The Vauxhall Astra J stands the test of time

A full review of the 6th generation Opel/Vauxhall Astra (2009 - 2015). An 'everyman' car that does a lot of things for a lot of people - what is this higher seller like on the roads, 10 years on?

Car on review spec: 2011 1.4 SRi petrol (non-turbo / naturally aspirated)

Also known as the Holden Astra.

#astraj #vauxhallastra #opelastra

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[devon]

Vauxhall back in 2006 - 2013 actually made really good cars, that still only look 3 or 4 years old even when they're 14 years old. My Mum's Corsa runs so quietly it's like it's brand new, the seats are really comfy & it feels well built. I've never understood why people dismiss Vauxhall/Opel cars when Audi's for example have plastic interior trim peeling off at a similar age.

[kieranhargreaves]

I've got a 14 plate elite 2.0cdti. Done almost 100k miles in 7 years. Brilliant car to drive and cannot fault it. 👌

[a.price]

my dad just bought a 2015 facelift version of this car. i was surprised how well the design has held up today, especially from the front. It’s quiet and great to drive

[valkyrie]

Nice to see a honest review of a opel/vauxhall…sick of hearing the same old crap about cheap plastic this and complete slating of the brand..I currently own a 13 reg astra elite 2.0l 165 bhp, full leather etc…..good on fuel, comfortable and enough power to surprise a few people, I love it but I don’t think I’ll be buying a Peugeot in vauxhall clothing in the future

[spgk]

I have the 1, 4 turbo with 120 hp for 6 years now. I got it used back in 2017 and it is a 2012 model. Your review is really spot on about this car. It is a pleasant car to drive, really comfortable and trust worthy on the road. It is a heavy car so the 1.4 120 - 140 hp motors are just about right. The version you drive is a little underpowered. The only bad thing is the manual gearbox, it is not smooth enough and it can go wrong resulting a costly repair. Apart from that, it has a look that still looks nice today and on the road it is so much better than the new fiesta my wife got. Sure it is a different class but it still means something. Cruising at 100 - 140 kph is the sweet spot for this car, you can cover a distance and it won't tire you.

[jw]

Thanks for your reviews! I owned an Astra J 1.6 petrol for 3.5 years and currently own an Astra K 1.4T petrol. I find the engine on the K superior, probably helped out by the less weight. However, I found the Astra J to have better build quality overall. It just felt more solid in pretty much all respects. The seats were also more comfortable and supportive. it felt more planted on the motorway. I do miss the J in many areas but overall I prefer the interior and exterior styling and performance of the K.

[friendlyhorseuk]

Nice video. Had a 1.6 petrol non turbo SRi Astra J for 4 yrs. Felt a bit heavy and sluggish for a 1.6, not an exciting drive but comfortable long-distance cruiser. Seats were very comfortable and driving position excellent and was well put together and never gave me any trouble. Interior did feel a bit more premium than some of its rivals. Mine was a pre registered car that I picked up for peanuts relative to list price and it turned out to be a good reliable buy. I liked it so much I traded it in for it's sportier GTC cousin which was equally comfortable with very similar interior and seats but was a much more engaging drive.

[joaofarinha]

Fairly new subscriber here. I bought last year this Astra 2015 plate with over 84k. I was so impressed with the condition of it, both inside and out, very comfortable and nice to drive, that i was sold. Nearly one year later and with just under 90k, still feels as good as before. Agree with the engine 1.4, not the fastest (1.6 not much better), so you have to be patient 😅Overall a good affordable and reliable car. Keep up the good work 👍👍

[arcadesunday]

I have an Opel Astra J (2010) 1.4T (14NET) 6 speed manual, which I've had for 8 years. At time of writing this, it is June 2024 and while there are some minor "wear" issues, I agree fully with all the points in this review, as I daily drive this vehicle with in comfort with little hassle and (IMO) in great style too (even when compared with newer cars). Tech notes: My particular vehicle is fitted with LED day running lights, adaptive forward lighting system (Xenon) and Flex Ride suspension with Sport and Tour modes (all from factory). Repair notes: I have had issues with the cooling system (thermostat, water pump, expansion tank, and associated plumbing) - but luckily, is affordable (and easy) to repair yourself. The expansion tank and related plumbing especially is known to fail, but once those are taken care of, it's plain sailing from there on. Great review.

[addoublez]

Got mine (11 plate 2.0cdti manual 5dr sri nav) in 2012 with 6k miles. Still going with 164k miles, one new clutch at 160k, one new fuel rail 140k and locking fuel cap. Other than that, tyres, servicing, brakes. Its still a great car, just have lots of stone chips from mostly motorway driving in 6th gear.

[dominikt]

Thanks for the review! I have had my 2012 Opel Astra J for five years now and it has been pretty reliable since (now sitting at 147000km/91000 miles). I have the 1.4 turbo (140hp) and this engine fits the car perfectly in my opinion, especially since I do most of my driving on the autobahn. Maintenance wise there have been a few expensive repairs like the waterpump, or the manual gearbox, which started making noises at around 39000 miles. Apart from that I still like my Astra J and find it to be a rather handsome car, even today.

[TommyRogic]

Thanks for a video on quite literally the same car as mine, engine, trim, colour, alloys haha. Couple of things in favour of the 1.4, a lot less to go wrong than the turbo Astras, access is fantastic given the teeny block in a big engine bay, and it’s chain driven unlike the 1.6 and the diesels. Bought mine with higher mileage than yours as my budget was limited, but has been serviced on the button every year and hopefully will be reliable for a good while yet. Enjoyed the video 👍

[thelorryist]

I do agree with all of this. I love my 2013 Sports Tourer. I only bought it because it came up locally and was cheap. It's taken me down to Spain and back three times, and has cost pennies to run day to day. Apart from a broken rear spring which came up on an MOT, the only money I've needed to spend has been on consumables. It isn't powerful, not with the 1.7 diesel, but it's economical and good for what it is, the torque is in the right place for overtaking. The handling is good, although it could do with a bit more feel. One surprising thing is the road-holding, and I noticed that often Top Gear would remark about the grip of their "Reasonably Priced Car" Astra J. If the mood takes you, you can really hustle it along. The original owner specced 17 inch wheels, and I've treated it to a set of Michelins all around. I've got a 2003 Cooper S as well, and of course that's much quicker and more agile, but in terms of sheer mechanical grip the Astra isn't far short,

Yeah, so, like I said, I love my Astra J

[tonyblount]

Another brilliant review from JJ always informative and interesting ❤️

[NRG_Ghostman]

Just bought a 2015 limited edition astra J 1.4 Turbo. Im in love with this car its the newest car ive ever owned and it drives really well. Its come with leather heated seats, air con, cruise control and various other things. Onky had it for 3 weeks but ive been loooking for reasons to go places and the 6 speed manual gearbox monches through the distances ive travelled so far. Although its a older design it still looks really new with the led lights and really smooth drive. Its got 67k miles on the clock so should get a good few years out of it.

[CLIFTYPOPS]

Have a 1.6t sidi 200hp GTC. 7 years old never gone wrong, nice to drive, decent power engine & pretty. Noice

[RedAndWhiteSFC]

Recently bought a 62 plate SRI 1.6 petrol just over 50k mileage and well looked after. Had one as a courtesy car after somebody wrote off my old car (they forgot how to give way at a roundabout and crashed into the side of my old car). Was pretty impressed with the courtesy car Astra I had for a few weeks so I decided to go out and buy one. Decent car for a small motorway then into a town centre commute everyday. Don’t get me wrong they’re no Ferrari but I find the Astra Js tend to do their job well and are pretty comfortable for an everyday driver.

[mattegeniet]

Bought a 2010 Opel Astra with 100hp at 200'000 km 4 years ago. Now it's 14 years old with 255'000 km driven and it's held up really well. Obviously have to fix some smaller things here and there (a bad strut, new handbrake cables (which also ruined my rear right brake caliper so replaced that with a used one for cheap), new oil pressure sensor, new evap purge valve, and some small coolant leaks. But most of these (besides brakes and suspension) have been really easy and cheap to fix yourself problems, and with that tiny engine it's really easy to work on too. The drivers seat heater is broken though, which apparently is a really common problem. Sucks a little bit in -20C finnish winters, but you can just get cheap haeted seat covers that are powered through the 12V jack. Also seems to deal quite well with rust.

And even if some more expensive jobs like brakes and suspension have happened they are not many, and after all not that expensive to fix at a workshop considering the car itself was quite cheap. But engine still runs perfectly with nothing more than basic maintenance.

[axwelln]

Great review! I have had a 2011 1.6t Astra for four years now and I quite like it. It’s a great allrounder which drives well both on highways and in town. It’s a decent size, mine is fairly brisk and I love the bi-xenon headlamps, especially the curve feature. Looks great too, non-car people think it’s way younger than 13 years old.
I dislike the seat though, but I’m spoiled since my previous car was a SAAB. The Astra is also pretty heavy, so fuel consumption is only alright. Reliability so far has been average but on the whole I like it and plan on keeping it a few more years.

[StephenRandall-xs]

just come across this review, my wife still has her Astra j 1.6 sri bought new in 2012, done just over 60k, lots of trips to Scotland from East Midlands over the years sometimes on her own for family reasons .As you say its a solid car and she has always felt safe in it on longer journeys. Its always been serviced at dealer and now on its 2nd timing belt, does not burn any oil and the interior still pretty much the same condition . Basically it does not feel 12 yrs old which I think is a testament as to how good a product it was at the time. Definitely on par with a Golf as regards fit and finish. I owned the astra g mk 4 which was a well built car but the one after the astra h was no where near as good in many areas and the astra k later I agree was not as good as the one it replaced. One example the sri bolster seats in the astra j were far better. It seems like motor manufacturers build a great car then when they replace them it appears they try and save money and hope that because its a replacement the customer wont realise that its not up to the same standard. The astra k was the last one before GM sold off vauxhall/opel to Peugeot although alot of the switchgear was definitely PSA Group stock so it wasnt really a true Vauxhall product!