Opel Opel Astra Sports Tourer driving report
19.01.2011
S chon Hermann Hesse knew that every farewell is a magic . Was that why the Opel people robbed the Astra Caravan of its traditional name and replaced it with Sports Tourer? Gone are the caravan memories of the seventies, when Steppkes received stickers of the diving hero Hans Hass from the Esso gas station attendant, who fearlessly dared to venture into the (sea) depths. Opel, on the other hand, dares the fearless foray into design with the new estate car.
Opel Astra Sports Tourer offers 40 liters less trunk space
The Opel Astra Sports Tourer says goodbye to the sober functional form with flowing lines, thus following that of Insignia and Opel Astra sedan outlined strategy. Friends of the Astra Caravan have to be very strong, because the successor with its 18 centimeter longer body offers 40 liters less maximum volume. Do you think so? Not even close. There are people who spend hours discussing standard-compliant gauging and volume trickery. So, the station wagon is 28 centimeters longer and more manageable than the standard Astra, which is 1,100 euros more expensive.
Behind the tailgate of the Opel Astra Sports Tourer there is space for the luggage of a family of four, where experience shows that every weekend excursion resembles a hasty escape from an approaching natural disaster, just like that of other sports fans. Smooth and unobstructed, equipped with practical lashing systems for a surcharge, the Opel Astra Sports Tourer even accepts bulky goods. The backrests of the rear seats can also be flattened by pulling the lever in the trunk, whereupon you reap a flat floor and a maximum volume of 1,550 liters when the seats are removed. That creates 1.85 meters of loading length and reserves - difference to its predecessor or not.
Numerous practical shelves in the Opel Astra Sports Tourer
The new Opel Astra Sports Tourer really differs in the Subject shelves. A whole department has already carried out intensive research into the limousine and not only set new standards for Opel. Useful door pockets, practical center shelf, properly dimensioned glove compartment: the little things in life can easily be accommodated in the Opel Astra Sports Tourer without being lost forever in hidden niches.
The Astra takes special care of the passengers, especially when the extra ergonomic seats are onBoard are. These provide excellent support for bodies of different stature and, thanks to their firm, ergonomic upholstery and various adjustment options over a large area, enable relaxed travel even over long distances.
Chassis with a successful compromise between comfort and dynamism
Rear passengers also have no reason to complain. It doesn't have to go straight to Istanbul, where the driving presentation takes place. Even there, in compact city traffic, the Sports Tourer lets its occupants sing happily: I'm driving my Opel through Constantinople. The powerful two-zone air conditioning with circulating air stops the metropolitan smog, while the chassis, which is no longer provided with an extended wheelbase, easily digests rough passages.
While the predecessor received criticism, especially in the sports version, for its tight set-up, the Opel Astra Sports Tourer achieved a fine compromise between comfort and dynamism. Opel basically kept the twist beam rear axle, but improved it with an additional Watt linkage. Electronically controlled adaptive dampers, which adjust their force depending on the situation, are available for an additional charge. If the driver craves sport, the steering of the Opel Astra Sports Tourer is also tightened using reduced power assistance, and the instrument lighting changes to red.
Operating the Opel Astra Sports Tourer requires getting used to
On the subject of instruments: They are still drawn round and clearly, but the center console has a few buttons depending on the equipment. This can easily be found confusing. The fact is that the operation of the Opel Astra Sports Tourer takes some getting used to, not only because of the strange push ring on the central controller. The dashboard seems impressive in any case, especially in the dark, when the illuminated button armada and the ambient light create a fine cockpit atmosphere. Especially since the Opel Astra Sports Tourer reads traffic signs for a surcharge and efficiently illuminates its surroundings with adaptive light.
Overall, the Sports Tourer remains down-to-earth, which is also documented by the range of engines. There are just as few double-clutch transmissions as there are no direct-injection petrol engines. Opel relies on the intake manifold, but charges the more powerful versions of the 1.4 and 1.6 liter by turbo. The sufficiently cultivated 1.4 Turbo with 140 PS and 200 Newton meters of torque guarantees rapid progress despite the sometimes hesitant response and sometimes a small intermediate spurt - not only useful in the turmoil of Istanbul.
