2001 Holden Astra 2 door city 1.8 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Disappointing

Faults:

Consistent vibration in the floor, passenger and drivers sides.

Vibration in the steering column above 1500rpm even after front wheels had been balanced.

Vibration in the pedals and foot rest.

The dealer realigned the chassis and gearbox, and checked the exhaust system, with little improvement.

General Comments:

I have ridden in three Astras that have vibrated, two where the top of the range. And a dealer told me he had one in the back of the workshop that was worse than mine.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 4th August, 2002

2001 Holden Astra Convertible 2.2 litre from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Even after a long day in the office I enjoy driving this car

Faults:

Horn stopped working (loose connection)

Difficulty starting when less than 10 C

(Apparently a faulty sensor, but the service people couldn't fix it on the first attempt)

General Comments:

Exterior designed by Bertone.

Suspension tuned by Lotus.

Very good acceleration, handling and braking.

4 comfortable leather seats.

Acceptable luggage space.

Half the price of a BMW 330 CI.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd July, 2002

26th Dec 2002, 06:55

As the owner of a 330Ci, you should be aware that the Astra is not just half the price - its also half the class, half the performance, half the engineering, half the handling, half the quality, and half not being seen leaving the country club driving it! It does look great, though.

8th Jan 2003, 07:41

Not sure exactly how constructive BMW driver's comments are - there are plenty of cars that make a 330Ci look ordinary in the country club car park...

For the money, the Astra is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended), combining elegance, comfort, practicality and enjoyment with high standard equipment levels. If the turbo version available in Europe reaches our shores and remains relatively affordable, it'll be hard to imagine a better-rounded alternative.

18th Jan 2003, 23:46

When is the turbo coming?

2001 Holden Astra TS - Equipe 1.8 twin cam from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A piece of European art adjusted to the harsh Australian conditions

Faults:

Front brakes are extremely loud and leave a greasy black residue around the alloy wheels.

Seats lack lumbar support and tend to be hard.

General Comments:

This car is a beautiful piece of art. The European design sets it a stage above the rest.

For a first car it has provided me with a high level of safety, comfortability and performance.

The stereo system is unbelievable.

When applying clutch on changing gears, the engine tends to continue on revving, which took a bit of getting used to.

It performs extremely well on highways and unsealed roads, leaking no dust and using just over 1/4 a tank to complete 250km's.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th June, 2002

1st Nov 2002, 12:25

Hello everyone

I also have an Holden (Opel) Astra and I have changed many parts with I think made an huge difference in performance in the car. I have change the air filter to K&N in box air filter with has given the car much more power. If you ar thinking about giving your astra an Pod filter I strongly suggest that isn't an good idea because Pod filter collects the warm air.

2001 Holden Astra City Equipe 1.8 petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

You couldn't get better value for you money

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car.

I have just had the car serviced and there was nothing to have done apart from the usual service items.

General Comments:

I find the Astra a great car to drive.

It's true the seats are a little hard (my wife hates them and my kids sing Solid Rock every time one of them has to sit in the middle of the back seat).

Also I agree with the people that say the manual gear change can be a touch notchy.

But apart from these little items the Astra is a great car. I use it for commuting in Sydney (88 k's per day) and its blend of economy and power is perfect.

Handling is good, it feels as solid as a tank and the rear hatch arrangement works well.

I just took a run in it from Sydney to Canberra recently and it drove like a dream.

If you buy one you won't be disappointed just don't go for the head light flash to quickly or you will put the windscreen washers on.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th June, 2002