Test drive Opel Astra Sport sedan since 2012 sedan
Expression of style
Open the door of a familiar small -sized apartment, and there ... the chic apartments of a five -star European hotel. Do you think a fairy tale? Yes, nothing like that. Any owner of the former Astra, for the first time looking into the salon of the third -generation car, will surely experience something similar. Sparkling and sparkling
I just pressed the key-button, but already through the glass I saw how the devices and a large 6.5-inch screen of the boarder came to life. This is only the beginning of the performance. Especially for a new performance, designers-feeders completely changed the scenery. We tried to finish the interior in such a way that it looked expensive and literally radiates the quality of the texture, warned me Bit Fincreiner, one of the creators of the news salon. See see. I have not spent a minute here, but already got rid of the account, opening all the new pleasant surprises.
The trio of round devices with chrome halo, a neat, very convenient three -spoke steering wheel, a sparkling central console with a dissolution of buttons all this goes well with the dynamic style of the interior decoration, which replaced the cozy, but such a gray atmosphere of the previous machine. And how good are the inserts for aluminum in the doorway, giving the interior a kind of air swift! And not a millimeter of hard black plastic. Take off a proprietary zipper from the steering wheel, and in life you will not guess that this is a salon of just ordinary serial opening.
The turning of the key, the engine almost inaudibly earned, and the music began to play purely. The new asra has a digital music processor, 6 speakers with MP3 player. In the latter, a disk with rhythmic music was very helpful. The computer, as it turned out, distributes the disco -style sound now. Settings from classics to jazz are possible. So all cars are now equipped with the exception of the basic Essenchia.
Thanks to an easily customizable comfortable seat, I quickly got a job and communicate with the car, as with an old acquaintance. Although not. They have not yet learned to understand each other at a glance. The air conditioner with comfortable large handles is hidden too low. It used to be not so pretty, but much more convenient. However, for the sake of external expression, sometimes they do not make such victims. Especially when this very expression is a general line in the style of new items, voiced by the first person Opel Carl-Pether Forster.
Brighter outside, more elegant inside The minimum price of the basic, rather modestly equipped Astra-1,6-Essenshia $ 17,490. Particularly economical, as before, awaits Astra-1,4 (90 hp) at a price of $ 16,490. The machine in Enjoy's equipment ($ 18 190) These are the mirror painted in the color of the body, door handles and moldings, 16-inch wheels and wider tires. Such a machine is more convenient in the cabin: additional pockets in the backs of seats with improved upholstery, a two -story glove box, adjusting the driver’s chair in height, as well as chrome rims of devices, stylish lining on the door panels and the steering wheel. In addition, it became richer (ten metallics and one white) color palette.
In the new design Once again, carefully wiping the chrome strip on the radiator, the washer does not hide its sympathy for the car. I admit, the appearance of Astra evokes mixed feelings.
We want to become leaders in European automotive style, and with customers the machine will speak new designer in the new time ago then, then chief designer Opel Martin Smith, painted a portrait of the future astra. I look at the very pretty, organically inscribed rear lights with the diffusers, as if buried from the inside. And I recall the words of the same Smith that when designing this car, pencil sketches, culmines and other attributes of ancient automobile KB finally sunk into oblivion.
The new Astra was born thanks to a computer that calculated ideal proportions, the Englishman claimed. The falling roof, brightly allocated wheel arches, in a sporting large air intake, a wide track makes a car and more sports car. But the former headlights seemed more expressive to me. The current lenses are somewhat reminiscent of large chrome gears. A sort of gaze of the robot. In my opinion, slightly rude. Although, probably, fashionable.
However, all this, you see, is continuous subjectivity. I have one thing in my heart, you will like it differently. Another thing is that there are quite objective miscalculations in the appearance of Astra. I pull on myself a comfortable, under the natural grip, the handle of the rear side door. And again the incident. Now you need to dodge the strongly protruding upper edge of this exquisite gate. And all because it is almost twice as wider in the lower part. Here you have a fee for perfect proportions.
Convenient backlighting is now not only in the ceiling console, but also in the mirrors of the option ($ 65). The same cost includes a relay that protects the battery from the category
The upper edge of the door is strongly protruding. BE CAREFUL!
It’s good that they have not forgotten about practicality and expanse. Almost three dozen companies-companies, led by Frank Leopold, obviously worked on fame in 19 months, optimally distributing the space for the driver, passengers and baggage. Well done! After all, the salon became wider than three centimeters in front and two behind, where passengers received an additional 4 cm above their heads and 17 mm for knees. At the same time, the designers managed to preserve compact dimensions and observe all new -fangled stylistic delights.
If you fold the separate back of the seat, the trunk volume will reach 1300 liters by 120 liters more than that of the predecessor
By the expanse on the back sofa, the car claims the title of the best in the golf class
Well, now we will check the engineers who brought the chassis. The Germans promised that Astra should bribe the steering wheel and an abundance of electronic means of safe control.
You won't be distinguished, you will not live For me, six years ago, the designers of the former Astra were able to provide the optimal balance of controllability and comfort. But the one who is standing is usually lagging behind. In addition, the car became larger and harder, so it would still have to be taught road habits.
While I taxi from the parking lot, I have time to pay attention to a really sharp steering wheel. The former astra had three, now a little less than 2.5 turns from the stop to the stop. On the road with early Saturday morning, as ordered rather freely. All chances for harmonious communication with the machine.
The first thing that is immediately noticeable is the improved smoothness. Astra floats along the abundant small potholes and cracks, like Queen Swan along the water surface. Larger irregularities are noticeable only by light wheels. The point here is in an increased 60 kg, an increased wheelbase increased by 8 mm, more comfortable for basic versions to set the shock absorbers and, perhaps, the most important soft tires of Bridget-tunsza size 205/55 R16. The latter finally replaced the excessively noisy and tough on our roads Firestone-700 185/65 R15. It’s only a pity, it was not possible to completely get rid of the hum, which on the rough coating reaches the salon due to the not better sound insulation of the wheel arches.
Fortunately, my path lay through the picturesque south of the Moscow Region, where the highway abounds with different steepness with turns. Familiar turns of Astra now allows you to go a little faster. Where I usually went to 110120, you can easily drive 130140 km/h. I could not deny myself the pleasure of going faster.
Where are we in a hurry? Returns me to reality my wife’s voice from the gallery. It’s guilty, carried away. Fortunately, a long straight line is ahead and the car will again have a great speed. Gas on the floor and ... it was not there. From the updated 1.6-liter engine, I admit, expected more. After all, a 100-horsepower ecotek has become 5 liters. With. More powerful, received a variable inlet collector, an improved gas distribution system. Together with a shorter main pair in the city at 6080 km/h, the car as if now behaves a little more fun. But at intercity speeds, alas, alas, disappeared. Now the Astra looks like a clockwork toy: know yourself buzzing quite confidently, but by no means exciting. The car clearly lost in the dynamics of acceleration. This, however, is not hidden by the Germans themselves. The acceleration time to a hundred increased to 12.3, and elasticity on the fifth (measured from 80 to 120 km/h) to 16.3 seconds. This is 0.8 and 1.3 seconds worse than that of the predecessor. Expressive design turned into an increase (from 0.28 to 0.32) of the aerodynamic resistance coefficient, and the norms of the Euro IV IV has already stolen thoughts at medium and low speeds.
To the envy of the red baron Secret weapons of the new astra chassis with the IDS+ system ($ 900). Such a machine can change the sharpness of the steering wheel and the rigidity of the suspension. The mechanism is activated using a separate sport button on the central console. Add $ 600 for a sports package (ESP, wheels with low-profile tires, lowered lights) and write turns not much worse than Michael Schumacher.
Young, emotional For whom is she, such a new Astra, so unlike her predecessor? For four days of meeting her, I did not cease to rejoice at the energy intensity of the suspension and effective brakes (an emergency braking amplifier and an electronic slowdown control system appeared on all machines). The car has become more comfortable, more convenient to drive, spacious. Astra, undoubtedly, fashionista, looks rich and stylish.
In Russelshaim, they do not hide that among new customers they see young and emotional people. They rightly notice that Astra is the only car in its class that can vary the stiffness of shock absorbers (IDS+system), which has a swivel bicixenon headlights, Twin-Audio system (rear passengers can choose music regardless of the front) and another list of useful electronic pieces: Assistance system at starting in a hill, parking sensors, rain, tire pressure. Here are just most of them expensive options. And the basic asters lost their previous virtue of accessibility. The minimum price of 1.6-end $ 18 190, almost three thousand more than cost a similarly equipped predecessor.
Aw, where are you, Russian golden youth?
Take options with packages
Most dealers offer to pay $ 800 for air conditioning or $ 1250 for climate control (the first in the database has only expensive modifications of Cosmo and Eleans). Do not hurry. You can save. By choosing, for example, Angia, for $ 615 you get a very profitable special package. There will already be not only air conditioning, but also a number of options: the rear seats, which lay down in a ratio of 40:20:40, control of music from the steering wheel, trimmed with skin, side moldings in the color of the body, a driver's seat regulated in six directions, an additional additional The backlight in the ceiling and mirrors in visors. There are still profitable packets with climatic for asters, sports, winter and others.
PER
The smoothness of the course, spacious, stylish, rich interior, sharp steering wheel, excellent brakes, clear transfers, economy, abundance of levels of decoration and subtitle equipment.
VS
High price, worsened burden at high speeds, small flaws of ergonomics, the high cost of options.
Opel Astra 1.6
general information
Body (number of places/doors)
hatchback (5/5)
Equipped mass, kg
1265
Length x width x height, mm
4249x153x1460
Base, mm
2614
Track, mm
1488
Speed, km/h
185
Acceleration time 0100 km/h, with
12.3
Fuel consumption, l/100 km highway/city
5.5/8.5
Engine
Working volume, SMZ
1598
Power, L.S. at rpm
105/6000
Torque, kgsm at rpm
15.3/3900
Chassis
Transmission
Mechanical, 5-speed
Suspension:
Independent
front
Type McEzerson
behind
with an elastic transverse beam
Brakes
disk, in front ventilated
Alexey Sergeev, photo of Maxim Goncharov
A source: Magazine buy a car [12/2004]
