Holden Astra pricing, spec uncovered

GM HOLDEN has announced pricing and specification for its all-new Astra hatch as the first Australian-bound example rolls off the production line in Europe over the weekend.

The new-generation Astra will officially go on sale in December and will be offered in three different specification levels, kicking off with the entry-level 1.4-litre turbo Astra R from $21,990 plus on-road costs in manual guise.

Opting for the automatic adds $2200 and brings the price of the R to $24,190.

The mid-range Astra RS gains a 1.6-litre turbo engine and starts at $26,490, with the auto offered from $28,690.

Flagship RS-V variants also use the 1.6-litre unit and are priced at $30,990 for the manual and $33,190 for the auto.

An Astra hot hatch is expected down the track to replace the ageing three-door VXR, but it is yet to be revealed by GM’s German outpost, Opel.

The Astra’s starting price puts it in line with new or recently launched small car rivals including the Honda Civic ($22,390), Renault’s forthcoming new Megane ($22,490) as well as the Volkswagen Golf ($22,840) and Subaru Impreza ($22,990).

It is pricier in base guise than the Mazda3 ($20,490), Toyota Corolla ($20,190), Kia Cerato ($19,990), the Hyundai i30 ($21,450) and Holden’s soon to depart Cruze hatch ($19,890).

As previously reported, the Astra will replace the Australian-built Cruze hatch and sedan (the wagon is sourced from South Korea) which will come to the end of the line in December, ahead of Holden’s full factory closure late next year.

Although Holden is yet to formally announce it, the imported new-gen Cruze sedan is also expected to join the local line-up at some point.

According to Holden’s new Astra website, the 1.6-litre variants will only be available with a six-speed manual gearbox for the first few months of sale, with the auto versions starting to arrive in March next year.

Both manual and auto versions of the 1.4 model are available from the December launch.

The Astra R is powered by GM’s 1.4-litre Ecotec turbo-petrol engine the delivers 110kW/240Nm and has a “targeted” combined fuel consumption figure of 5.8 liters per 100km.

The RS and RS-V use a larger 1.6-litre Ecotec direct injection turbo petrol engine pumping out a healthy 147kW/300Nm.

Holden director of vehicle performance Ian Butler said Australian engineers were involved in the development of the Astra.

“Holden and Opel share very similar DNA but we still made sure our engineers were involved in developing Astra and setting targets, right from the start of the program,” he said.

“We’ve engineered our own unique Australian chassis input which, when combined with the new 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine options, we’re confident will excel on the variety of road surfaces in Australia.

“Along with Spark and Colorado, Astra is another great example of how Holden is collaborating with GM engineers globally to ensure we can deliver the best vehicles to Australia and also share our expertise for the benefit of other markets.” Holden has revealed some of the standard gear, with the R offering 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a reversing camera with rear park assist and a digital radio.

The RS adds keyless entry and start, Advanced Park Assist, Side Blind Spot Alert, the Holden Eye forward-facing camera that is linked to autonomous emergency braking, a forward collision warning and lane-keep assist.

In RS-V guise, that Astra has 18-inch alloys, leather-appointed front heated seats, a heated steering wheel, an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen, satellite navigation, LED tail-lights and dual-zone climate control.

High-tech LED Matrix headlights are available as an option on the RS-V.

Holden executive director of sales Peter Keley said the company was thrilled that production of Australian-spec Astras had commenced at Opel’s plant in Gliwice, Poland.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see the first all-new Holden Astra built and ready to ship – it’s a stunning car, packed with state-of-the-art technology, and another great example of the exciting future vehicles we will be introducing over the next couple of years,” he said.

“Holden has committed to replacing or refreshing every single model in our line-up as part of our plan to launch 24 new models by the end of 2020.

“Astra’s premium European design oozes quality and style, and with Australian input and extensive global testing, you can be sure it will deliver the performance and refinement Holden has built its reputation on.” Holden has been busy of late, with the car-maker confirming just last week that it would introduce the Chevrolet-sourced Equinox SUV as its Captiva 5 replacement. That followed last month’s announcement that it would offer the Acadia seven-seat SUV as its replacement for the ageing Captiva 7.

2016 Holden Astra pricing*
R 1.4	$21,990
R 1.4 (a)	$24,190
RS 1.6	$26,490
RS 1.6 (a)	$28,690
RS-V 1.6	$30,990
RS-V 1.6 (a)	$33,190

*Excludes on-road costs