Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer 1.7 CDTi
125PS ecoFLEX SRi review
by David Finlay (18 July 2011)
Vauxhall played an interesting game at the UK media launch of the Astra Sports Tourer late last year. Several versions were made available, but we didn't get to drive any of them straight away. Instead, we were sent out for a short run in the outgoing model so that we had something relevant to compare it with later the same morning.
I don't think anyone from Vauxhall used the well-worn phrase, "not evolution but revolution," but they might as well have done. The 2011 Astra estate immediately came across as being so much better than its immediate predecessor that an uncharitable fellow might wonder what the hell General Motors was playing at last time round.
Not the least appealing features of the current Sports Tourer are its interesting and attractive interior and exterior design and the way its complicated but effective rear axle layout makes it behave on the road in a manner which, for a mainstream mid-sized estate, could be described as sparkling. It's also very roomy indeed up front (to the point where I reckon it could accommodate a six foot six driver without trouble), not so great but still acceptable in the rear, and comparable to its most important rivals in terms of luggage space.
To be more specific about that last bit, the cargo volume with the rear seats folded down in 1535 litres if you do the right thing and ask for a proper spare wheel, or 1550 litres if you are barmy enough to request the optional tyre repair kit shortly before you are transferred to a Home for the Bewildered where you can't do any more damage. The load sill is low and the tailgate opening almost uniformly wide for its full height - both important features which manufacturers often forget about.
Manufacturers also tend not so much to forget about rear visibility as to do their best to eliminate it without actually failing to put in any windows at all. Vauxhall's record here is villainous (take a look an Insignia or a three-door Corsa and you'll see what I mean), but although the Astra Sports Tourer is nothing to be proud of in this respect either it's no worse than the class average.
The test car's 1.7-litre turbo diesel engine appears twice in the Sports Tourer, once in 108bhp form and also, as here, with a maximum output of 123bhp (or 125PS in Foreign, hence the appearance of that alphanumeric cluster in the car's title). By a strange quirk of the EU method for testing these things, both share the same official combined fuel economy of 62.8mpg, along with a 119g/km CO2 rating which means that Vehicle Excise Duty is £30 per year rather than the £95 it would be if the emissions were 2g/km higher.
In real life the less powerful engine will probably be more economical, and it also makes the Sports Tourer £625 cheaper. If these are trivial matters to you, the other factor to take into consideration is performance. Although with 123bhp this car is no ball of fire, it has enough power for its purpose. I haven't driven a 108bhp version yet but I suspect it might feel a bit sluggish.
The engine works very well at low revs, and one thing I particularly liked is that if you're in a 40mph limit the car will stay at more or less that speed (depending on gradient) if you take your feet off all the pedals. I'm not sure that this is the sort of thing I should be advising, though, so if you plan to try it, would you mind deleting your browser history first? Thanks.
The choice between the two engines applies in this SRi trim level as well as in the range-topping SE and the lower Exclusiv. Only the 108bhp version is available in the entry-level SE.
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