This article’s model is the latest member of Opel’s most successful lineup. It all started with Kadett in 1936, which had its production interrupted due to World War II. This was the product that helped its manufacturer to get back on its feet afterwards, like 2CV for Citroën and 500 for Fiat. Over five more generations, it was sold in several bodies until the late 1980s, and spent its last years reaching dozens of new countries. Opel replaced it with Astra in order to have more freedom to adapt it to future tendencies, whether from the market or its own. It was a similar move to what Ford did with Escort and Focus. It’s interesting to notice that these cases also coincide in the new cars having become even more successful than their predecessors.
Kadett and Astra are also great representatives of the two naming structures Opel has ever used. This company used to name its models after military ranks, which also led to Admiral, Käpitan and Senator. Since this wasn’t exactly a good association for German companies to make, it started to change that in the 1970s. Its names now have only two or three syllables, and end in “a” for urban cars and “o” for commercial ones. There have been some exceptions, of course, but it’s hard to find a similar level of consistency over so many years. Putting together all their generations, body styles and trim levels, the company claims these cars have already sold 24 million units. The brand new Astra was fully prepared to make this figure grow even more quickly.
While most automakers want their cars to look big and aggressive, Opel made Astra look athletic. This is very easy to notice from every angle you look at it. The front fascia is wide and low. The headlights are triangular, but their internal design continues the horizontal chrome lines that carry the logo. And the lower section combines black and colored parts so as not to look too big. The sides are sleek and discreet, and use the typical two strong creases, that chrome line above the windows, and these are connected to the rear glass to create a “floating roof” effect. The rear responds to that with angular lights, wide glass and horizontal creases for tailgate and bumper. Opels usually have a design that takes long to look old, and Astra didn’t become an exception.
Since the engineers had green light to go all-new, they made the best of it. Astra’s new cabin manages to look great without seeming cheap nor pretending to be fancy. The dashboard is now divided in an upper part, with a horizontal design, and the rest of the center console. Chrome inserts, as well as buttons and knobs, were kept to an appropriate amount, creating a clear and elegant room. The huge touchscreen has the latest IntelliLink system, which brings GM technologies such as built-in 4G LTE with Wi-Fi, all the recent connectivity functions, and the OnStar services for the first time in Opel. The use of an all-new platform, in turn, granted more room for all occupants while making the external dimensions actually somewhat smaller.
According to Opel, another huge feature of this car is technology. Its headlights use the brand new IntelliLux, which brings full-LED matrix light to this category for the first time. There are eight segments on each side, continuously changing length and distribution of the beam to adapt to the current driving conditions. It gives the driver more time to react to obstacles, and even provides larger duration than halogen or xenon lamps. The new platform also brings pretty much the entire bundle of electronic safety systems, along with the use of high-strength steels in order to save between 120 and 200 kg compared to the old Astra, depending on the trim level. Last, but not least, the seats come with more ergonomic design and many adjustment options.
Astra’s fifth generation is also entirely new under the hood. The new construction allowed it to take the downsizing trend to the point of using nothing beyond 1.6-liter engines. The diesel range is composed by multiple outputs of the same 1.6 CDTI, starting at 95 hp. Switching to gasoline, the smallest option is the 1.0 Ecotec, combining turbo and direct injection to reach 105 hp. The biggest feature, though, is the 1.4-liter with the same technologies, which adds a fourth cylinder and delivers 145 hp and 25,5 kgfm. This vehicle will have its official debut in the next Frankfurt Auto Show, in September. It’ll start with the five-door hatchback, but the other variations will be released over the following months – they should be coupé, sedan, station wagon, and sporty trims.