GENERAL Motors launched its European subsidiary Opel into the crowded Australian marketplace in September with the Astra small-car as its trump card and projected biggest seller.

The nameplate is familiar to Australian buyers, even if the lighting-shaped Opel badge on the nose is a bit different to the familiar Holden Lion emblem worn on previous generations.

We have been given the keys to the base automatic 1.4-litre petrol hatchback that, at $25,990 plus on-road costs, is pitched at European rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf 90 TSI.

While not quite as refined as the Golf or as dynamic as a Ford Focus, the Astra is a zippy and likeable offering that, unlike most rivals, also comes with a welcome dose of exclusivity.