The all-new Opel Astra K is about doing more with less. People who drove the test prototypes say the 1-liter turbo on the newer model does a better job than the old 1.6, and the 1.4 Turbo feels the same as the old 1.6 Turbo.
Now that production has commenced, we can see if this is actually the case with the traditional acceleration. The all-new 1.4-liter turbo engine is the most powerful you can have on the 2016 Astra. It's got 150 PS and 245 Nm of torque (181 lb-ft). With a 6-speed manual gearbox, you can get from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 8.5 seconds and work your way up to 216 km/h (134 mph), according to the official numbers.
The funny thing is that the older generation Astra 1.5 Ecotec Turbo used its 180 ponies to do the exact same thing. Lightness will get you places!
The 1.4 is described by Opel as being "the big brother of the one-liter, three-cylinder unit" that you find in the Adam and Corsa. It's got sufficient power, yet when you're changing your gears at the right time, the combined fuel consumption can be as little as 4.9 l/100km. So you could theoretically ignore the expensive diesel option.
“Our new turbocharged 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with central direct injection is part of the newly designed small gasoline engine family and embodies its attributes ‘powerful, efficient and cultivated.' The all-aluminum unit is not only environmentally friendly but also sets new standards in driving comfort,” said Christian Müller, VP of GM Powertrain Engineering Europe.
While the Astra 1.4 is sufficiently fast, we're not sure if it's affordable enough. In Germany, prices start at €24,510, which is almost as much as the cheapest diesel model.
Making things worse, the VW Golf 1.4 TSI 150 is cheaper at €23,800. For only €400 more, they also give you cylinder deactivation, which we think is good to have.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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