Holden Astra Wagon 2005 Review

A popular seller overseas, the AH Astra wagon is the first Astra wagon released in Australia which might explain why it generated as much interest on test as some of this year's big new releases. As an upmarket front-drive wagon alternative to the flood of small SUVs, it threatens to deliver the same amenity with saving of up to $10,000 and at the bowser.

The 2005 cut in import duty has reduced the tariff advantage of a 4WD wagon over a two-wheel drive wagon like the Astra to just five per cent, the closest it has ever been for an imported wagon. The starting price for the Astra CD Wagon is $23,490 plus $2000 for the auto. The only "must have" feature missing is cruise control which is a $200 dealer fit option. Otherwise, the standard kit is impressive including cargo cover, ABS, front and side airbags, front power windows, steering wheel audio controls, single CD sound with seven speakers, height and reach steering column adjustment, multi-function display including ambient temperature, driver's seat height adjustment, electric mirrors and air-conditioning.

That said, everything great about the Astra wagon is on offer in even the most basic version so there is no need to spend the extra unless there is a good deal on offer.

Looks are important to this market. The consensus is that the Astra disguises its long 2.7 metre wheelbase (89mm longer than the hatch) and 40mm of extra height well. The extra ride height at the rear and slimmer tail lights that don't cut into the rear liftback aperture are useful gains over the hatchback for serious loads. Clever design and an easy folding rear seat allows all of the rear load area to be quickly accessed and used. The cargo blind with its one touch release handle is outstanding as is the cargo area side storage bin with its own elasticized load restraint. The strong standard roof rails designed for a wide range of carrying accessories are an important consideration in this market.

It comes as a shock to most people that this Astra wagon is about 240mm longer than a 1963 Holden EH wagon on a longer wheelbase and is significantly wider. Legroom and luggage capacity are therefore impressive while cabin width feels about the same when today's doors and side pillars are almost twice as deep as they were in 1963 for substantial side impact protection. No wonder so many Europeans see the Astra wagon as a smart family car.

The Astra wagon gets the thumbs-up from passengers. The deep back seat with its three head restraints, three retracting lap-sash seatbelts, rear seat-mounted child restraint tether points and rear heater ducts offers passenger car comfort and safety with legroom to spare. Holden engineers have tuned the suspension well delivering exceptional ride and control over broken and dirt surfaces for a small wagon. The only down side is the high window line that blocks vision for children in the rear seat.

The 1.8lt engine is adequate for most drivers. The engine delivers ninety per cent of its maximum torque between 2200 and 5500rpm which is more than can be said for some of its 2.0lt rivals. It wasn't so long ago that the 90kW (92kW on premium unleaded) Astra's power output was a healthy figure for a 2.0-2.2lt engine.

In addition to the power advantage, we also found that running it on premium unleaded improved fuel economy. This is to be expected with a European engine designed for 95 RON. Several tanks tests confirmed that Holden's fuel economy figure of 8.3 litres/100 km is achievable.

What lets the Astra down is its four-speed automatic transmission. Like so many Europeans, it has a tall overdrive fourth for frugal flat out autobahn cruising and three lower ratios for crowded cities. The gap between them is exactly where most Australians drive. At least the Sports mode locks it out if you need to travel in a 50km/h speed zone.

In dense traffic conditions, the Astra is strong and lively yet in the intermediate 60-90km/h speed ranges it struggles to deliver a suitable ratio for overtaking and merging. The Astra is not alone and it only needs a quick spin in a small engined Saab, VW or Audi with a five-speed auto to realize that an extra ratio might be more useful than a power increase and loss in fuel economy.

The auto seems to disguise the delayed throttle response that mars the enjoyment of the manual version. The auto selector is very firm and clunky and discourages the manual shifting of the latest sequential shift modes.

Some pundits found the Astra dash imposing and bland, restricting vision for shorter drivers. It also narrows the front footwells restricting sideways stretching room for the legs of tall drivers on a long trip yet it is not as bad in this area as the new Ford Focus. The front seats are initially firm but very good over long distances.

The vertical power socket makes little sense when it is so close to the centre control panel. Indeed, despite the massive dash, there is nowhere to put phones, sunglasses, keys, even the most basic items.

In fact, the controls for the whole car suffer from the same gap between user and end result. Even after a week, I challenge anyone to know exactly what they have selected while activating the Astra's wiper or indicator stalks. There are no discernible detents and what happens seems to be a random event. If this is the price of moving the indicator stalk to the 'correct' side, give me the old Astra any day.

Overall the Astra wagon still leaves its Korean and Japanese rivals some way behind. It punches way above its weight in terms of ride and handling, usable space, comfort, quality, safety and body integrity but the state of the art driver involvement and precision expected from its European ancestry are just not there. Ironically, in some areas even Holden's new (and cheaper) Viva wagon is a more obedient and willing servant when you are behind the wheel.