Opel Astra GTC Sport 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $34,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Premium lighting pack $2000; Flexride $2000
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP & EuroNCAP)
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.3
CO2 emissions (g/km): 171
Also consider: Ford Focus ST (from $38,290); Hyundai Veloster Turbo SR (from $31,990); Mazda SP25 ($31,490); Volkswagen Golf GTI (from $38,990)

Hot hatch buyers have never had it so good. There are more choices suiting any budget than ever before and this latest swifty, the Opel Astra GTC Sport, is a tidy little package that deserves to be on the hot hatch shopping list.

Priced from $34,990, it runs a 1.6-litre petrol-turbo that bangs out a respectable 132kW/230Nm, almost enough brawn to ensure it can keep up with the likes of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and its ilk.

The smooth, sporty lines of the Astra GTC Sport's profile leaves no mistaking this cars purpose, and thankfully it can hustle. Bestowed with a chassis setup that matches some of the best cars in this class, it's a bit a surprise package to be honest, but more on that later.

Undercutting the Volkswagen Golf GTI by around $5000, you get a decent list of equipment for your moolah that makes the car stand out, including a sports body kit, LED daytime running lights, 19-inch alloy wheels, lowered suspension, OPC-tailored leather steering wheel and gearshifter.

Convenience and comfort features like dual-zone climate control, auto wipers and lights, satellite navigation, an electric park brake plus front and rear parking sensors make the car much easier to live with everyday -- particularly the parking sensors, because the view out the rear window is woeful.

Another gripe is the stretch required to nab the seat belt -- it's a fair distance, too long in my book. Granted this is only a minor issue and a few Yoga sessions would sort out, but a feeder arm would have been a simple solution to the awkward twist-around manoeuvre required.

The sports seats are snug and according to Opel have been approved by a German health organisation as being beneficial for your posture. I can't say that I felt more erect after driving the car for a week, though I will concede the pews are very comfortable despite the deep bolsters.

The view from the captain's char is fairly sporty, with alloy pedals, large speed and rev gauges, and a compact steering wheel with silver inserts catching the eye. Soft touch dash plastics and leather seats are nice touches too.

The infotainment system has a modern design (if a little busy) with a logical layout for the most part. The high-res colour screen is a nice touch too and though it took me a while to figure out the sat nav the system is pretty good. That said, when I was comfortable with inputting directions, the system crashed, saying there was an SD card read error. It happened three times but also seemed to correct itself.

Front seat space is adequate though rear seat room is below average. But this is a hatch that thinks it's a coupe, so it's not really expected the back seats would be convivial. Two adults will fit but may complain about the lack of leg room and difficulty getting in and out.

The three-door Opel Astra GTC Sport was not designed as a family transport, it was designed to navigate corners in a hurry, and it does so with composure and confidence.

The low-slung hatch is gifted with a sharp chassis that allows it to reach some impressive mid-corner velocities, and keeps the driver involved while doing it. The link between driver, throttle, brakes and steering wheel is above average in the hot hatch class, with everything responding promptly to input.

It tips into corners with a minimum of fuss and feels predictable and controllable though turns. The German hatchback generates plenty of traction, exploiting the massive 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 235/45 rubber to good effect. It's a progressive and planted little unit but with just enough 'give' so that it doesn't bite you or become unbalanced if you overcook it or make mid-corner adjustments.

Opel's chassis wizards have developed a very tidy suspension package that is certainly a match for similarly positioned go-fast Volkswagen hatches, ensuring the kind of flat and balanced attitude through corners necessary to generate high turning speeds.

Surprisingly ride quality doesn't suffer too much and considering it rides on 19-inch alloy wheels shod with low profile tyres, the suspension does a good job with comfort levels.

This particular sports hatch doesn't blast out of corners with venom -- it's more of a mild toxin -- and could easily do with more power. But the beefy 206kW Opel Astra OPC will remedy that for $42,990 when it arrives in February 2013. And if this car's handling abilities are anything to go by, the OPC will be a force to be reckoned with.

The Astra GTC Sport's engine generates a satisfying turbo rush at around 2500rpm, with peak torque of 230Nm joining the party at 2200rpm, but it's not the sort of power that'll tug at the steering wheel and squeeze you into your seat.

It's not until around 4000rpm that things start to get interesting but the small car maintains this excitement until maximum power (132kW) hits the skids at 5500rpm. It's at higher revs that the car feels most potent and the little four-cylinder engine emits a bit of a growl too, which makes the car feel quicker somehow.

Offered solely with a six-speed manual, the gearbox is a real sweet-pea with a short but smooth shift feel and a light but firm clutch.

The brakes do a reliable job slowing the 1435kg hottie and respond well to panic braking (should an echidna be resting in the middle of a corner), helped out by anti-lock brakes and stability control.

Though the steering isn't best-in-class, this front wheel-drive sports hatch has decent feedback through the wheel and at the end of the day Opel has developed a car that will eat up corners all day long or just easily take you to a busy shopping centre.

Claimed fuel economy is 7.3L/100km and though I was faced with a much higher figure at the end of the seven day test (mid 10’s), flicking the car into cruise control on the freeway does yield excellent economy. Best of all, the yellow colour is easy to find in the car park.

Pegged at $35K the Astra GTC Sport is not as pricey as a Golf GTI or Focus ST yet delivers a similar package -- sporty European design, luxury cabin, big wheels and heaps of safety and technology. Sure, it's not as potent as said Germans in a straight line, but through corners it's just as rewarding.

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