The Opel Astra is very good value for money. The engine performance is very good, but it could have more features. I also think and hope next Opel Astra will be bigger.
The drive is seamlessly and the power delivery is linear in a very pleasant way. Noticed a significant and exceptional performance between 2000-3000rpm as the power keeps creeping in to 100km/hr! The Astra is punchy and easy going as a daily work horse due to its riding comfort. This car does perform at its best when it is driven with the correct technique on its throttle, just hold your foot within the sweet spot of 2500-3000rpm if you need that extra boost and you'll have a smile on your face. Excessive acceleration for this car does not do justice in my opinion.
European Car With A Different Gearbox Found in Japanese Cars`
Having test driven the Opel Astra on 23/02/2021, I've had an eye-opening experience. The CVT Gearbox which Opel calls "Stepless" Does shift at red line, as well as provide seamless acceleration. The gearbox itself uses a chain belt compared to steel belts found on Nissan's X-Tronic CVT, Toyota's or even Honda's. No slip is felt when flooring the car. The car itself feels light and nimble on its feet, especially for a car this heavy and with a "Sluggish" And poor power efficiency gearbox. Acceleration from a standing start is very good, 0-100km/h is actually a whole 1.5 seconds faster than it is on paper. Overtaking and speed pick up is very prominent, though the engine drone is to be expected while driving this with a CVT. Even while erratically driving, my fiancee can fall asleep in the back, which proves that the ride quality is very much superior to that of a SEAT Leon. Interior quality feels cheap, plasticky, but that is to be expected. Especially in this challenging time, plasticky interiors are good as cleaning and sterilising the inside of this car is much more easier compared to soft-touch. Rear Aircon is non-existent, and provided with leather seats, it is very hot especially in the rear. Parking brake is electronic, but doesn't have auto-hold. The Autonomous parking feature is a good-to-have feature if you are not confident in parallel parking.