If you could give a car a prize for modesty it would have to go to the new Vauxhall Astra estate. It's Vauxhall's best-kept secret. For sheer practicality the load-carrier has its competition beat. Not only is it big enough to swallow a sizeable cargo, but it is good to drive, comfortable and well-equipped for an unashamedly mass product.Vauxhall's new Astra is one of the best new hatches of the past 12 months and there's more to come with the sleek Astra Sports Hatch three-door heading our way this spring with its industry-breaking panoramic windscreen. But the estate is worth more attention. It's been something of a Cinderella car since it sidled onto the market in November, unjustifiably eclipsed by other more dynamic models.The range is wide. The entry-level Astra estate is the modest 16-valve 1.4 litre Life. It's great value at £13,045 but its 90bhp struggles with heavy loads while the top-range 1.9 CDTi Design with 150bhp overcomes all performance shortfalls, with a price tag to match. At £18,695 this fine 16-valve turbo diesel may be too rich for most Astra class buyers.However, there is a gem in the Astra patch. The smooth 1.8 litre 16-valve petrol model is a perfect blend of performance, comfort, load carrying practicality and driving pleasure. With 124bhp available it is more than able to cope with heavy loads while returning good economy and turning in a brisk performance. I drove a 1.8 Design both loaded and light and enjoyed every mile. The car averaged 33mpg with four adults and a rear end full of luggage and managed 37mpg when I did the same 130-mile journey solo. It drove well, was comfortable and relaxed - a real surprise.My Design came as standard with half-leather upholstery, 16" alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, an auto dimming mirror, four electric windows, sports seats, front fog lamps, air-conditioning, remote central locking, trip computer and a fine radio/CD system. That’s a good specification on top of the Astra’s ABS braking system, four airbags, low servicing costs and affordable Group 9 insurance.What singled out the estate for me was its easy-loading and practical rear end. The rear light clusters spoil the overall loading picture because they intrude on the aperture, but it's a minor complaint about a load area which is flat-floored, wide and tall.Handling is as good as on the impressive new Focus, although the ride quality is inferior to the second-generation Ford. Lightly loaded the suspension is too lively - even Vauxhall's fine chassis can't hide its pattering. It skips on uneven surfaces and there's a restlessness unless the surface is billiard table smooth. But for all that the Astra is a rewarding car to drive with great carrying capacity, low noise levels, well thought-out heating and powerful ventilation.Inside the layout is ergonomic and easy to use - but why must today's mass-producers like Vauxhall insist on decorating their consoles with mock-aluminium? It looks cheap and tacky and will date our current crop of new cars. I'd much rather have had a traditional timber finish option or straightforward black plastic.Where the car scores high marks is in terms of comfort. The driver and passengers still tend to sit low in the scuttle, but the seating in the Design is comfortable and supportive. Visibility in all but the three-quarter rear direction is good. Access to all five seats is easy thanks to wide and deep doors and there's impressive leg and headroom in the rear.But the key to of this new Astra model is its cargo area. Thanks to straight-sided flanks the luggage compartment has unobstructed space - a perfect cargo carrier with 470 litres of useable volume with the rear seats in place which expands to a mighty 1550 litres with seats folded.The designers have given a lot of thought to the estate. Flex Organiser is their answer to extending versatility in the boot area. Using a system of mounting rails, nets and black folding dividers it allows owners to split the cargo area for different uses and prevent loads sliding into each other.The test car was also fitted with a sliding rear seat bench. It allows the back seats to slide backwards and forwards by 39mm to balance passenger/cargo space. It's a useful feature which, with the seats fully forward, increases the load length to 1122mm. And if you add Vauxhall's optional folding front passenger seat the Astra estate can swallow a monster load of up to 2.7 metres.Under the boot floor there is a clever storage area with more oddment space built into the sides of the compartment. Vauxhall also provide the estate with a stainless steel rim to protect the boot from sharp loads and avoid unsightly scratches on trim and paint when loading and unloading.Interesting too to see the security cover has been designed to match the overall quality of the new car. It is a tactile masterpiece which is easy to use and feels like well-made component rather than the usual cheap material most manufacturers fit.The more I drove this modest player the more I appreciated its practicality and driver appeal. Vauxhall appreciate the drivers need to enjoy his or her time at the wheel. To that end you can order your estate with the manufacturer's IDSPlus chassis/handling enhancement package. This adds electronic stability control to the standard suspension and utilises traction control, ABS and continuous damping control to get the best out of the car.And there is one further feature which hones the driver attraction to perfection - an insignificant Sport button mounted almost apologetically in a row of ordinary black switches in the upper right-hand of the central console. Press it and the car picks up a more agile feel. Electronics intervene to sharpen steering and throttle response. It transforms the Astra makes it a sheer delight to drive on twisty roads.If you tow, there's a £350 pack which maximises its ability with self-levelling, a hill start assist programme and an innovative trailer stability programme which cuts power and applies gentle braking if the car detects uncontrollable yaw with something on the hook.This is a very able traditional estate car with fine handling, good build quality and excellent standard equipment. It is safe, comfortable and pleasant on a long journey and offers excellent value for no-nonsense family motoring. Engine 1796cc, 4 cylinders Power 124bhp Fuel/CO2 36.0mpg / 187g/km Acceleration 0-60mph: 10.2 seconds Top speed 125mph Price £16,045 Details correct at publication date
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