The best thing however is the “stealth” nature of the car, not many people know a turbocharged version of the Astra exists and to most people, including the police, it's just another run of I cannot remember the last time I drove a really good Opel Astra. Well, I can actually, but it was so long ago the car was then called the Opel Kadett and that, believe me, is a very long time ago. Instead, the Astra-cum-Verano was a good soldier coming home; the Astra J always felt like a Buick. The brand-new Astra, now wearing the K designator, is lighter, more agile and stuffed with lots of new-fangled tech. Europeans love it, as shown by its European Car of the Year award . Model reviewed: Astra hatchback range Score: 6 / 10 “The Vauxhall Astra blends value with good ride comfort, tidy handling and adequate performance. We’d suggest sticking with the cheaper trim levels to make the most of the Astra’s keen pricing, as it struggles to trouble the more accomplished cars in the class.” (Dan Jones) Read review I worked at a local Opel NSC for almost 8 years until 2019. 1.5 122hp diesels and 1.2 110-130 hp petrols never existed until PSA acquisition. Astra K FL is GM designed car. Even though it says GM around the whole car, the engines are PSA designs. Of course, it is not a simple "take it and put it in an Opel" and there are a host of calibrations Vauxhall is no stranger to producing stylish cars these days. Though the pictured car wears Opel badges, the Vauxhall version of the Astra sports the brand’s new image that centres around the ‘Vizor’ front; similar to that of the Mokka crossover. A black panel discreetly incorporates some vents for cooling and frames the slim LED headlights. Other posters will arrive soon to tell you how bad Astras are, but the Astra K (late 2015 onwards) is actually a very good car and way better than previous models. You may find one for £5000 but it will be close to your mileage limit and it won't be a high-spec model. Just avoid the 1.4 non-turbo engine. And at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, Opel presented the sports car as a 326 kW/444 hp Astra OPC X-treme concept, which promised top acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and could be driven on normal roads. Opel Astra and Astra GSe today: Outstanding driving pleasure – with responsibility ts68TL.