Holden Astra

Head out in the new Holden Astra range and you quickly appreciate how tidy this small car is to drive.  The next generation Holden Astra is here with all of the approachable Holden technology that makes these cars enjoyable to drive as well as being informative.  Design hints for 2016 have kept the theme modern and practical.  Perhaps it’s not the most exciting car to look at but the Holden Astra is far from dull.  It looks superb at a ¾ angle.  LED daytime running lights, slippery aerodynamics and a pleasant set of alloys are appealing on the eye.  Space inside the cabin is very good, while the ride quality and engine performance is distinguished.  All-in-all the new Astra is a likeable car.

Enter the Holden Astra with keyless entry, sit yourself down and enjoy the Holden Astra’s excellent ergonomics and stylish dash design.  For the high levels of comfort and style of the new Astra’s interior cabin design, this is an area that should score highly with most drivers and occupants.  In its class, the 2016 Holden Astra has one of the best dash displays.  There is flair in spades and the design is easy and practical to use.  You’ll find the latest Astra has plenty of flexibility in steering and seating adjustment, so finding your own special driving position is easy.  You can opt for multi-adjustable ergonomic AGR front seats.  These are very well designed in leather and the power driver’s seat has massage and ventilation.  As an option, both front seats can boast these features, too.

Holden Astra Interior

As is the case with most modern vehicle designs, in the middle of the Astra’s dash is a large touchscreen with logical controls that include a row of physical shortcut buttons that will take you directly to some of the more important functions of interest.  Steering wheel controls access features like Bluetooth communications, audio and cruise control functions.  Chrome trim and interesting lines and curves in the dash fascia add to the pleasing appearance of the dash display.

Easy to read, and to use, heater controls drives the quiet heating system that makes short work of getting the temperature of the Astra cabin comfortable and balanced.  The high-end Astras are even cushier and boast a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats.  On a practical note, the interior has useful bins and cubby holes for tidying away bits and pieces, and there’s ample room in the back for two large adults.  The middle rear seat is narrow but it will seat a third adult – albeit a little tighter.  Headroom in the rear seats is good.

Technology has the new Holden Astra heralding features like Smartphone App, WiFi Hotspot, Automatic Crash Response, strong audio sounds (Four speakers in the base model to six speakers in higher end models.), cruise control with speed limiter, Hill Start Assist and air conditioning (dual-zone in higher end models) are standard items in the base model Holden Astra.

What about boot space?  The new Holden Astra has 370 litres to 1210 litres depending on the arrangement of the split-folding rear seats.  Noticeably deep, the boot can manage some tall items; and the rear shelf can be removed when necessary.

Plenty of engines are available to Astra owners.  All of the petrol engines sparkle with responsiveness and energy, and these are a strongpoint for the Astra driver.  They are very interesting engines, too.  Perhaps, the more familiar engine would be the 1.4-litre Turbo engine that comes in two guises, the higher output motor boasting 110 kW between 5000 and 5600 rpm.  Combine this power with 245 Nm from 2000 – 4000 rpm and you have yourself a real mile muncher.  A detuned version, called the Eco 1.4 Turbo, puts out a healthy 92 kW.

The quickest of the range is the very rapid 1.6i Turbo with 147 kW and 300 Nm.  There is loads of fun to be had here.  A base model 1.4-litre (74 kW) is also available for those who require solid performance and low-cost running.

Where I think it gets quite interesting is Holden’s addition of a new 1.0-litre Turbo petrol engine that is highly efficient and powerful (77 kW and 170 Nm @ 1800 – 4250).  A great car for the city streets and some commuter distances out of town.

All of the petrol engines are remarkably fuel efficient, with the little 1.0-litre Turbo topping the fuel efficiency ladder.

But that’s not all!  There is a set of new diesel engines that are free flowing and swift.  If you want to go for the most efficient model in the new Holden Astra, then the six-speed manual 1.6 CDTi is the way to go.  Another enhanced 1.6 turbo-diesel is also available and this pulls really well with its 350 Nm available from a low 1500 rpm.  Don’t forget that in the real world it’s the torque that really counts for strong relaxed performance.

Throughout the 2016 Holden Astra range there is a series of six-speed manual, five-speed manual and six-speed automatic options to match the engine performance.

Out on the open road, the new Holden Astra shines again with class leading FWD ride and road holding.  This generation Astra has shed some 200 kg and it feels light and nimble on the road, scampering through the corners with a special poise and balance.  Drive the six-speed manual 1.4 Turbo or 1.6 Turbo and you can really move, making life difficult for drivers of other sport cars with more horses but more weight.

Go on, slip out of your everyday Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic, and try out one of these new Holden Astras.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

2016 Holden Astra models include the:

• Astra 1.0 Turbo
• Astra 1.4i
• Astra 1.4 Turbo Eco
• Astra 1.4 Turbo (110 kW)
• Astra 1.6 Turbo (147 kW)
• Astra 1.6 CDTi
• Astra 1.6 CDTi (118 kW)

For any more information on the new Holden Astra or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Holden dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!