Review: the new Astra goes "straight to the top of its class"

[hrcslam]

The 1.4T is rated at 47.9mpg combined in the U.K! (39mpg US Combined!) I hope they can squeeze another mile or two out of this for the Cruze, or maybe the EPA cycle alone will rate it a bit higher. Hmmmm, so 40mpg combined is likely for the Cruze huh? Wonder what the Highway rating will be.

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by TKR

Yeah the Cruze is a failure and the buying public hate it......

PS: Well done with the Astra GM and I think it will make a very good Buick, both in the the US and China (and where ever else GM decide to sell it).

If the cruze and astra share the same platform, why the difference in expense?? please enlighten us...

The cruze isn't class leader, it appears the astra is...
See the difference yet??

VW, Ford and MANY others manage to sell the same vehicles globally, why can't GM!?

Oh thats right...they can't

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by TKR

Why don't they sell the Astra as a Chevrolet or instead of the Cruze? Because it is too expensive. This has been mentioned by those in the know many times but people don't seem to comprehend this fact.
In order for GM to make money in Australia or NZ the car would have to be priced at VW Golf levels. This would make it a niche vehicle as opposed to a volume vehicle which the Cruze is. Same goes for the Insignia which is why it will be a Buick, where it can command a higher price, and not a Chev.

Explain the golf, the focus, the Mazda 3 etc...

How do other auto companies do it?

[Blair1118]

Originally Posted by Bravada

Well, for once you are wishing for what will, or actually did, come true. The Astra has long been confirmed to be coming as Buick, production is being ramped up in China (rather than South Korea), and the "mini-LaCrosse" Buick sedan called Verano for the US market is in fact the sedan version thereof. There is quite a bit of chance GM would also bring the hatch if you ask them frequently enough

Hatch, Hatch, Hatch

Hatch, Hatch, Hatch

Bring The Freakin Hatch

Sung to the tune of Jingle Bells, its quite catchy

[civilzues]

I hope this comes over as a Buick

[chevyman1973]

Originally Posted by Suziebob

GM should take the Astra and badge it as a budget Chevrolet in Europe, just to make Opel cry.

wont that be the spark?

[rueben44]

Originally Posted by ne_one

Because chopping off your nose to spite your face is good business?

GM should bring the Astra over to NA instead of diddling around deciding how to derive something new that will invariably be less appealing.

It is not chopping off your nose if you are forced to give up control.

[nsap]

Originally Posted by johnstarnes

Is this the car that might be the basis for a new small Buick?

The underpinnings of the new Buick are almost identical to the Astra's. The only difference is that the Buick has unique sheet-metal.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by ford&holden

If the cruze and astra share the same platform, why the difference in expense?? please enlighten us...

The cruze isn't class leader, it appears the astra is...
See the difference yet??

VW, Ford and MANY others manage to sell the same vehicles globally, why can't GM!?

Oh thats right...they can't

Ford Oz is going to sell Thai-made Focus' instead of importing from Europe or building them here. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Base VW Golfs come with steelies and Hankook tyres, bare plastic steering wheels, no storage bin, lumbar adjustment, pass-through port in the rear seat, no LCD multifunction, auto-lights etc etc etc which shows that to be halfway competitive they have to resort to similar cost-cutting. And they're still working two days a week in their plants.

And the base, single turbo Trendline we were pricing for the missus would cost over $32,000 with only a modicum of equipment like auto ($3000), cruise control, steering-wheel mounted controls, 15" alloys and things that are usually included today.

The really sexy Twincharge models start at $36,000.

A Cruze is an Astra made in Korea, with torsion-beam rear suspension and a 1.8 VVT engine in place of the 1.4 turbo.

Ford does exactly the same thing with the Fiesta to make the base version affordable - fits an underwhelming 1.4 with a 4-speed auto, drum rear brakes - in 2009! and aren't they soon to make 2010s in Thailand? To get the 5-star ANCAP rating you have to option the airbags and stability control, not inexpensive @ $1000 on a $16K car.

@ £15,675 ex VAT for the base 1.4 manual the Astra would cost $30K+ in any sort of decently-equipped config, and the Golf might sell at that - the Astra won't as a Holden because it isn't a VW. I'm sure Holden would rather sell a zillion Cruzes and make a handy profit on every one, rather than a relative handful of Astras with loss-leader pricing.

Every Cruze is more than decently equipped and every one is 5-star ANCAP. I would bet Holden and the dealer are each making $2K per unit, whereas dealers made ~ 5% on the TS Astra @ RRP. That's $1300 each on the Astras we bought.

[Exploder]

Originally Posted by nsap

The underpinnings of the new Buick are almost identical to the Astra's. The only difference is that the Buick has unique sheet-metal.

Cue massive complaining.

Apparently, Buicks shouldn't look like Buicks...

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by nsap

The underpinnings of the new Buick are almost identical to the Astra's. The only difference is that the Buick has unique sheet-metal.

Have you seen it? I really hope it looks "Buicky" and not a simple nose job.....I want sweep spear on all Buicks as Welburn had mentioned some time back.

[BumbleBee]

GM better bring this car to North American shores at this would be at the very top of my shopping list. I can't stand many of the hatchbacks that are on the road today. I love hatchbacks but the only one that appeals to me is the A3 and it is a little too overpriced in my opinion.

They need to bring this thing ASAP so I can dump my car for this beauty.

[nsap]

Originally Posted by johnstarnes

Have you seen it? I really hope it looks "Buicky" and not a simple nose job.....I want sweep spear on all Buicks as Welburn had mentioned some time back.

The dealerships that saw it told me it looked like a "baby LaCrosse" design wise.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by nsap

The dealerships that saw it told me it looked like a "baby LaCrosse" design wise.

Thanks.

[civilzues]

Originally Posted by nsap

The dealerships that saw it told me it looked like a "baby LaCrosse" design wise.

We are getting a sedan and the 3 & 5 doors?