Vauxhall Astra
It used to be that a three-door model was the poor relation in a hatchback range, aimed at older buyers or those seeking the minimal amount of frills and maximum value. But today things are different, and if you believe the marketing spin, you would think that a three-door hatch was the next best thing to a sports car.
The Astra Sport Hatch looks impressive, with its low profile and large glass area. It also promises to be a great drive, building on the five-door's strong points with sportier suspension settings and a firm ride. It's not as practical as some rivals, but Vauxhall is hoping three-door hatch buyers will choose style over substance.
It used to be that a three-door model was the poor relation in a hatchback range, aimed at older buyers or those seeking the minimal amount of frills and maximum value. But today things are different, and if you believe the marketing spin, you would think that a three-door hatch was the next best thing to a sports car.
Of course, that's not quite true, but you cannot fault firms such as Citroen and now Vauxhall for trying. This is the new Astra Sport Hatch, and it follows the C4's lead by offering a distinctly different, coupe-style body that, although similar to the five-door, shares little with its sibling. And in an exclusive preview, Auto Express gained access to the first two cars in the UK. Based on the same platform and wheelbase as the five-door Astra, the Sport Hatch, which goes on sale in April, is aimed at a different kind of buyer, who does not need the practicality of the standard model. And in an unusual move, the Luton firm is pricing the Sport Hatch at exactly the same level as its five-door cousin.
Whether that's sensible or not remains to be seen, but in terms of styling, the Sport Hatch certainly cuts a dash. Viewed in the metal for the first time, the three-door looks much more like a sports model than a family car, sitting 30mm lower than the Astra five-door, thanks to dropped suspension and a cut-down roofline.
It is less practical inside, too. It may have belts for three passengers in the back, but the interior will realistically only hold four adults in comfort, as the rear bench is much narrower than in the five-door. The roof is also lower, too, although this is only likely to be a problem for passengers more than six feet tall. Access to the back is fairly easy, though, thanks to front seats that tilt and slide forwards by 30cm.
Luggage space is also competitive, with 302 litres of load capacity while the seats are in place. Dropping the 60:40 rear bench frees up even more room, but there are no flexible sliding tricks here, as found in some of Vauxhall's other models. In the front, the cabin is little changed from the existing Astra, with an identical dashboard and centre console, although the steeply raked windscreen and bigger side glass give the interior an airier feel. The panoramic glass roof showcased at last year's Paris Motor Show will enhance this feel even further when it becomes available in May as an £850 option. Vauxhall says it is expecting the Sport Hatch to account for around 15 per cent of total Astra sales, and its target market is obvious, with a much slimmer model range than the five-door.
With the exception of the flagship VXR model, due in August, only three trim levels will be available when the car arrives at dealers. The range will kick off with the insurance-friendly SXi, which is aimed at younger buyers, and comes with a choice of 1.4 or 1.6-litre petrol engines, or a 1.7-litre diesel.
It features 16-inch five-spoke alloys as standard, along with six airbags, air-conditioning and a CD system. Higher-spec variants will be available in Design or SRi trim, powered by 1.8 or 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines, or Vauxhall's acclaimed 1.9-litre CDTI oil-burner.
The decision not to offer the Sport Hatch in a basic trim level is a bold move from Vauxhall, but it could well introduce a level of exclusivity never before seen in the Astra line-up.
