Opel Astra review: The five-star German has its mojo back

I cannot remember the last time I drove a really good Opel Astra. Well, I can actually, but it was so long ago the car was then called the Opel Kadett and that, believe me, is a very long time ago.

There were a few half-decent Astras down the years, but the car consistently struggled against fine-tuned opposition like the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf, its two main rivals. In truth, it was always a couple of lengths behind those two when the finishing post hooved into view.

And, hamstrung by a famine of development money from then parent company, GM in America, the Astra eventually fell back into total mediocrity and while the engineers and designers did their best with what was given to them, it was hardly a shock that the Astra regressed badly and fell out of popularity.

But now, with Opel having been sold by GM initially to the PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) Group and subsequently becoming part of the automotive conglomerate formed when that entity merged with Fiat/Chrysler to form Stellantis, the Russelsheim company has fresh winds and new impetus blowing through its doors.

The Corsa was technically the first Opel made when the company was not under GM’s control and it definitely sparked hope about the future. Although plans to launch an-all German car were scotched at the last minute and the design team were forced into many late compromises – albeit based on the excellent Peugeot 206 – the Opel guys came up with something very promising.

Their hard and diligent work breathed new life into a car made old by lack of investment money and the results were nearly startling. Could they pull off a similar trick with the Astra?

Well, given that the design and engineering team was under ferocious pressure – not least from their own pride – they took the bits and pieces such as platform, engines, gearboxes and so forth that were given them and have produced a car which – whisper it – is maybe in the running for the prized Examiner Motoring Car Of The Year title.

Based largely on the really good Peugeot 308, the new Astra is a good-looking, well thought out and excellent driving machine. It is also cheaper than the Peugeot. And, with the new Mocha already selling well and the new Grandland (which we will be reviewing shortly) having replaced a car which did its’ best to replicate the driving characteristics of a pony and trap, Opel is in a good position right now.

Definitely top of the Opel pile right at this minute – albeit with a lot more to come both in terms of new product and, importantly, new electric models – is the Astra and if it is a sign of good times to come, then the brand as a very healthy future and dealers who previously fretted about their own viability because of the poor product they had to sell, can now get a decent night’s sleep.

Customers too – many of whom were loyal Opel-istas over the years but were forced to abandon the marque because of the distance it had fallen behind its’ competitors – will feel comfortable getting back on the bandwagon of a revitalised brand.

And, truly, why the hell not. Sure we are infatuated these days by the latest glossy and tecchie things and can sometime find it a little hard to look over our shoulders and things that might have fallen behind. In this instance though, there is every good reason to do just that.

Sure the new Astra might be in thrall to the Peugeot 308 in a variety of ways, but it is certainly individual enough to stand on its own two feet and I’m delighted to report it will do just that.

Both cars are just a little anomalous right now in that they are both standard family hatchbacks – and that in itself is something of a throwback because of the hordes of SUVs that now litter the marketplace. The five-door hatch has been out of fashion of some considerable time and, although such as the Golf and the Focus have kept skin in the game for the segment, it has been an uphill battle.

That being so, the arrival of both the Peugeot and the Opel to the table will boost things no end and maybe even spark something of a revival.

So what of the Opel? Well, it is a very good looking car and its close relationship with the Peugeot has not done it any harm from the ocular point of view. Elements of the 308 – particularly around the C-Pillar – are plenty but the Opel designers have set about their task with some enthusiasm and have come up with a design which individualises it.

I had not been particularly enthused by the Opel ‘vizor’ front end look on some other models, but it seems like it was just waiting to be fitted to the Astra to make it as visually appealing as it was intended. Indeed when viewed from front and rear, from the side and, indeed, any viewpoint you’d like, there are many deft design touches.

Inside too, Opel has really upped its game and while the cockpit design is not as extravagant as that of the sister car, it is still really well appointed, well decorated and beautifully put together. The twin-screen layout is well proportioned and works well and is also standard across the range and the infotainment end of it is easy to navigate and use – much more so than previous clunky Opel iterations.

The specification is verging on the spectacular and the amount of kit on offer here will genuinely surprise prospective punters. The decor too is top notch and soft touch materials abound – certainly not an Opel characteristic of old – while the AGR driver’s seat is excellently supportive and the adaptivity of the seat is also excellent as far as reaching the ideal seating position.

Interior space is decent in the front but a little tight for the leggy in the rear and it will fit five; the boot space too is commodious.

In this day and age the thought of a diesel powerplant might give people the vapours, but this one – from the Peugeot parts bin – is respectable enough, although I suspect personally I’d prefer the 1.2 petrol offering.

Sure the 130 bhp on offer isn’t going to set hearts racing and ditto the 0-100 km/h time of 10.6. But this is a torquey unit (300 Nm at 1,750 rpm) and, allied to a six speed manual ‘box, that translates into a top speed of 209 km/h. Fuel consumption is also good at 4.3 l/100 km (66 mpg).

But it is on the road that the Astra really clicked with me, reminiscent as it is of Golf, Focus and the Skoda Octavia. Certainly it is not a boy-racer – and especially not in turbodiesel form – but this chassis delivers precision driving like few other hatchbacks. It might be a little fiddly around town and a little joggly over city streets, but get it out onto a good B-Road and it shows class.

In fact, this is a lot more fun to drive than you could reasonably have expected; handling is unexpectedly sharp and precise and the overall ride characteristics at non-city speeds are excellent. It truly is a big leap forward over what preceded it.

Indeed the new Astra is a significant step for the brand it tries to rebuilt its dented reputation. This car indicates that under new ownership Opel has got its mojo back and is no longer the surly, cowed child at the back of the class glowering at the attention garnered by the smarter kids.

The Astra is now front and centre of things and truly deserving of closer attention from the buying public and that’s why it gets a rare five-star rating.