In-depth reviews

Vauxhall Astra VXR hatchback owner reviews

"The most powerful car in its class, the Vauxhall Astra VXR also offers sharp handling to match its impressive straight-line speed."

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11 May 2015

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Carbuyer Rating

3.2 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.8 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

100%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Brakes, Other (1 case)
Gearbox / clutch (1 case)

Review 1 of 6

Tell us what you think about your car?

The Astra Gtc VXR is probably one of the best looking cars on the road today. But of course that's just my opinion. Since my initial purchase I have had the front and rear discs replaced under warranty which in my case is lifetime. Apart from that I don't seem to have had any other problems. I did question the recommended front tyre pressure, when I replaced them at about 10,000 miles I was told by the engineer they had been over inflated. I told him I'd always gone by the recommended figures and he told me they were wrong. The 20"tyres are now 36psi all round instead of 39psi front and 36psi rear. This has made a huge difference to tyre wear, and to my pocket. There is a problem with water collecting in the tailgate rear window channel. I've pointed this out to my Vauxhall service manager and am waiting for him to get back to me. I'm sure it will be resolved, the same way as with past experience of Vauxhall.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Have had car for 18 months no problems whatever, have done 40k in it. Great performance car, little slow from lights but VXR mode soon changes that. Looked at Audi, BMW etc, none of which look as good in my opinion. Only problem is depreciation -bought for £26k, only worth £14,200 now. Still, I have enjoyed driving it and would recommend it but get good used one to avoid depreciation, if you're not bothered about driving new cars.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

The VXR for grown-ups. Yes, it's a VXR which no doubt has the award for best hooligan, best tyre shredding efficiency etc etc. With the GTC VXR, It seems Vauxhall have taken the old VXR, looked at the main complaints from drivers and tuners, and acted on them. They've fitted a front diff to help with the under-steer problem. They've fitted it with an impressively intelligent frontal suspension system which does a brilliant job of eliminating torque-steer to such a point, it's controllable, almost unnoticeable. What Vauxhall have done is taken the power the older VXR was known for, and fine tuned it. They've kept it there, added more infact, but they've made it controllable. It's not going to tear your face off, but it isn't going to leave you wondering where those 280 horses are. The 0-60 sprint is dealt with in 5.8 seconds, which, to say this is a Vauxhall, is quite impressive! It has average fuel consumption for an engine of its size, a 2-litre turbo engine. I can average around 30mpg with a range of around 300 miles on one tank if driven sensibly. It has plenty of boot space, a reasonable amount of room for rear passengers, and quite a lot of headroom for the rake of the A-pillars. Sound and entertainment is of a rather good quality for a standard sound system, the infinity system adds more speakers and a small sub-woofer under the divider in the boot, which is always a plus. Coming in to the looks and styling of this VXR, do beware if you drive on country roads or live outside of cities and towns. Make no mistake, this car is wide! Coming from a 2007 Astra, the first thing that struck me is how wide its rear end is, it makes driving on country lanes with oncoming traffic an experience in which your sphincters will get quite a lot of exercise! If you opt for the aero-pack, you get 20" diamond cut wheels, flared side skirts and a bi-plane rear spoiler which do look quite nice. If you prefer something more subtle, opting to skip the aero-pack will see your car fitted with only 19" 5 spoke wheels (which I would advise you replace with after market wheels ASAP as these wheels look awful!) a subtle side-skirt kit and a gloss black duck-tail spoiler on the rear end. This car is moderately comfortable for what is it. The seats were custom designed by Recaro to be as light as possible, so long distances will eventually cause you to fidget and start looking for signs to the next service station or lay-by. The noise from the factory fitted Remus exhaust is quite a noise when you bury your foot deep into the carpets, but it's not intrusive. Although if you do thrash it a little, you'll notice the roar it starts off with at the low revs soon turns into the sound of a low flying jet fighter not long after the turbo kicks in at around 3,500RPM. It has huge brakes made by Brembo that will help you keep that power under control if you ever found yourself going a little too quick or needing to stop in a hurry though. But you're going to need deep pockets to replace them at £800 per disc. Yes, each disc. If you opt for Brembo discs of course. There are cheaper discs out there that are just as good, if not better designed for much less money. Overall conclusions of the GTC VXR is that it's definitely a contender and competitor for other hot hatches. It brings a good amount of power to the table, it has a knack for making you smile, giggle and laugh. it's practical and usable for daily commutes, trips away and things like that. Brand new it is expensive, almost £30,000. But pre-owned you're looking to pay around half that for a decent model. It's a good car! There's not many around either so it's quite rare to see another on the roads. Would I buy another or recommend this car? Yes. Every time, yes.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Had it for just under 2 years and had no problems , one of the best looking hatchbacks on the road

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Used daily, this car has been as user friendly as any 'cooking model', quiet, smooth and comfortable on any journey, has been uber reliable and cheap to service. Some pro testers have marked the car down for firm ride and fuel comsumption but this is not a grannies car, it's a very high performance sports car and the people who buy these type of car know what they buying, it's not 50mpg plus and a holder for your walking stick. If criticism is to be made there are two items that stand out, 1. The electronic handbrake is the worst invention ever and should be banned from any car. It's slow to release and on hills you feel the need to hold the car on the footbrake as there is no trust in it making quick getaways out of junction rather clumsy. What was wrong with a lever and a cable? The next item is lights, a car this fast should have bi-xenon lights as standard and not a costly extra, if buying, they are essential trust me. Which then raises the question of why Vauxhall then removed the front fog lights for a brake cooling duct. Silly idea that could have been given more thought without compromise in lighting or cooling. Now in my second year I genuinely cannot fault this car, I did spend my own money on one so would have real gripes if there were any, would I recommend it? Yes! Would I buy another? Yes, especially if Vauxhall made it 4wd and gave it a proper handbrake.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

My second Astra J VXR, because I havent found another car that does everything quite as well. This one is a mint 14-plate with 25k miles and a FSH. This car is genuinely beautiful, and is a fag-paper from being opulent inside. In standard mode the ride is fine on all but the most broken streets despite the 20 inch wheels and elastic-band tyres. There is enough power to slay supercars from 15 years ago, but civilised enough to drive to Tescos, or haul ass on motorways. It uses a lot of petrol however it's driven, and it's a bit vulnerable because it is so low and so wide, but in truth this VXR is a supercar for everyman. I look forward to every journey in it, and I hope to grow old with it.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

The styling. Its a stunning looking car.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Fuel economy. Would be nice to have a "motorway cruising mode" where the car gets more than 30 mpg.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up