Test drive Opel Astra Sport sedan since 2012 sedan

Opel Astra. Long test

The Red Sedan Opel Astra is in our editorial office for the second month. While the car managed to run two thousand kilometers. It seems that there are not so many, however, these thousands allowed us to better understand the car.

To start your second story is with recognition of your own mistakes. In the last material of Opel Astra in the blockade St. Petersburg, we wrote that the large trunk of this machine can be opened only by the button from the cabin. Like, this is not too convenient. However, smart people explained to unreasonable lads that it was necessary to read the instructions before picking up a complex and expensive thing. For, as it turned out, the trunk can be opened from the signaling key fob (there are no marks about this function on the remote control, which put us into confusion). You just need to hold the button to open the doors for a couple of seconds, after which it will be possible to load things into the trunk. Which, we repeat once again, is really big here.

The opening of the trunk seemed to have figured out. But there were questions to close it. Some of our readers, who already own Astra, wrote that sometimes it is impossible to slam the lid in frost! We admit, at first we did not believe in it. Well, how can you open it, but not to close. But once they themselves encountered this problem. We slam the trunk, but he does not slam but the casket in this case simply opened, or rather did not close. Just in the winter, ice enters the gutter, which goes along the luggage opening (it rolls there when the cover is opened). And so that everything works as it should only be enough from time to time to clean the car of ice crust.

We will answer one more question that we were asked several times. Like, why did you guys decide that in the Opel Astra sedan there is more space in the second row than in the hatchback? After all, the insides of these cars in theory should be the same. The front console, a board of devices and armchairs for sedans and hatchbacks really are no different. But here the supply of space on the second row in the sedan is still noticeably larger! And that's why.

Initially, this car was developed for South America! Yes, yes, this is not a joke. Indeed, in this sales market, cars in the back of the sedan are as very popular as in Russia. And the Chevrolet Vectra car was called there. But this does not matter to us. It is much more important that it was decided to build a sedan on the basis of Astra in a station wagon body, which is slightly different from the hatchbacks. As a result, the wheelbase of the sedan was more than 88 mm at once compared to 3 or 5-door hatchback. And this allowed the designers without much loss to push the second row of 15 mm seats back, and besides, also lower it a little (thanks to this, a little more space appeared above their heads). And in the end, in the space in the Astra salon in the back, the sedan actually occupies an intermediate position between the hatchback and the more prestigious Opel Vectra.

The 1.6-liter engine, which produces 115 hp, still does not cause complaints with a manual gearbox. Of course, a herd of 115 horses is not amazing. But one thing can be said with confidence, this Opelian motor behaves no worse than other engines of this volume. At first there were fears that a 1.6-liter engine would fall on the bottoms. However, all fears were in vain. Believe me, for driving on the Astra 1.6 sedan, the minimum communication skill with a manual gearbox is enough.

There were no problems with the winter launch. The German power unit turned on on the first attempt even to minus 28 degrees, and from under the hood, there was no terrible sounds that sometimes appear when you start the engine in severe frost.

P.S. Opel recently announced the start of receiving applications for a new generation of Astra. However, it is worth saying right away that Astra will be produced exclusively as a 5-door hatchback for a long time. But the new sedan will have to wait a very long time. Its show will take place at best in two to three years. Therefore, fans of sedans can not be afraid that their recently purchased car will soon become old.

Now let's compare prices. So, the new Astra in the back of the 5-door hatchback in the Essentia configuration with a 1.6-liter engine costs 605,900 rubles. (There are more affordable cars with a 1.4 liter engine). The equipment of such a machine includes four airbags, ABS, electric package, rear window heating, alarm, music and stabilization system. But the sedan with the same engine in the same version of Essentia is sold for 603 850 rubles. At the same time, the sedan will already have an air conditioner in the equipment (the new Astra Essentia is deprived of it), but you will have to pay extra for the stabilization system (it costs, by the way, not too much - 13,000 rubles).

A sedan with a 5-speed robot with a 1.6 liter engine in a better Enjoy configuration costs 636,000 rubles. A similar hatchback of a new generation is already 661,900 rubles. (True, there will already be a traditional machine gun). Sedans with a 1.8 liter engine (140 hp) are sold for 646,000 rubles, hatchbacks with the same engine power (but 1.4 liters with turbocharged) are estimated at 649,900 rubles.

Well, the most expensive sedans with a 1.8 liter engine with a 4-speed automatic in the rich configuration of Cosmo cost 722,000 rubles. The price of the most expensive hatchback in the Cosmo version with a two-zone climate, 17-inch alloy disks, rear parking sensors, 180-horsepower engine (1.6 liters, turbocharged) and 6-speed automatic-786,400 rubles.



 

A source: Auto.mail.ru