The fourth-generation Astra, popular in Russia, underwent restyling in the summer of 2012, but the most significant fact for Russians is another event - the expansion of bodywork options for this model. Simply put - a four-door sedan was added to the previously offered hatchback, station wagon and “GTC coupe”.
As part of this review, we will look for new details in the exterior of cars and get acquainted in detail with the new product in the face of the sedan so expected by Russian motorists.
Opel Astra J (4th generation) and before restyling looked handsome, what did the designers decide to change in the appearance of the car? Interventions are only noticeable when looking closely at the front and rear of the body. At the front, the updated Asters differ from dorestyling cars by a narrower false radiator grille slot with a stylish crossbar in the form of aircraft wings, a new bumper with a powerful relief and an increased air intake. The aerodynamic lip has become brighter. Almond-shaped hollows along the edges of the bumper to accommodate double anti-fog lamps (horizontal narrowed shades and round "eyes") with chrome boomerangs of the frame. The rear of the cars has got modified bumpers, decorated with a chrome strip. That's the whole facelift, the rest of the models have not changed and as before they look exemplary and stylish.
Sedan Opel Astra J, as befits this body version, with three-volume proportions. When looking at the sedan from the side, we highlight the domed line of the roof, which quickly runs down to a somewhat heavy stern with a lean trunk. Side four-window glazing with chrome edging together with a visually weightless roof and pillars give the car a lightness. The lower part of the body with the inflated arches and door surfaces visually expands the sedan. With the same wheelbase of 2685 mm with the hatchback and station wagon, the new four-door sedan "Astra" has 4658 mm in length, which is 71 mm longer than that of the five-door hatchback, and only 40 mm less than that of the station wagon "Sports Tourer". An interesting fact is the height of the sedan - 1500 mm, i.e. the hatchback is 10 mm higher, and the station wagon is 35 mm higher. So the dome of the roof of this "three-volume from Opel" is the most, as they say, domed.
The ground clearance of these cars in Russia is 165 mm.
The rear of the sedan is equipped with large lampshades for overall lighting, extending from the sidewalls to the vertical of the trunk lid of a compact size with an imitation of a spoiler on the edge and a powerful bumper. There are eleven color options for painting the body of the Opel Astra J family: white, blue, red, blue, black, brown, two shades of silver, gray-green, Asteroid Gray and Noblesse Bronze. Depending on the equipment level, tires with 205/60 R16 and 215/50 R17 disks are installed on the car, 225/45 R18 can be installed as an option.
Restyling in 2012 did not affect the interior decoration of the cars. Let's take a seat in one of the updated cars. Comfortable driver's seat with excellent profile, characteristic lateral thigh and upper body support. The grippy three-spoke steering wheel fits nicely in your hands. The range of adjustment of the seat and steering column allows you to easily find the optimal body position, both for active driving and for long stays on the road. The dashboard with two large and a couple of small "wells" in chrome ringing (the font would only be clearer). In the center is an on-board computer screen, which provides the driver with the necessary minimum of information. A front dashboard with smooth contours, a center console with an intimidating array of buttons. According to the owners of the Opel Astra J, you quickly get used to the scattering of keys, I am glad that each button is responsible for a separate function and when using it you do not have to look for a control method in the “branches” of the abstruse menu (a disease of many modern cars). Ergonomics at a height, everything is at hand in the correct and accessible places, the detailing and assembly of the cabin is 5-plus.
The second row will comfortably accommodate three passengers, even the one sitting in the center will not feel like a "poor relative", there is an air conditioning system duct. With the advent of the Astra J model, Opel definitely managed to rise to a higher level in terms of the quality of the interior, the materials used, the level of soundproofing of the cabin and filling the car with additional comfort functions.
Let's see what's in the trunk of these German cars. The hatchback in the stowed state is ready to carry 370 liters of cargo, folding the second row seats we can load 795 liters (up to the glass level), but 1235 liters will fit under the ceiling. The five-passenger sedan has 460 liters, transforming the second row and loading it under the roof, we count 1010 useful liters. The luggage compartment of the station wagon can hold from 500 to 1550 liters. A full-size spare wheel is housed underground.
In the Russian market, the 2015 Opel Astra J is offered in three trim levels: Essentia, Enjoy and Cosmo. In the initial version of Essentia, there will be guaranteed: front and side airbags, air conditioning, heated front seats, front power windows, a CD 300 radio (CD Aux), heated electric mirrors, ABS and ESP (+ assistant when starting up a hill), protection of the engine compartment and reinforced suspension. As options, it is possible to order adaptive bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, a 7-inch color display, a traffic sign recognition system, a parking assistant, a blind spot monitoring system and other "chips".
About the technical characteristics. Regardless of the body type, the Opel Astra J has excellent suspension performance, thanks to the MacPherson struts installed in the front, and the rear torsion beam with Watt's mechanism. Having paid 40,000 rubles, the owner will receive a car equipped with an adaptive FlexRide chassis with three suspension modes (Normal, Tour and Sport), capable of changing the suspension stiffness and steering wheel efforts depending on the road situation. As systems responsible for safety, it is envisaged to install ABS with Brake Assist, a dynamic stabilization system (ESP), depending on the equipment level, an electro-hydraulic or electric power steering (SSPS), an assistance system when starting up the hill. Such a technical arsenal in real operating conditions gives the drivers of the Opel Astra J a lot of pleasure from driving. The car is characterized by stable and predictable behavior not only when driving at the speed allowed by the SDA, but also at “penalty” speeds.
In terms of power plants - "Astra" of the 4th generation for Russian motorists is available with four gasoline engines:
- Initial 1.4 l. XER (101 hp) with 5 manual gearbox is installed only on a five-door hatchback, has a moderate "appetite" and according to the manufacturer is content with 5.5 liters of fuel in mixed driving mode. Suitable for a slow driver, acceleration to 100 km / h in 14.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 178-183 km / h. But since 2013 it is no longer offered.
- The next engine is 1.6 liters. XER (115 hp) with 5 manual gearbox (6 automatic gearbox) consumes an average of 6.3 (7.1) liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. A more "lively" engine, acceleration to the first "hundred" in 11.7 (13.3) seconds and the maximum speed, depending on the body type, is 182-193 km / h.
- The most "optimal" turbocharged 1.4 liter. NET (140 hp) with 6 automatic gearbox consumes 6.7-7 liters of gasoline with a mixed cycle and allows you to confidently dial the first "hundred" in 10.2 seconds and accelerate to 200-207 km / h.
- At the top is a 1.6 liter turbo. LET (170 hp) with 6 automatic gearboxes, which consumes an average of 7.2-7.5 liters of gasoline with reasonable handling of the gas pedal and provides dynamics up to 100 km / h in 9 seconds, if the road situation allows the engine to accelerate the car to maximum 210-213 km / h. Data on dynamic, speed and fuel economy indicators are given by the factory and may differ from the real ones during everyday use.
Price sedan Opel Astra J in Russia for 2015 starts at 829,900 rubles, for this amount you can buy it in the basic Essentia configuration with an engine for 115 "horses". And the richest grade Astra J Sedan Cosmo 1.6 liters. LET (170 hp) with 6 automatic gearboxes is offered at a price of ~ 1 230 thousand rubles.
