Holden Astra VXR

After a three year absence where the brand was briefly trialled here,Holden has again begun importing Astras fom its GM subsidiary Opel in Europe.
If you are in the market for a special  hot hatch with pure Euro chic,this VXR version of the latest Astra should be right at the top of your shopping list.
The VXR epitomises all that is European. Sassy, sleek, low,sexy styling that stands out from more mundane offerings in its class.

I've driven many hot hatches over the years and the VXR is one of the best. Its two litre turbo engine puts out 206 kilowatts and a giant killing 400 nm of torque.
Floor the throttle and there's no hint of torque steer through the steering wheel..just astonishingly quick acceleration accompanied by one of the best rorty exhaust notes, from its twin tailpipes.

The VXR is one of few in the hot hatch hatch segment with drilled Brembo brakes front and rear, for superior stopping power. They look great too, nestled inside 20 inch wheels carrying 245/35 series tyres. Cornering grip is amazing. The VXR points truly with little fuss and beautifully weighted steering. it's so much fun to drive enthusiastically.
The slick six speed manual gearbox works a treat. The torque of the engine enables you to pull away smoothly from about 50 kmh in sixth with no transmission snatch.
Economy is pretty good considering the engine's performance.I averaged about eight litres per 100 kilometres.. a range of just under 500 kilometres.
On the highway at 110 kmh the engine is ticking over at just under 2,500 rpm, 4,000 revs away from the redline. There's no wind noise at highway speeds but there is some tyre roar from the performance rubber.

Comfort isn't compromised.
In standard mode on  ordinary rutted suburban streets the ride is very good. It stiffens up however when the Sport or VXR buttons are pushed on the dashboard. But even then the ride is acceptable.
The front seats are very comfy and have adjustable sides to the squab and backrest to hug you while pressing on through the twisty bits. In fact the VXR's performance and handling rivals the benchmark Golf GTi. It's that good.

The large doors open to almost 90 degrees for easy access to the rear, which is quite cramped.
The blurb says the Astra is a five seater, but you'd need to have three very small adults or children in the rear seat to make that claim a reality. Four normal sized adults will fit quite happily, although headroom could be an issue for taller occupants..

The VXR is fitted with a superb multi speaker digital audio system, something that's becoming more common in cars at several price points. One oversight is there's no reversing camera.
At night, red ambient lighting picks out the instruments, door pulls and console surround... it looks great.
The latest Astra is a worthy successor to earlier models.
If the rest of the new range is as good as the VXR, Holden will have trouble keeping up with demand. I reckon they'll sell like hot cakes.
The Astra range starts from around 27K to almost 40K for the VXR.
Peter Sellen