vauxhall astra turbo coupe review

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Average Ratings
Performance9.4/10
Practicality9/10
Reliability9/10
Value for Money9.5/10
Reviewer Rating9/10
Overall Rating7.4/10 Based on 17 ratings
88% Recommended7 out of 8 Reviews

Review of Vauxhall Astra Turbo Coupe

By matrhos Rank: Lance Corporal on 23rd Oct 2003

matrhos's Ratings
Performance10/10
Practicality10/10
Reliability9/10
Value for money9/10
Overall value10/10
yes matrhos's recommendation

Good Points

Looks, Performance, versitility, handling.

Bad Points

Squeaky leather seats, prone to stone shipping.

General Comments

I bought a 12 month old Astra Coupe Turbo from my local Vauxhall dealer. It was already fitted with the full leather pack with heated seats and the full Irmscher styling kit (front spoiler, rear skirt etc.) I got it in Nocturno Blue. Its a very dark pearlescent blue. Probably the best colour it comes in! I added the Irmscher grille, door pins and chrome heater rings. A wise investment! It really lifts the car. I also debadged it apart from the Vauxhall logo on the boot. All in all, its now a stunning car that attracts a lot of looks! I can't help but laugh when I see a Toyota Celica or Hyundai Coupe! Magazine reviewers would have us believe that the Astra looks bland compared to these cars!!! Nobody even looks at the Totota or Hyundai when they pass - let alone follow it down the road with their eyes! It really does look more expensive than it is! (I paid £15k plus all the mods) Another modification I have recently made to my car was an engine performance upgrade. I paid Regal Autosport £1200 to fit new air filter, intercooler, spark plugs, dump valve and software. This has increased the BHP from 190 to almost 250. Its 0-60 time has gone from 7 seconds down to 6 and most impressivley is its 30 - 70mph time which is down from 6.5 seconds to 5! It is now approaching M3 sort of performance levels! Even cruising at 70mph in fifth, slam your right foot down and it lurches forwards with the same force as most cars do in 3rd! I am toying with the idea of increasing performance further by upgrading the turbo. An Astra capable of 0 - 60 in 5 seconds is very tempting! Now for the down sides of this car. The leather seats creak a bit. It is extremely prone to stone chips. Maybe thats just the colour its in, as my girlfriends red astra does not suffer as badly. After living with the car for 6 months, I am pleased with its quality, but some bits of interior trim do remind you of its humble Astra origins. (eg. look in the footwells and you can see where the trim is finished poorly). If you are after a sports car with room for the occasional extra passenger or lots of luggage then the Astra Turbo is definatley your best bet for under £20K. Its a fast car as it is, but engine mods can put it into performance car leagues. And even after all these modifications, it does not look at all 'boy racerish' and it does not sound like a jet fighter! Its just as happy tootling around the city centre as it is in the hills seeing off another BMW 330Ci.

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15 Comments on Review by matrhos for Vauxhall Astra Turbo Coupe

  1. chinnke on 5th Jan 2004

    I've got an Astra Turbo and you're looking through rose tinted lenses. OK, so you can MOD it , so what? You can do that in any car to make it go faster.

    Yes, it's rapid, even in standard form. The 2.0 turbo is a great engine, designed more for rapid crusing than thrashing due to it's impressive yet flat torque curve.

    The problem is that its not a drivers car. The steering's dull and unresponsive, the traction control kills any enjoyment and the brakes are way overservoed. Couple this with an over hard ride and you lose traction on all but the driest, smoothest road surfaces.

    Whichever way you look at it, it's still an Astra, and looks like an Astra. And you're right, the paintwork is woeful...so is the standard ICE. Good boot space though.

    Buy one for smooth road driving and it's a fast car capable of covering ground fast. If you want anything else go and look for something different.

  2. matrhos Rank: Lance Corporal on 7th Jan 2004

    The review of the Astra Coupe Turbo by Chinnke highlights the fact that everyone looks for differnt things in a car. If you're out looking for a Coupe in the £15k range, then give it a go and see. You may find that you agree with Chinnke and will go for a car more geared up for hard driving; like a Focus RS, perhaps? On the other hand, you may find the Astra just what you're looking for, like I did. Its a stunning little car with a strong engine (which is much more easily moddable than a lot of engines) and a lot of fun to drive day to day. The only part of Chinnke's review which I feel I must argue with is the fact that it looks like an Astra. With the factory fitted kits attached, (not Boy Racerish aftermarket specials), it genuinley turns heads. Maybe choosing the right colour and wheels helps too, but I have been approached on numerous occasions on the street and in petrol stations by impressed strangers asking questions about the car.

    Since my first review at the top of the page, I have a couple of more things to add. Firstly, another down side of the car is that the seats sometimes squeak. Apparently, this is common in the Astra's leather seats as the springs rub through the fabric underneath and hit the metal frame. Annoying!!

    On a positive note, i have recently completed some long distance jorneys with a full car load (4) and can report that it made some very comfortable and enjoyable trips. The performance was not affected too much by all the weight and the suspension maintained a smooth ride all the time. There was plenty of space for occupants and luggage, too!

    If you own an Astra Coupe Turbo, please add your comments too. I like to hear everyones oppinions!

  3. Fretters Rank: Lance Corporal on 29th Jul 2004

    I have owned a europa blue Turbo Coupe for over 12 months now - nearly 20k miles later it is still like new, yes the motorway has added its share of stone chips but no more than any other car i have seen, however apart from the water pump disintegrating, i have had no other problems. I am considering a dump valve and induction kit - any suggestions out there?

  4. pmb8472 on 22nd Aug 2004

    I am on my second astra coupe turbo. Firstly a europa blue 2001Y black leather..which squeaked..try regular treatment with a quality leather food. My first car did 39k only problem was a noisy bearing in the gearbox covered by warranty and not common. I now have a 2003-03 model in breeze blue with every extra available inc. colour nav.xenons and climate control all that kit far exceeds your far more expensive german coupe or your poor japanese/malaysian coupes. and best still even in standard form it gives 'em a good seeing off!!

  5. oasispj on 5th Sep 2004

    I have owned one for 4 days now and now for my first impressions........

    It is a very sexy looking car for the money. Mine is 2002 with Leather (squeaky seats) and 20,000 miles on the clock. My car does not have 1 stone chip and is very, very clean. I love the car for these things....

    Performance.... it is fast!!! And yes, you can mod the hell out of it and beat many other cars (I ride bikes, and it is fast) And when fast, it is very quiet (unlike the GTE and the GSI 16v)

    Handling.... this is the bad bit... I wished I had raced the hell out of it before I bought it. It doesn't feel like your driving it. The handling is very bad. When you drive a good car or bike, you want the wheels to be a part of your body. This doesn't happen in the Turbo Astra. The GSI and GTE were great at handling.... so what has happened here? God knows!

  6. f2boy on 29th Sep 2004

    I have recently purchased a y plate turbo coupe in silver and have to say what a car! Previously owned an audi s3 turbo and wouldn't go back to it! I've been racing cars for years on the ovals of great britain and kinda know what i'm on about and can honestly say i'm grinning from ear to ear when i'm keeping up with my mates scooby {297bhp!} and my turbo is standard! probably the best vauxhall i've driven! Very well recommended ladies and gents!

  7. Fretters Rank: Lance Corporal on 29th Dec 2004

    Recently bought some Wolfrace Matrix Alloys 18" - fit well, but got the 40 profile tyre (rather than 35 profile to maintain the overall diameter)whilst stationary car looks great - no lowering to fill the arches required - HOWEVER! - hit a large pot hole and the extra diameter rubs the front of the rear wheel arches, bending the metal towards the tyre. Have not come up with a solution yet but if anyone knows of one please let me know. I have now took to driving "conservatively" around pot holes and large dips in the road to avoid the problem - not great fun in a turbo! Recommend the larger diameter wheels, but opt for the 35 profile tyre!

  8. nicholasdownes Rank: Staff Sergeant on 11th Jan 2005

    Dear All,

    The Nocturno blue is the worst colour to end up with - it chips and marks easier than if the car were painted in tip ex. Avoid it at all costs even if the only choice left is prime every other car on the road silver!

    I agree with the negative comments regarding the Astras handling. It is a little boring, though confident. Note that if you find a good mod shop traction control systems can be fitted with an on / off switch which really allows the car to come to life, and I mean really.

    To be fair I think the astra Coupe is a dated beast. The new model astra coupe makes the old one look bland. 54 plate 1.8-2.0-2.2 cars start at 10,000 and run upto 12,000. Thats brand new, and depreciation is a killer.

    Wait for the new model, if you really want an astra. Remember Vauxhall follow not innovate, if you really want a car go for a Japanese coupe of some sort. What you'll get from vauxhall is their best appreciation of what the rest of the market is doing.

  9. brooksy on 30th Sep 2005

    Now then... I bought my silver astra turbo 14 months ago its done 40k and yes the seats do get on your nerves,

    However a decent sound system helps.

    When I bought it I fitted a dump valve, but you must fit the right one and its a bit awkward to do because you have to shut the internal valve off.

    I've now had to fit a power pipe because the rubber one clapses.
    I also fitted an induction kit which all together gives it better accelaration.

    I think the handling needs to be improved as the backend likes to skip out in the corners. I recon a set of coilovers would do the trick...

    But overall it is a great car that just needs a few tweeks here and there...

  10. non biased on 17th Jan 2006

    Quite funny comments.
    How you think an Astra coupe is a head turner is beyond me. Unless of course it's got a loud exhaust, which attracts attention you mistakenly take for people finding your car appealing.

  11. dublet on 17th Jan 2006

    I think he has a problem using negatives in the right context.

    What he meant to say:

    I bought a 12 month old Astra Coupe Turbo from my local Vauxhall dealer. It was already fitted with the full leather pack with heated seats and the full Irmscher styling kit (front spoiler, rear skirt etc.) I got it in Nocturno Blue. Its a very dark pearlescent blue. Probably the worst colour it comes in! I added the Irmscher grille, door pins and chrome heater rings. A useless investment! It really chavs the car. I also debadged it apart from the Vauxhall logo on the boot. All in all, its now a rubbish car that attracts a lot of looks because of its shoddyness! I can't help but cry when I see a Toyota Celica or Hyundai Coupe! Magazine reviewers are right when they would have us believe that the Astra looks bland compared to these cars!!! Nobody even looks at the Astra when a Toyota or Hyundai pass - let alone follow it down the road with their eyes! It really does look more expensive than it is, which isn't terribly difficult! (I happily bent over at the Vauxhall dealer, getting ripped off on a new one by paying £15k plus all the mods from Halfords). Another modification I have recently made to my car was an engine performance upgrade. I paid Regal Autosport £1200 to fit a new air filter, intercooler, spark plugs, dump valve and software. This has increased the BHP from 19 to almost 25. Its 0-6 time has gone from 7 seconds down to 6 and most impressivley is its 3 - 7mph time which is down from 6.5 seconds to 5! It is now approaching Morris Minor sort of performance levels! Even cruising at 70mph in fifth, slam your right foot down and it doesn't even lurch forwards with the same force as most cars do in 3rd! I am toying with the idea of increasing performance further by upgrading the turbo. An Astra capable of 0 - 6 in 5 seconds is very tempting!

  12. stunned on 17th Jan 2006

    I find astras generally are a pile of turd.
    How you can compare an Astra to the sleek celica is beyond me.
    Astras are 2 a penny mate - every rep in the country has them!
    Where as the Toyota Celica is sleek and quite a head turner, without having to have a loud exhaust to get noticed.
    Most chavs drive astras!

  13. TheGreatBard on 17th Jan 2006

    You appear to be under the delusion that if something is on the internet, that makes it true. Dreaming up comparisons and littering them with exclamation marks does not transform them from a figment of your imagination into the truth either.

  14. sniffdogg1 on 7th Apr 2007

    I agree completely that the Astra Coupe is a complete head turner, and it is a rapid car for the price of it.

    Thanks for the information on how to break the 200bhp barrier.

  15. Fretters Rank: Lance Corporal on 9th Apr 2007

    How to increase the speed of an Astra? - Sell it and buy a Munaro.



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