Holden Astra 2017 Review

What’s it all about?
The Astra’s position in Holden’s small-car hierarchy is a little muddied. Currently available in brand-new (to Australia) hatchback form and supplemented by a sporty three-door hatch from the previous Astra generation – both built in Poland – the range is due to be broadened around mid-year with the addition of a (slightly) lower-priced, Korean-built Astra sedan that will be the spiritual successor to the now-defunct locally-built Cruze.

In the meantime, the German-designed five-door plays the small family-car role with the choice of three models – the base 1.4-litre R, mid-range 1.6-litre RS and the subject of this review, the top of the line RS-V.

How much will it cost?
After a recent price cut, the six-speed auto Astra RS-V is tagged, before on-road costs, at $31,740 – $1000 more than the manual. It competes with the Mazda3 SP25 GT, Hyundai’s i30 SR, Volkswagen’s 110TSI Golf and Ford’s 1.5-litre EcoBoost Focus.

Safety is a big selling point: Standard RS-V gear includes (low speed) autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, forward distance indicator, forward collision alert and blind-spot warning. For an astronomical $3990, an “Innovations pack” adds active cruise control, “IntelliLux” LED matrix cornering headlights and a sunroof.

The less gob-smacking $1990 Touring pack brings Active cruise control and sunroof. All Astras offer Holden’s three-year/100,000km warranty, one year of roadside assistance and lifetime capped-price servicing.

Why should I buy it?
The Astra has been on sale in Europe since 2015 and has scored multiple awards, including 2016 European Car of the Year. Its German design is enhanced by local involvement in the suspension tuning and auto transmission calibration that's coupled to a gutsy 147kW/280Nm 1.6-litre turbo engine.

The engine delivers more grunt than Mazda3 SP25, Hyundai i30 SR and 1.5-litre EcoBoost Ford Focus – which makes for a swift, flexible and precise on-road package with a smidge of Euro character. On-test fuel economy didn’t match the official claim of 6.3L/100km, but our 7.7L/100km, in mixed driving conditions, wasn’t bad either.

Although it’s intuitive and quick-changing, the automatic transmission would benefit from steering wheel paddles.

When is it available in Australia?
The new-generation Astra went on sale locally in November 2016 at Holden dealers around the country, alongside the existing, previous-generation three-door hatch.

Who will it appeal to?
Well-proportioned and nice to behold, the Astra is nevertheless small-car generic and fits without any real distinction in the Mazda3/Hyundai i30/Ford Focus cohort.

The RS-V aims to please buyers who might have slightly-sporty aspirations, and it brings good front (and rear) stretching room in leather-clad comfort for five adults, making it a viable, small family car choice.

It’s slightly surprising that even the maxi-spec version relies on manually-adjusted seats and there’s no centre rear air vents. The 1210-litre boot isn’t the biggest in class, but it’s reasonable nonetheless. For what it’s worth, the Astra is rated to tow 1420kg of braked trailer.

Where does it fit?
The RS-V Astra is a good fit in the small hatch category with its decent-size, Euro-stylish and well equipped interior that includes Holden’s MyLink infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat-nav, DAB+ radio, full iPod integration, an eight-inch central digital colour screen and Siri on hand to take your verbal instructions.

Automated self-parking is part of the deal too. Although there are other Euro hatchbacks out there, the Astra is more price-aligned with the previously-mentioned Mazda3, Hyundai i30 and Ford Focus. The Volkswagen Golf 110TSI (just) slips in, but Peugeot’s 308 and Renault’s Megane don’t address the medium-performance, sub-$35,000 category with the same level of commitment.

So, what do we think?
The Astra represents perhaps the most serious small hatchback challenge since the Mazda3 and Volkswagen Golf stamped their mark on the segment. It’s competitively priced, and it has the performance, equipment and safety credentials to maybe nudge some established benchmarks. Being a full line importer may not be such a bad thing after all – at least where the customer is concerned.

2017 Holden Astra RS-V pricing and specifications:

Price: $31,740 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 147kW/280Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)

CO2: 146g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Related reading:

>> Holden Astra 2017 Review
>> Holden Astra Sedan 2017: Video Review