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Mixed-Bag Driving Supposedly designed for use on the German Autobahn, there is this immediate image that the Astra should do excellently in the acceleration and top speed departments. Sadly, this is not the case. Measuring at only 4242 mm long, the small bodied Astra actually feels like a larger sedan than its dimensions suggest. That’s not good especially at a time when Mercedes-Benz and BMW are designing their S-class and 7-series to handle like their mainstream C-class and 3-series sedans respectively. The lardy perception of the Opel Astra is not the problem of a single driving component. Rather, it is how these supposedly good components don’t work as well together, thus transforming a car full of potential into a semi-nightmare of sorts. First, the 1.6-liter Ecotec inline-4 engine does pretty well for itself, producing 110 bhp at 6,000 rpm and 150 Nm of torque at a low 3,600 rpm. Mated to a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, the Astra does 0-100 km/h in roughly 13.5 seconds. Though the ingredients may all seem promising, the Astra ends up feeling awfully slow. It seems that the 110 horses are all kept on a tight leash even when depressing the rightmost pedal nearly all the way down. Engaging the sport mode induces horrible shift shock, but gives the Astra a much needed performance boost. This time, it’s as if all the horses have broken free as the engine gives out a turbo-like whine—beautiful—all the way to its 6,800 rpm redline. Second, a supposedly inherent characteristic of small cars is quick and precise steering. Unfortunately, the Astra fails to deliver here as well. Though the car has body roll kept under tight control, and the McPherson Strut front and Twist-Beam Axle rear suspension are set-up for a sportier character, this Opel’s steering ratio is too slow. This requires more steering action especially if you want to carve in and out of Manila traffic. It is a shame since the Astra’s chassis carries a lot of grip and the steering is precise, especially at high speeds. Third, the brakes are a combination of front vented discs and rear drums with standard anti-lock system—a set-up similar to the Honda Civic VTi-S. However, unlike the under-braked Civic, the Astra performs well, bringing this 1194 kilogram car to a dead halt with precise pedal feel. As good as the pedal feel is, the Astra has a heavier pedal than the Japanese cars', thus requiring more leg effort to gain adequate stopping power. Lastly, the biggest problem with the Astra is the most invisible hood, even with the driver’ seat raised all the way up. It seems that the designers did not want the front-end to be seen at all costs. This could be a problem, especially when it comes to tight-maneuver parking. A slight shame actually as this could have given the equally-sized Honda City and Kia Rio a solid thrashing. |
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