15 Feb 05
Talk about a bold move. The Astra hatch, once the automotive embodiment of me-too conservatism, has gone all sexy and svelte. Pursuing a policy of creating radically different three- and five-door models - initiated by the Renault Megane and followed by the Citroen C4 - has given Vauxhall the freedom to create a head-turningly handsome three-door Astra. And it's a very desirable bit of kit.
Headlamps and bonnet aside, the Sport Hatch is clothed in bespoke sheetmetal. It sits a good 45mm (1.7in) lower than the hatch, and with its wider tracks, long wheelbase and more swept-back windscreen, it looks impressively squat and aggressive.
The Sport Hatch also gets a quicker steering rack and uprated springs and dampers over the five-door model. But whilst Ford and Volkswagen have made much of their expensive and sophisticated multi-link layout in the Focus and Golf, Vauxhall has stuck with its trusted torsion beam rear axle. With good reason - it's simpler and cheaper to manufacture, and with the cash saved, Vauxhall was able to give the Astra's cabin softer plastics and higher equipment levels. The rear suspension is also a more compact layout than the multi-link system, allowing the Sport Hatch designers to install a low-slung rear bench to compensate for the sloping roofline. The result is decent headroom for rear passengers and a boot with equal capacity to the five-door.
