Holden’s all-new Astra Sedan officially went on sale last week, and has now been put to the test by Australia’s motoring experts through a challenging series of road loops in and around beautiful Byron Bay.
Front and centre of everybody’s attention was Astra Sedan’s Australian tuned ride and handling with Holden’s Lead Dynamics Engineer, Rob Trubiani, on-hand to watch his baby impress.
“Astra Sedan has been developed as a global car – engineered in Europe, designed in North America and manufactured in South Korea – and we’ve been able to tweak it to better suit the more spirited driving tastes of Australians,” said Mr. Trubiani.
“We’ve focussed on tuning Astra Sedan to be comfortable on poor quality road surfaces, rail tracks and gravel roads. While ensuring that steering and chassis controls are precise with a direct feel, all combining to give drivers maximum confidence.
“We’ve tested the car over 100,000km on our private test facility and on public roads so we’re really confident in its performance, and I’m sure our customers will love it.”
Supporting Holden Engineering’s important damper, chassis controls and steering tuning, Astra Sedan’s all-aluminium 1.4-litre turbocharged engine ensures drivers have enough oomph to still enjoy daily commutes and road trips with 110kW power and up to 245Nm torque.
Where Holden’s new Astra Hatch appeals to buyers looking for a sportier, more driver-focussed bodystyle, Astra Sedan blends comfort and practicality in one sleek, spacious package.
With 445-litres of boot space, over 1,000mm of front occupant legroom and almost 1,400mm shoulder room, Astra Sedan ranks as one of the most spacious small cars on the market, and with 1,200kg towing capability, including Trailer Sway Control, it also ranks as one of the most practical.
There’s also a wealth of user-friendly technology, such as Advanced Park Assist – where the car takes control of the steering wheel to perform the perfect park – and remote start which allows drivers to start the vehicle to let it warm up/cool down before getting in. There’s also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone projection technology, which allows drivers to make calls, listen to music and send texts via voice-to-text.
Safety is another tech-blessed area too. Rated five stars by ANCAP, Astra Sedan boasts goodies like rear view camera and rear park assist as standard, while upper spec models get extras including Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Alert and Side Blind Spot Alert.
Astra Sedan is available for test drives at Holden dealers nationwide.
Specification highlights of the all-new Astra sedan range:
LS
- 1.4-litre turbocharged engine (110kW and up to 245Nm)
- Six-speed automatic transmission with self-select/six-speed manual (LS only)
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Six airbags
- Rear view camera and rear parking sensors
- Automatic headlights
- 7-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
LS+ (over and above LS)
- Holden Eye forward facing camera
- Lane Keep Assist
- Forward Distance Indicator
- Forward Collision Alert
- LED daytime running lamps
- Leather steering wheel
LT (over and above LS+)
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Side Blind Spot Alert
- Passive Entry and Push-button Start
- Advanced Park Assist (auto park)
- Rain Sensing Wipers
- Embedded Satellite Navigation
LTZ (over and above LT)
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Electric sunroof
- Heated leather-appointed seats
- Heated wing mirrors
All-new Astra sedan is priced from:
| Model | Driveaway |
| LS manual | $21,990 |
| LS auto | $23,990 |
| LS+ auto | $24,990 |
| LT auto | $27,990 |
| LTZ auto | – |
Astra Sedan is available in the following colours:
- Summit White
- Absolute Red
- Gasoline (NEW)
- Old Blue Eyes (NEW)
- Nitrate Silver
- Satin Steel Grey
- Phantom Black
*on LT and LTZ models
$550 prestige paint
