Holden Astra sedan 2017 Review - International

Holden Astra sedan
International Launch Review
Nashville, USA

Is the upside to Holden’s much-maligned manufacturing shutdown beginning to materialise? The new Astra sedan, which replaces the locally-built Cruze, is evidence that Holden’s access to the broader GM global portfolio has its merits. Tech-laden, sharper and more refined than its predecessor, the small sedan impresses on US soil. However, the biggest masterstroke is likely to come in the form of some classic Aussie ingenuity.

Holden might have killed off its locally-produced Cruze in Australia, but it certainly hasn’t killed off its small car plans.

Meet the Astra sedan, which will join the new Astra hatch in Australian showrooms this year. In its transition to a full-scale importer before year’s end, Holden will begin offering the small sedan in showrooms from May.

Unlike every other market the ‘Cruze’ is offered in globally, Holden has decided to rename its version the Astra sedan, because it believes the name carries more clout and relevance with Australians.

While it misses out on the extensive Australian engineering and development content that would normally constitute a locally-built vehicle, the replacement spruiks the benefits of a global company intent on making greater use of its resources.

It follows in the wheel tracks of the Astra hatch launched late last year. Both are built on the same D2 architecture.

Holden hasn’t confirmed pricing as yet, but you can expect the sedan to undercut the hatch, reflecting its Korean build (the hatch is built in Europe) along with the fact there is some key equipment missing.

We’re guessing a circa-$20,000 (plus on-road costs) entry price.

First and foremost, the sedan isn’t available with autonomous emergency braking, one of the key selling points of the hatch. Holden has also deleted the option of a Watt’s link control for its torsion beam rear axle – a small linkage that helps enable tauter handling response.

The positioning of the sedan is instead centred on comfort and on-road amenity, a skill set that it revels in during a brief international first drive in the US this week.

The US-specification vehicles driven in and around Nashville feel well put together, harmonising different materials in the dashboard and cabin and showcasing quality at all the important contact points.

All three Astra models, designated LS, LT and LTZ, will be powered by the same 110kW 1.4-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol engine used by the Astra hatch. It produces 245Nm peak torque when mated with a six-speed manual and 240Nm when a six-speed automatic is optioned, the same driven here.

The engine is one of the real highlights of the sedan. An all-new unit, it has been the subject of a comprehensive development program, according to program engineering manager, Seth Valentine.

The four-pot certainly shows as much, offering willing pick-up and a useable mid-range. It resists any of the thrashy traits and languidness of earlier Cruze petrol units, instead belying its small capacity with smooth and refined transitions through to highway speeds, where it feels confident and under stressed.

The six-speed automatic transmission is a little one-dimensional by comparison. It is most happy pushing for taller gears, offering smooth and well-timed shifts, working in unison with a stop-start idle function to deliver a competitive fuel claim (about 6.7L/100km combined).

As such, when you do sink the slipper in, the four-pot regularly kicks down gears, breaking into a high-singing yet still smooth chorus. Furthermore, the auto isn’t offered with paddle shifters or a manual gate in the transmission to offset this.

The Astra sedan feels compliant and willing through the corners, reflecting the benefit of a 120kg weight loss over its predecessor. There is minimal lean on vehicles tested with the Watt’s linkage – but we’ll reserve judgement on Aussie-spec vehicles.

On billiard table roads in the US, the car stays planted and poised through long, fast corners.

Steering feel isn’t a redeeming feature of the sedan – instead it is quite light yet responsive – but rest assured, you can expect change in this department, with Australian engineers sure to introduce a different calibration on its electrically-assisted tiller.

And while we didn’t get to experience the equivalent of B-grade Australian roads, the test vehicles driven in Detroit, riding on 18-inch wheels, iron out surface imperfections adeptly. There is no crashing or rumbling through the cabin, a factor bolstered by excellent sound absorption traits.

Arguably the biggest milestone for the Astra sedan will come in the form of some Australian tuning. Two test vehicles have already spent the better part of 12 months in Australia for a rigorous assessment and calibration program, with engineers focussing their talents on the suspension tune, automatic transmission and electronic stability control calibration.

That final bit of polish is set to leverage a vehicle with some strong selling points.

One of those – even withstanding the deletion of AEB – is an anticipated five-star safety rating, courtesy of six airbags, a reversing camera, rear park assist, two isofix child seat attachment points, three child restraint anchors and automatic locking rear seatbelts.

The LT and LTZ models will also be fitted with the Holden Eye forward-facing camera that brings with it front park assist, side blind spot alert, rain-sensing wipers, lane keep assist, forward collision alert and forward distance indicator. Self-park assist will also be included.

In addition, the Astra sedan will come with a 7.0- or 8.0-inch touch-screen along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Reflecting its comfort-oriented brief, US models driven offer comfortable seats and decent proportions for four adult passengers. Leg room and head room is accommodating throughout, especially considering its 4666mm long and 1791mm wide proportions – 37mm longer and 6mm narrower than the predecessor.

The fit and finish of the dashboard looks and feels great, particularly the chrome highlights which illuminate to a translucent blue at night.

The sedan’s mammoth 419-litre boot is sure to be hit with owners, however, passengers won’t be as enamoured with the absence of rear air-vents.

Irrespective of this, the newly-named Astra is set to make a solid addition to Holden’s fast-changing range.

2017 Holden Astra sedan pricing and specifications:
On sale: May
Price: from $21,000 plus on-road costs (estimated)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/240Nm or 245Nm (auto)
Transmission: Six-speed manual or automatic
Fuel: TBC
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: TBC

Also consider:
>> Hyundai Elantra (from $21,950 plus ORCs)
>> Mazda3 sedan (from $20,490 plus ORCs)
>> Toyota Corolla sedan (from $20,740)