Faults:

Battery changed after 4 years.

Small electrical problem - trunk would not open. One fuse changed and the problem was solved.

A few times the engine would not start, and some light appeared on the board "check engine". After a few minutes I would try again, and the car would start.

General Comments:

Initially I didn't really like the design of the car, but in time I came to like it more.

What I liked from the beginning, and I still like, is the feeling of "solid" and quality of build of this car.

This feeling is still present almost unchanged five years and 67.000 km later.

I also appreciate the reliability of the car, as I didn't have any major problems so far.

What I never liked is the slow acceleration of the 1.4 engine (90 hp). 0-100 km/h is 14 seconds. Because of this, I have problems overtaking. However for city driving and 2 lanes roads, the car is quite good.

Sometimes problems appeared in winter driving. The car doesn't have ESP or ASR, and this caused wheel-spin in low grip conditions. However the ABS was really useful, it saved me a few times from minor accidents.

Faults:

Rust on the rear panel... common on most Astras.

Problems with brakes, easy repair.

Many little sounds from the interior.

Middle exhaust rusts easy.

And that`s about it, no clutch problems, no gearbox problems.

General Comments:

No problems at high speeds, very very comfortable in the front and in the back.

A little sporty, it does not have all 75 hp, but it does not feel so tired and old.

No major problems, and the best advantage is that you can find the cheapest spare parts on the market very easy. And I mean very cheap.

Overall, very very satisfied.

Faults:

One thing: the handbrake seems a little bit out of shape. I noticed that on a very inclined hill when facing down.

General Comments:

The car handles beautifully with or without any load on board. Its perfect both for city drive and out of city highways. It never tires me when driving it on longer periods of time and it's simply a pleasure to drive it. I have to mention also that being a little sporty, on very rough roads, it tends to forward the road vibrations to the driver but not so much. The consumption is great. On the last 5000 km, it has a 7.4 l/ 100km consumption. If I take for a spin and bring my family with me (so I don't go faster than 100 km/h) the realtime consumption shows me a nice 5.6 l / 100 km which is GREAT. The radio comes with six speakers and it has a good reception. The interior is definitively much nicer than the one of the VW Golf 5. I will never sell it.

Faults:

No major problems whatsoever so far.

Small squeaking sound in the seat - solved at the dealer.

General Comments:

First thing I like - the car handles very well on the road.

Very stable and reliable.

Comfortable for long drives (longest drive so far this year - 34 hours when going to Turkey on holiday:) )

I would appreciate a stronger engine, but then the fuel consumption would also be higher.

Faults:

The steering wheel makes a little noise, but it's nothing that bothers me.

General Comments:

I own the Elegance model of Opel Astra, and it is excellent in all aspects. There is no other model you could buy for this money and have this interior quality.

Driving it is a real pleasure, the 1.7 diesel engine with 100 HP has great performance with low fuel consumption. The direction and driving comfort are also great.

This care is a huge step forward for Opel. If I had to choose again ten times between Astra and VW Golf, I would always chose an Astra, even if they were the same price. This car has everything you want and it is inexpensive for what it offers.