2012 Vauxhall Astra GTC SRi 2.0 CDTi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Love it so far

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

The Astra GTC stands out from the regular Astra in a big way. It has a nice coupe style, although in reality it still is a hatchback.

My 2012 car is black with SRi trim. That means a nice suspension setup and some fancy alloy wheels; it is an extremely good looking car.

Inside the dash is styled very well. Driving position is good. Admittedly not much different from the regular Astra in this regard, plus there are some annoying blind spots when reversing, but the car is otherwise a joy to be in.

2.0 CDTi engine is a bit noisy, but it has good power and manages around 40 - 45 mpg or more, about right for a 2.0 diesel automatic. The engine is something of a rarity in this particular car as most I saw for sale were manual transmission cars with a petrol engine. I have heard horror stories about the CDTi's engine reliability, but I plan to keep my car looked after well and there are plenty of websites out there for help with common issues.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th June, 2024

2012 Vauxhall Astra GTC SRi 1.4T from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Could have been better

Faults:

Clutch and gearbox issues caused the most trouble, and very expensive to fix.

Most other things were just wear and tear. I kept the car serviced on time and drove carefully.

General Comments:

A stunning looking hatch/coupe from Vauxhall, this GTC Astra stands out from the duller hatchbacks!

Very fun to drive, 1.4 turbo has decent performance and 37 - 41 mpg is doable. I'd avoid the diesels, the petrol engine is much more reliable.

Pretty comfortable despite a firm ride.

It's a shame the car has had the famous gearbox issues Vauxhall had during this time period. Not exclusive to the Astra however - the Insignia and other models had problems too.

But once reconditioned the car is as good as new, but definitely something to look out for when buying used. Walk away from cars with notchy/noisy boxes.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st March, 2024

2012 Vauxhall Astra GTC Sport 1.4 turbo petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fun

Faults:

Nothing, but it has only been in my ownership one year.

General Comments:

Sharp looking little sports hatch, this Astra GTC stands out from the rest.

My car is black with the optional fancier alloy wheels - love the look. Sport model is very basic, but still has A/C, electric windows, and so on.

Rear visibility is limited, but you get used to it. Seats are comfortable. I hate the center console controls for climate though - they are a mess! Not intuitive at all. But this is a small complaint on an otherwise fine car.

1.4 turbo petrol engine is quick enough for me. Manages around 40 mpg with careful driving.

Cheap to buy and run, a great looking simple reliable run about, love it so far!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th February, 2024

2012 Vauxhall Astra Exclusiv Sport Tourer 1.4 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Dull, but works as a daily use vehicle

Faults:

Wear and tear.

Exhaust system seems to corrode early.

Central locking sometimes won't work.

Load cover broke.

Paint fade.

General Comments:

Sport Tourer just means estate version of the Astra. Lots of space though. You won't get a more boring car than the Astra, but I like mine because it has never gave me any major problems and I got it for a good price.

1.4 is not the best, slow and struggles a bit for low 40's mpg. Cheap to tax and insure though.

Cabin is dull, but this is the most basic model.

A Ford Focus is more fun to drive.

Not the best car and not the worst, pretty much as average as you can get. You can get them for a reasonable price now.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 2nd June, 2023

2012 Vauxhall Astra Elite 2.0 CDTi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A good car, but watch for expensive repairs as it ages

Faults:

Injectors, and gearbox whine (expensive).

The rest was just maintenance, wear and tear and so on.

General Comments:

Fast, economical and fun to drive, my Astra Elite has done me well the last few years.

Good looking car.

Comfortable interior.

Wouldn't like to keep it beyond 100,000 miles though, starting to get expensive.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st June, 2023