General Motors G/B (TS) Astra Review

The second generation General Motors Astra (G/B) is the successor of the F/A Astra. It's more safer and refined than its predecessor and is sold in various continents excluding North America and Asia. It won two Australia's Best Cars awards in 2002 and 2003.

See also the main fact sheets for the General Motors G/B Astra.

High Points

 * Great styling
 * Tight, rattle-free body
 * Good corrosion protection
 * Zippy four-cylinder motor
 * Miserly fuel consumption

Low Points

 * Clunky gearshift
 * Cam belt problem

Performance and Handling
With the European-designed chassis, the ride is firm but is excellent for road-holding abilities with minimum body roll. The hydro/electic power steering is precise and offers good road feel.

Gas Mileage
For fuel consumptions of 1998 Holden Astra, follow this link.

Fuel Consumption Guide for 1998 TS Astra

Safety
The G/B Astra underwent EuroNCAP crash testing and earned 25 points out of 32 (4 stars) for occupant protection but scored 7 points (1 star) for pedestrian safety.

EuroNCAP 1999 Opel/Vauxhall Astra Result

The Holden Astra was offered 4 stars and is less likely to cause harm to other motorists according to the Used Car Safety Rating.

UCSR Safety Report: 1998-2006 Holden Astra

Reliability and Maintenance
G/B Astras are generably reliable and not many faults have been reported. However, a design fault of the cam belt tensioner can cause the belt to become loose, skip a tooth or two or break. It's recommended that the timing belt should be changed every 60,000 kilometres (32,500 miles).

Holden Astra
City
 * Adjustable (tilt/reach) steering column
 * Dual front airbags
 * 8 speaker Blaupunkt stereo system with CD Player

CD
 * 15 inch Alloy wheels
 * ABS
 * Dual airbags
 * 8 speaker Blaupunkt stereo system with CD Player
 * Suede-appointed seats

SRi

Main Competitors

 * Toyota Corolla
 * Mazda 323
 * Citroёn Xsara
 * Fiat Bravo
 * Volkswagen Golf
 * Ford Focus (International)
 * Nissan Almera/Nissan Pulsar (Australasian market)