Faults:

Air con does not work.

General Comments:

The Astra estate "sports tourer" is a fine car if you want space and economy and don't mind a boring drive.

It's not bad to look at in silver with alloy wheels.

Interior dull and grey, but it is functional and very comfortable. "Design" is a basic specification but has all the electrics I need.

Rear load space is huge.

The car is OK to drive, 1.6 diesel pulls strong enough, but not a fast car. Very economical however - genuine 60 mpg or more if driven correctly.

Only had this car one year and not done much mileage, too early to comment on long term reliability. If looked after it should be OK, but be aware these diesel engines are troublesome and expensive to fix if anything goes wrong, and there are lots of abused examples out there on the used market. Buy carefully and be aware of cars priced suspiciously cheap!

Faults:

Turbo pipe split (common, cheap and easy repair).

Oil leak, have not found out where it's coming from yet. But not significant, no top up required, very small leak.

Cam-belt + water-pump changed. Water-pump was leaking.

Slight judder from the clutch.

Brakes grinding, new pads due soon. Pedals also looking very worn.

General Comments:

The Astra GTC is an amazing looking car. Limited Edition gets massive wheels and some extras over other models.

Very good to drive. 2.0 CDTi - Not the fastest engine in the range and it is rather noisy and unrefined. It does however have reasonable tax and insurance costs, and always seems to do 50 MPG +, so cannot complain.

Bright red, looks amazingly modern for a nine year old car.

Quite spacious inside. Ride a bit harsh, but that's probably due to those big wheels. Quality wise actually quite comparable to my old Audi A3, yes it is that good.

You can get an Astra GTC pretty cheap now, they are well worth a look. Make sure you only buy a looked after original car with full history however, avoid abused examples, there are lots of modded Astras out there on the used market, and they are usually modified by people who do not know what they are doing!

Faults:

Quite a lot of wear and tear - exhaust, brakes, suspension and so on, but I am on over 90K miles now.

Small oil leak from rocker cover gasket, no big deal.

Changed the ancillary belts as precaution. Replaced battery.

Climate control has seen better days, hesitant to work and ineffective air con.

Rear load cover holding pins snapped.

General Comments:

"Sports Tourer" is just the estate version of the Astra hatchback. I think mine is quite smart looking in dark grey with the SRi trim that adds nice alloy wheels and other stylish touches.

Inside is very mid 2010's Vauxhall - clearly laid out, nice looking and comfortable. Plenty of electrics on this model though the rear windows are manual, electric in front only which is a bit mean and surprising for a mid range modern car.

Seats are comfortable and the car is nice to drive.

1.6 petrol is a bit sluggish however and struggles for 35 - 40 mpg. I'd look at getting a more powerful diesel engine to be honest. This petrol engine however is simple to maintain and reliable.

Cannot really fault it, is has been a great car for work/private family use.

Faults:

Needed some work to the brakes, and the front suspension is also a bit rattly, will have it checked soon.

I look after the car well; it gets oil changes and all the required maintenance it needs.

Console display is a bit erratic, sometimes won't light up some pixels. No big deal.

Air con still works but definitely weaker now. May just need a re-gas.

General Comments:

It is a bit of a stretch to call the GTC Astra a coupe, I think it is more of a sporty hatchback. With that said, it looks and feels a very different car from the regular Astra, even in basic trims.

Sport trim must be near or at the bottom of the range; it does not even have front fog lights, and the seats look a bit basic compared to other models I have seen. Still, the car has air con, electric windows, the seats are very comfortable, plus the quality of materials is good, and the car has enough for me just running about myself. Silver seven spoke alloy wheels also look very nice and are easy to keep clean. My car is black. Best in darker colors in my opinion. Though the other day I did see a bright red VXR model with window tints and massive black alloy wheels, really stood out. But I also like the conservative style of my Sport model just as much.

1.4 petrol engine is hardly pick of the bunch either, however its qualities lie in refinement and economy, rather than all out speed. It is quick enough for most drivers, and is quiet. Gear change feels good. You will see 46 mpg on average. I think it is a better choice than the noisy diesels. I also think keeping up with the oil changes it is unlikely to give trouble - it is a very simple and proven engine.

Despite the average performance, the car drives well and has a sporty feel. Ride is smooth enough but a little firm sometimes, but makes up for it with excellent road holding. Handling is very sharp. A bit too many blind spots but you get used to it.

Value for money wise it is probably one of the best cars I have had, I would recommend the Astra GTC to anyone.