2013 Astra GTC SRI 1.6T

[SlimRick]

Picked up on Friday to replace a 2010 Renault Megane 1.5 Diesel Coupe - first impressions are very positive. Feels like a very well put together car with a reasonable turn of speed when you need it.

A few camera phone pics:

[lewisf182]

that looks lovely, wouldnt mind one of these myself. I love the styling but they are just SO big from the outside it amazes me everytime I see one. Still, lovely looking things and I think pips the scirroco!

[M159V8]

Can't help thinking 'WOW' every time I see an SRI spec one of these on the road, so squat, low and flat on the tarmac, amazing design, great improvement over the previous generation IMO!

[philmots]

I can't quite believe how big they are!?

Somehow I'm not a fan of the looks, though.. Can't really point out why either.

Enjoy it though

[C.A.R.]

They are very 'chubby' cars but I think they look good all the same. One thing I've noticed is that from some angles the headlights look quite small, it's almost pig-eyed.

Love that two-tone dashboard, so much better than just a wedge of black. Went in a Fiesta recently which had a similar colour scheme.

[lewisf182]

Only just noticed the coloured dashboard too (was previously on iphone). The dashes on the new Vauxhall are a ridiculous improvement over how they use to be.

[chrisw666]

Does it have silly long gearing? I borrowed a 1.4T SRI and it was geared for over 100 in 3rd and I worked out if the rev limiter could be reached in 6th it would be doing over 200!

[Baryonyx]

I couldn't comment on the GTC gearing, though I hope it's nothing like the gearing in the 5 speed hatch we have at work! The most irritating thing about that being that 3rd gear tops out at 60mph or so. It means lots of cog swapping on faster B roads, and the box is hardly a joy to use. One of the rare occasions where I prefer a 6 speed to a 5 speed. Mind you, the generation before that had absolutely woeful turbo lag and the sloppiest, slowest throttle ever, so it wasn't much better (though it was better when you were driving it with a purpose).

I'd be over the moon if they bought a GTC for the fleet though. It should be everything the clonky old diesels aren't.

[SlimRick]

Mine hits 58mph in 2nd gear before it redlines, not sure about 3rd.

[alistair1234]

SlimRick said:

Mine hits 58mph in 2nd gear before it redlines, not sure about 3rd.

Do you really want to be hitting such high revs in an engine that new?

[Caulkhead]

alistair1234 said:

SlimRick said:

Mine hits 58mph in 2nd gear before it redlines, not sure about 3rd.

Do you really want to be hitting such high revs in an engine that new?

I'm guessing company car. . . . . .

[SlimRick]

Caulkhead said:

I'm guessing company car. . . . . .

Errr....nope


Protip: Don't buy a used car from me

[5potTurbo]

SlimRick said:

Caulkhead said:

I'm guessing company car. . . . . .

Errr....nope


Protip: Don't buy a used car from me

OP listens to BBC R1 - nuff said.

[SlimRick]

Well, I've just passed the 1000 mile mark this weekend including a 400 mile round trip to see the parents on Sunday.

I reset the mpg before I set off and with mostly motorway driving and cruise control set at 7 leptops it achieved a whopping 29mpg on the way there.

On the way back I reset it again and set the cruise control somewhat higher (10 leptons), it achieved 28.7mpg.

[DanielJames]

SlimRick said:

Well, I've just passed the 1000 mile mark this weekend including a 400 mile round trip to see the parents on Sunday.

I reset the mpg before I set off and with mostly motorway driving and cruise control set at 7 leptops it achieved a whopping 29mpg on the way there.

On the way back I reset it again and set the cruise control somewhat higher (10 leptons), it achieved 28.7mpg.

That's pretty crap isn't it (the first figure)

What do Vauxhall say the Extra Urban figure is?

[va1o]

That MPG doesn't sound good at all, I'd be expecting at least 40mpg from a modern 1.6T on a motorway run

[SlimRick]

extra-urban driving mpg (litres/100km) 47.9 (5.9)
urban driving mpg (litres/100km) 30.4 (9.3)
combined mpg (litres/100km) 39.2 (7.2)

There is absolutely no way in hell those figures are achievable!!!

[twink]

Probably worth remembering it'll take more than a 1000 miles to fully loosen itself up.

[Caulkhead]

SlimRick said:

extra-urban driving mpg (litres/100km) 47.9 (5.9)
urban driving mpg (litres/100km) 30.4 (9.3)
combined mpg (litres/100km) 39.2 (7.2)

There is absolutely no way in hell those figures are achievable!!!

What Car? mag ran one of these in yellow until recently as a longtermer and liked it but they never got above 31.5mpg while they had it:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/our-cars-vauxhall-...

Cheers me up about the 28mpg I get from my 6 MPS when I read stuff like that!

[kamilb1998]

Love the look of these, the interior look nice and 'different' too.