Test Drive: Saturn Astra

[93JC]

I'll be brief.


This car was awesome in almost every way. Lots of space, very composed at speed, very agile, great brakes, great interior. And the steering! The steering! Very responsive, lots of feedback, but still completely damped from the random stuff in the road you run into. It's how steering should be.

But two things are stopping me from getting one. First, it was $24,000. Ha! Not happening. Second...


IT'S SO GOD-DAMNED SLOW!

I'll admit I didn't want to buy into the reviews that have chastised this car for being slow, but I have seen the light brothers. I had my foot to the floor a few times with not much going on as a result. Very, very disappointing. The Fit I drove a couple days ago felt just as if not more powerful than the Astra. Even a moderate slope on the highway had me mashing the go-pedal just to keep up speed.

Part of that is as a result of how good everything else about the car is. I was going 30 over on the highway and my buddy who was with me thought we were doing 30 under. It feels a lot slower than it actually is because of how composed it is. The ride was fantastic. Potholes, divits, undulations in the road: didn't matter, it was like they didn't even exist when this car drove over them. I could have gone 200 km/h all day and this car would have done it with no objections.

Other than getting up to 200 in the first place, which would take Thor knows how long.

[Pommes-T]

I've always said people shouldn't expect too much from an Opel.

And one more thing: I have driven only a few Opels in my life (A Vectra and a Zafira, which shares the platform with the Astra. Both felt way slower than they should have felt. I mean: If you have a Golf with 140hp, then it feels like a Golf with 140 hp. But if you have an Opel with 140hp it might feel like you had 100hp.

Did your car had a manual transmission? I am asking because Opel's MT always suck!

Besides they aren't bad cars. Just like Fords or Mitsubishis... 

[Vinsanity]

Damn. I really wanted to like this car, and I always had a feeling it would turn out to be a great sport compact, but saddling that car with the wussy 1.8 engine is like the cute girl you've had your eye on shaving off all the hair on her head. WTF!

[SVT666]

Damn. I really wanted to like this car, and I always had a feeling it would turn out to be a great sport compact, but saddling that car with the wussy 1.8 engine is like the cute girl you've had your eye on shaving off all the hair on her head. WTF!

It's more like that cute girl turns out to be a staunch Catholic and won't lay down with you.

[Vinsanity]

It's more like that cute girl turns out to be a staunch Catholic and won't lay down with you.

hey, more often than not you'll find ones that have been repressed through puberty and told that sex is naughty, so in an act of rebellion, they go through a personal sexual liberation during college and thereafter.

The Saturn Astra is not one of those.

[93JC]

Did your car had a manual transmission? I am asking because Opel's MT always suck!

It was an automatic. Four-speed Aisin. I think it would have done better with a different transmission. The power was there for the most part, but the transmission was very slow to respond. At one point I literally had the accelerator to the floor just to get it to downshift. At one point I got fed up with it and put it in 3rd manually. Very frustrating.

I think it shifts into neutral when you come to a stop too, making take-off from stop lights even slower as it re-engages the torque converter.

Other than that, and the overinflated price, it's a phenominal car. You can tell a lot of thought went into it. It's unfortunate GM picked the least liked engine in the European Astra, with the least liked transmission, to offer to us. Realistically, at the price point they brought it into, it should have the 1.6 Turbo.

[Vinsanity]

Is there a CVT that can be fitted to any of the Astra's engines? The CVT's I drove in the Altima and Sentra were very good; it made the Altima's 175 hp feel closer to 200, and helped the Sentra have decent power reserves, while having the same power-to-weight ratio as the Astra.

[93JC]

They have a sequential manual, called "Easytronic", in Europe. It's used in place of the automatic on... pretty much every other engine, I think.

Actually, the more I think about, I'm almost 100% sure the 1.8 is the ONLY engine that comes with a conventional automatic, which is why they shipped it over.

[Pommes-T]

They have a sequential manual, called "Easytronic", in Europe. It's used in place of the automatic on... pretty much every other engine, I think.

Actually, the more I think about, I'm almost 100% sure the 1.8 is the ONLY engine that comes with a conventional automatic, which is why they shipped it over.

Never thought about this, but not that you mention it I've checked it: There are 2 automatic transmissions available: The 4-speed for the 1,8 you drove and a 6 speed for the 1,9l Diesel engine.


In germany Opel is a bit a grandpa's brand and grandpas often like to drive automatics. GM always whines about that they don't make any money and then they do stupid stuff like that.... 

People should buy VWs with DSGs instead IMO. When I went shopping for the Golf it wouldn't have made any financial difference. (For the same price I would have got a better equiped Astra GTC (115hp) and a free flatscreen-TV...  )

The only cool Opel I know was my Uncles's Omega MV6 which is the same as your Catera...

[Raza]

Well, well. 

I finally saw one on the road yesterday. 

[ifcar]

Is there a CVT that can be fitted to any of the Astra's engines? The CVT's I drove in the Altima and Sentra were very good; it made the Altima's 175 hp feel closer to 200, and helped the Sentra have decent power reserves, while having the same power-to-weight ratio as the Astra.

CVTs don't seem to work well with weak engines. It makes for too much engine droning, as in several Chrysler products.

[Vinsanity]

CVTs don't seem to work well with weak engines. It makes for too much engine droning, as in several Chrysler products.

Interesting, because the Maxima and 3.5 Altima I drove didn't feel quite as powerful as they were supposed to be with the CVT. To me, at least. The Maxima felt about as fast as the equally powerful, but heavier CTS, and the Altima felt about on par with the weaker TL.

I did notice a bit of a drone in the Sentra's drivetrain, but I'd rather have it in place of inadequate passing power.

Maybe they should just drop the engine and trans from the Cobalt into the Astra. Even if 10 hp won't do much to help (the combo doesn't seem to draw much complaint in the Cobalt), at least it would be cheap (assuming they pass on the savings to buyers in the interest of sales volume)

[USA_Idol]

I was going to test drive the Astra, but now I'm not so sure.   

[the Teuton]

Damn. I really wanted to like this car, and I always had a feeling it would turn out to be a great sport compact, but saddling that car with the wussy 1.8 engine is like the cute girl you've had your eye on shaving off all the hair on her head. WTF!

To be completely fair, I drive a car that makes this one look quick, and I've driven a whole bunch of slow-as-hell MINIs.  I really want to give this one a chance.  I bet the manual isn't that bad.

[Madman]

In 2003, I rented the old-shape Vauxhall Astra LS 1.6 with a 5-speed manual and the performance was very good.  It accelerated strongly even with the air-con turn up to max.  So how on Earth can the 1.8 (even with a 4-speed slushmatic) be so slow?

Or are you judging the Astra's performance in comparison to V8 Mustangs or Turbo-Nutter-Special Imprezas?


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[Raza]

In 2003, I rented the old-shape Vauxhall Astra LS 1.6 with a 5-speed manual and the performance was very good.  It accelerated strongly even with the air-con turn up to max.  So how on Earth can the 1.8 (even with a 4-speed slushmatic) be so slow?

Or are you judging the Astra's performance in comparison to V8 Mustangs or Turbo-Nutter-Special Imprezas?


Cheers,
Madman of the People

Come on, you know that speed levels in the US and Europe are different.  What's acceptable there may not be acceptable here. 

So yes, in a world where the most common car sold hits sixty in about 6 seconds, 11 is too slow for a modern car.  And when all of a car's competitors are quicker, then yes, it is too slow. 

It's insane and idiotic to say that the Astra is quick because there are slower cars sold in another part of the world. 

[ifcar]

On the other hand, there is an acceptable level for daily driving no matter what the competition is. It's just whether the Astra meets that acceptable level for US interstate driving that's a question. Factor in the lousy mileage, and I'd say no, but not based on how fast the Camry goes to 60.

[Raza]

On the other hand, there is an acceptable level for daily driving no matter what the competition is. It's just whether the Astra meets that acceptable level for US interstate driving that's a question. Factor in the lousy mileage, and I'd say no, but not based on how fast the Camry goes to 60.

What's acceptable for daily driving is based on the mix of cars on the road.  I'm sure it's fine, but you're right; keeping up with traffic is something else, and I bet driving the thing with your foot in the carpet isn't going to be good for gas mileage.

[ifcar]

What's acceptable for daily driving is based on the mix of cars on the road.  I'm sure it's fine, but you're right; keeping up with traffic is something else, and I bet driving the thing with your foot in the carpet isn't going to be good for gas mileage.

No matter how fast the Camry goes from 0-60, the speed of traffic is pretty much the same as it was a decade ago when 11 seconds was the norm. It doesn't have a problem cruising at speed, it just doesn't get up to speed well. And mileage ratings are terrible, and probably worse if you're trying to get to 60 quickly.

[Raza]

No matter how fast the Camry goes from 0-60, the speed of traffic is pretty much the same as it was a decade ago when 11 seconds was the norm. It doesn't have a problem cruising at speed, it just doesn't get up to speed well. And mileage ratings are terrible, and probably worse if you're trying to get to 60 quickly.

Maybe my section of suburbs are different from the rest of the country, but traffic speeds vary quite a bit. 

[S204STi]

If they come out with a Redline version I might be interested, since I otherwise really like the car, but for now it's just another very nice but uninteresting small hatch.

[the Teuton]

Raz, I drive a car that has been clocked at around 12 seconds getting to 60 mph, and 90% of the time, it works in traffic without me panicking.  Nine seconds isn't that bad.

[Vinsanity]

come to think of it, I had a similar impression of the 4-cyl Mazda 6 I rented once. except it wasn't that frustratingly slow; it just felt like it should have more power.

Raz, I drive a car that has been clocked at around 12 seconds getting to 60 mph, and 90% of the time, it works in traffic without me panicking.  Nine seconds isn't that bad.

I don't want to have to drive in a panic the other 10% of the time

[the Teuton]

I don't want to have to drive in a panic the other 10% of the time

Why do you think there's a 2.5 liter engine sitting back home right now still?  Neither do I.

I'm just saying that it's not as bad as one may think.

[280Z Turbo]

It doesn't sound that bad.

My Focus has 8 fewer hp and no VVT and I don't mind the acceleration. Of course it weighs about 300 lbs less.

[Eye of the Tiger]

You guys seriously need to grow a pair. If I can drive a 40hp Suzuki SJ410 on a 70mph interstate, you can drive an Astra.

[CJ]

If I can drive my huge Volvo with only 114 HP on the highway with no complaints, an Astra should be fine. 

[280Z Turbo]

If I can drive my huge Volvo with only 114 HP on the highway with no complaints, an Astra should be fine. 

Your Volvo doesn't cost as much as an Astra.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If I can drive my huge Volvo with only 114 HP on the highway with no complaints, an Astra should be fine. 

You don't have a turbo on that yet? 

[CJ]

You don't have a turbo on that yet? 

No.  I have a new alternator and a new battery though! 

Your Volvo doesn't cost as much as an Astra.

It cost more than an Astra way back in the day.