VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

Want a punchy hatchback but have an aversion to fuel stations? Vauxhall is confident you'll like this version of its Astra. Andy Enright reports.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

It wasn't that long ago that a hatch that could crack 8.5 seconds to 60mph was distinctly hot stuff. These days, you can manage that in a generously proportioned Vauxhall Astra that's built like a bank vault but which can also manage 62.8mpg. Nostalgia isn't what it was.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

We're always trying to get something for nothing. And for those of us who haven't quite mastered the ability to magic money out of the ether, Vauxhall claims to have come to our assistance. With its latest Astra 2.0 CDTI diesel fitted with Start/Stop technology, we get a car that offers the refinement and quality of a much bigger vehicle yet serves up the fuel economy of a tiny citycar.

Pulling this trick off takes some very smart engineering, some delicately worked compromises and the development budgets only available to the biggest manufacturers. What you lose in terms of exclusivity with an Astra, you claw back in all manner of means but it's important not to lose sight of the big picture.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

You don't need to wind the clock back very far to arrive at a time when a hatchback that could reach 60mph in 8.5 seconds was fairly senior performer. Even today that's quicker than a MINI Cooper or a Renault Twingo Gordini, so the Astra 2.0 CDTi Start/Stop is no econoyawn. What's more, a 0-60 measure usually penalises diesel cars. More telling is the fact that with 258lb/ft of torque at its elbow, this unprepossessing hatchback offers as much midrange muscle as an Audi S3. Even when set against diesel rivals, the Astra's 160PS engine manages to administer a sound thrashing to Volkswagen's Golf GT TDI, which fronts up with 140PS and 236lb/ft of torque.

Like all Astra models, you get a nicely weighted electrically-assisted power steering setup that's quiet but accurate, a slick six-speed manual gearbox and rear three-quarter visibility that requires diligent mirror work. Body control is good, but the Sport button (where fitted) firms things up a little too much for most typical British B-roads.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

The Astra's styling is sleek, mature and assured. The five-door car is the model we'll concentrate on here, but the 2.0 CDi powerplant is also offered in Sports Tourer estate guise should you value the additional practicality on offer. Vauxhall wanted the Astra to feel special from the driver's seat and by family hatchback standards, it does. Switchgear lifted from the larger Insignia is very much in evidence from the steering column to the slightly busy main console. There are some neat details such as the way the dash swoops around to integrate with the doors and door pulls themselves. The use of light is clever with soft red illumination at the base of the gear lever and the red highlights that shine from the tip of the needles in the instrument cluster.

There are numerous storage opportunities around the cabin and large vents built into the A-pillars that do a great job of demisting the side windows. The control interface is greatly improved over the last Astra and thankfully those awful one-touch indicators have been consigned to the junk heap.

It's no surprise that at 4420mm, the Astra is 170mm longer than its predecessor because most hatchbacks have been expanding with each new generation for some time now. 71mm of that extra length has gone into the wheelbase in a bid to improve rear passenger accommodation and the results are good with plenty of space for a couple of six-footers in the back so long as the front seats aren't right back on their runners. There's even an abundance of headroom back there, despite the car's plunging roofline. In the boot, a 370-litre capacity reveals itself which isn't enormous for the class but higher spec models get a neat FlexFloor underfloor compartment, and that improves matters.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

This version of the engine replaces the old Astra 2.0 CDTi unit but it's worth noting that although an automatic gearbox is offered, it's not compatible with the Start/Stop technology just yet so you'll miss out on quite a bit of the vehicle's efficiency gains should you absolutely insist on a self-shifter. Given that this is the Astra's flagship diesel engine, Vauxhall has been surprisingly generous in spreading the love across the Astra range and not just reserving it for the top trim level. The range opens with the SRi model £22,410 and is also available in SE and Elite specification.

The entry level model in this case, the SRi, isn't badly appointed, being fitted as standard with an MP3 compatible stereo, air conditioning, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, sports seats and 17-inch five-spoke alloys. The SE adds automatic lights and wipers, electric rear windows and an electrochromatic rear view mirror to prevent dazzle. The range-topping Elite mixes the best of SRi and SE trims but, somewhat oddly, doesn't include satellite navigation which remains an £850+ option.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

The headline 62.8mpg fuel economy figure is certain to attract quite a few prospects and the carbon dioxide emissions figures have improved too. Now rated at 119g/km in five-door hatch form, the Astra 2.0 CDTi Stop/Start is good news for both business and private customers. Residual values are about what you would expect for a car that's sold heavily at discounts to big fleet operators. Get 30 per cent of the new value back after three years and you've done well.

This leads us to the Astra's big challenge. It's no longer an inexpensive car and while the day to day running costs look attractive, even the entry level model will cost you £14 in depreciation every day if you keep it for three years. Your circumstances will be unique to you, but it's worth getting a bit creative with a spreadsheet and calculating whether a cheaper but slightly thirstier model might work out more cost-effectively.

VAUXHALL ASTRA DIESEL SPORTS TOURER 2.0 CDTI 16V SRI 5DR [START STOP]

The Vauxhall Astra 2.0 CDTI Stop/Start is a very impressive technical achievement that offers a properly gutsy engine that's also capable of scarcely believable economy figures. In this regard at least, it would appear to offer the best of both worlds. Indeed, it's hard to find many cars that can match the Astra's size and quality feel yet which can crack 8.5s to 60mph from rest and manage 62.8mpg. It's undeniably effective.

This Astra's Achilles heel is that it's quite an expensive choice. A 170bhp Audi A3 diesel can be had for less and boasts far superior residual figures. That makes the Vauxhall's clever engineering appear a little hollow. No, the Audi can't match the Astra's emissions and economy figures nor does it offer anything like as much space. Money talks though, and you'll need to negotiate quite a big discount on the Vauxhall's list price before it starts to make economic sense. Thankfully this shouldn't prove difficult.