasoline instead of blood, so to speak. A simple driver who likes to shoot from a traffic light from time to time will be difficult to take out an oak suspension.
As for any other decent golf class model, for Opel Astra, a lot of engines are proposed. The weakest gasoline engine with a working volume of 1.4 liters produces 90 liters. with. The next step occupies a 1.6-liter unit with a capacity of 105 liters. with. Well, the most popular 1.8-liter develops 140 horses. A 2-liter turbo engine in two versions of 200 and 240 liters is much less common. with., And at all often you can encounter diesel Astra (such engines do not like us). It is necessary to serve the unit at the same time as the engine of any other Opel, that is, every 15 thousand km (then it is supposed to change oil with filters). By 60 thousand km, a timing belt will need to replace the belt. Of the problems characteristic of this car, sensitivity to the domestic
gasoline: as a result of the use of poor -quality fuel, candles die in an instant, idle speed begins to swim, and sometimes the car completely refuses to start. In addition, she is contraindicated for the impact of caustic reagents used on Moscow roads, from which the speed sensors will be built, radiators crack and give a leak. There are not so many other malfunctions, moreover, they are mostly quite small. However, cars with defective oil pumps and water pumps come across. However, most of the owners of fresh cars with a not yet expired factory guarantee had the opportunity to replace these parts for free. Astra boxes installed three types: mechanical, automatic and robotic. With the last two, the most difficulties arise. The robot previously often failed as a result of error in the management program, but today the problem is officially considered solved, although so far these boxes are refusable from time to time, although much less often than, say, a couple of years ago.
With a machine gun, everything is somewhat more complicated: like the older Vectra, antifreeze and ATF can mix due to a radiator defect, which will lead to destructive consequences. It is especially disappointing when this happens with cars that have expired the factory guarantee.
The suspension, oddly enough, feels good on our roads: the main details serve for a long time and rarely fail ahead of schedule. True, this does not apply to the steering: in connection with factory shortcomings, the steering rack may flow, in addition, steering tips (traction) designed a car for good European roads.
It is believed that the invasion of Koreans on the world car market forced Europeans and Japanese to save when designing and assembling the models of the next generation. And all in order for the temptation to buy a budget Korean car was minimal: judge for yourself, what is the point if, with competitive consumer properties, thoroughbred machines from the Old World or the country
are the rising sun a little more expensive? Someone believes that such ideas are a consequence of paranoia, but recently we begin to become more and more to be convinced of the opposite, just look at Opel Astra. Maybe someone remembers how many complaints about Golf at one time: they say, it turned out to be expensive? And as an example, they put Astra: with similar consumer properties, Opel was much more accessible to Volkswagen. However, customers had to overpay for Golf because greedy people worked in the VW sales department. The thing is that the company invested in the reliability of its product (in fact, it was these costs that were reflected at the vacation price), while Opel saved this or that ... as a result, many years later it became completely clear how reliable Golf and how is the capricious Astra ...
No, Astra is a cool car. He just cannot boast of the strength of the armored personnel carrier. If Golf is an unpretentious horse, then Astra flower requires constant care. Therefore, choosing a car of this brand, it is better to look for a more fresh copy to be under warranty as possible. But you never know what ...
Approximate prices in Moscow, rub: from 350,000 (Astra with a 1.4 liter of 2004 engine) up to 896,300 rubles. (New Astra OPC).
The advantages and disadvantages of the model
Advantages
Excellent handling, solid salon, a huge line of modifications
Flaws
Low level of reliability, close three -door salon, sensitivity to our gasoline
