VAUXHALL ASTRA 1.4i 16V Excite 5dr (2011)

A high quality car, no major flaws, would recommend

This is primarily used by the kids but I thought it would be worth a review as one of the most popular cars in Britain.

Its quite a small engine considering the size of the car but I've found that it still manages to deliver some truly brilliant performance. You get a tiny hum from the engine when you put your foot down which is nice and the power is always on tap, it never labours as such. The car rides very well and very comfortably, the handling is good for what it is as well. As a performer, it is generally not bad at all. It can also cruise along quite peacefully as well giving you the best of both worlds.

What I think is the best part of the car, is the interior and the quality that comes with it. Dare I say it, it feels as if it could have come straight from a BMW, it really is that good and everything works well with precision and it feels very solid. There is also a lot of space, it is actually quite a big car and this shows up on the inside.

One issue that I have is the electric handbrake. I have always been suspicious of these and I'm still not entirely comfortable with them. I must confess, it seems to work quite well in practice, it automatically releases when you bring your foot off of the clutch, but because it is so light to apply, you don't get the reassurance you get with a good old fashioned handbrake.

The mpg is usually just shy of 50 so is very good which keeps running costs down although insuring the kids on it was a little expensive because it was almost new.