Vauxhall Astra VXR (Team Review) - Fifth Gear
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2024
- The team review the Vauxhall Astra VXR, and have a test drive with Jonny at the wheel!
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I’ve owned one for a few years from brand new. Even with tuning and other mods it hasn’t missed a beat.
With tuning and few other upgrades it’s just under 340 bhp and can use every bit of it. It can also be what you need it to be ie use vxr button it can be dramatic and exciting. It’ll just as easily cruise including comfortable ride.
It aesthetically pleasing across the board ie you granny , your missus and/or your kids will all like something about it’s looks.
With an upgrade to the exhaust ie turbo back 3” fully stainless system gives a fantastic sound including crackles and bangs.
When you think of its predecessor and the lack of quality (interior etc) it has came on leaps and bounds and is a lovely place be inside.
I usually change car every 2-3 years but I’ve had this 4 now and still have no desire to change it. Think I’ll put some more mods into it. I can’t praise this car enough and that’s from someone who right up until I bought it said I’d never buy a Vauxhall lol 😂
ULSTERISBRITISH 1690 I just bought 1 mate , the car is quality lol getting it remapped next week to just over 300 bhp ,for now anyway lol then pop a milltek system on her and tune it again lol 👌🏻
How is it now? Was the pops and bangs cheap to get about?
and now they are pretty cheap. a bargain in my eyes
Complaining that the 2.0 turbo engine sounds like a 2.0 turbo engine.... lol what noise were they expecting? A Ferrari V12?
they want fake engine sounds
You have a lot of other 2.0 turbo cars that sound amazing apart from this.. gti, megane rs, 308 gti, mini JCW and others so...
@@karloandraka3909 Nope. The Golf plays fake noise through the speakers inside and sounds like someone farting outside. Megane RS sounds pretty much the same as the Astra apart from some extra pops and bangs (which are programmed in). The Peugeot is a 1.6 and doesn't sound like anything much. The Mini I haven't heard but pretty sure thats a 3-cyl now.... Most hot hatche engines don't sound that special, because they aren't. Usually just an ordinary 4-pot engine with a hefty turbo bolted on. They are what they are.
BMW used to offer a 6-cyl in the M140i but have dropped that now (boooo!) Audi still offer a 5-cyl in their RS3 but that costs nearly £50,000!!! If a big engine with lots of cylinders is what you want, you buy a different class of car! Simple.
There are a lot of 2l turbo engines that sound great
Hondas have the best sounding 2.0 4pots 🚗💨
Epic car, drove one over the course of 2 days last week and it is proper fast and unlike fifth gear i liked the turbo noises. Brilliant car.
Shane Earley yea it's really powerful. But I don't like the gearbox very much. How did you like the gearbox?
+robinheiz I didnt mind it. I guess the throws could be shorter but honestly I had no problem with the grarbox.
@@robinheiz Gearbox felt crap. Numb, loose and too long of a throw. Shame because otherwise it's an awesome car. Also residual values and running costs are frightening, another reason I got a Mini JCW.
Viki's problem is it doesn't have a VW badge therefore its awful. their bias knows no bounds
Agree bro
Anyone who chooses an Astra over a Golf is insane.
The Astra is nicer to look at and nicer to drive than the golf
Yep. Always the way.
@@Zero_Ninety I would always choose an Astra over a golf, Golfs are dull and the interior is horrible and the styling is not much different to the last one.
I've just bought one in black and they are proper quick
So what's it like owning one? Since I live in the US and we don't get Vauxhalls over sadly..
I've had it a year And half and it still surprises me now only thing I regret is not getting one with sat nav
Mark Langton three years on you still own it mark? Just curious
@@chrisdooley6468sadly no i sold it i do miss it
Buy an mazda 3 mps then see the difference
"Three driving instructors...wonderful" haha I loved that
I don’t have the Astra but I have the Corsa e vxr and owned 6 years from new. Modded it a fair amount and with good care never once skipped a single beat. Good fun cars looked after correct.
I wish this car was available in America. It is very stylish and fast. Good review!
Gr8 looking hot hatch. Bought a White one 6mths ago with 13k on the clock. Showroom condition, fully loaded, 20 Inch Alloys, Sat nav, Heated Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Folding Wing Mirrors, Lane Departure Warning, Automatic Road Sign Recognition, Infinity Sound System, and much more. The previous owner went all out and fitted every optional extra available. And I got to say, I love what I can only describe as the Darth Vada type sound you get when you really give it the beans... Coming from a N/A Type R EP3 & FN2 background, I never thought I'd look at a Vauxhall, but I can't fault it as 'Yet'.... I do miss my revs and the reliability from my past motor's. I only hope that I haven't jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire with this one.. My only criticism is the MPG, I average about 19mpg, 23mpg if I drive it like my granny. It should come with a Petrol Station attached, because if you ever buy a GTC VXR and you use the VXR button, the Petrol Station WILL be your second home....Lol
In GB it's Vauxhall, in the rest of Europe Opel, and in Australia Holden. Chevrolet in America, it's all General Motors
Jacky Twickx Opel went to shit after joining GM.
Dan O ffs it's the same
Used to be called Saturn in the USA didn't it?
Dan GM bought Opel in 1929...
Frogs own it now.
I’ve just bought one like this one and I LOVE IT !!!
have you had any problems?
@@petersothern2909 till now nothing! it works nicely 👌
Im jealous. I can maybe afford buying one but the maintenance Will be the struggle... maybe soon!
These guys review like a bunch of stale pensioners!!!
+Carlo K Exactly... and apparently they have the same humor as a bunch of stale pensioners.
They nearly are pensioners
In Australia it is sold as an Opel Astra OPC.
You mean Holden Astra vxr
+Vagelis Gameplays or he meant Austria :P
Βαγγέλης Σάββας Opel was temporarily in Australia for a few years, as at this time Holden had the Cruze.
HSV VXR in Australia (Holden Special Vehicles) name for Opel Astra H OPC in Europe and LatAmerica. Vauxhall Astra H VXR in UK, previous generation.
I love Plato trying to give advice on driving a fast Astra when he couldn’t drive one fast in the touring cars at the weekend just gone!
I've always envy Jonny - it should be massive fun to work with Tiff, JP and Vicki!!!
Best looking hot hatch imo
It does look brilliant.
I am going to buy one of these GTC, the best looking car GM has ever built
I love my astra it,s great fun.
@2:28
"Hot hatches are all about putting big performance into the hands of everyday drivers, and so in our test, we used an everyday driver."
Will always ❤ this car
Johnny Smith, Jason Plato , Tiff Nedell & Vicki BH Best line for 5th Gear
I nearly bought one but the wide rear arches put me off.
It would scrape the arches if i tried to put it in the garage i reckon.
True, its wide and visibility out the back isn't the best. The doors are really wide and massive as well so even if you got it in your garage without scraping it, you'd probably struggle to open the door wide enough to get out. Greetings to you in the Hastings area.
God this is one heck of a car.
GM needs to bring this over as the new Nova.
I remember reading about these in Evo magazine back in the day. Didn’t these come with a turbo 2.8 V6 at one point? I am perhaps thinking about another VXR
You are thinking of another vxr, it was the insignia also long ago was a v6 vectra Sri
And the Vectra .they both nicked the engine from Saab.
@@jasonboyle7203 no small VXR came with that V6? I remember the four door versions but I swear before the turbo inline 4 there was a V6 turbo but I am going back a lot of years
@@chrisdooley6468 yeh I ken ma grammar ain't so hot hahaha have edited comment
Not really, it's called Holden in Australia.
“Two hands on the wheel for goodness sake”. 😂😂😂
Should be interesting to see this engine in the Camaro.
FYI, it has some grunt; it has some decent interior; it is fun for normal people; it is not mighty expensive.
Here’s a conundrum, who makes all the Steering Wheels and gear Knobs....?, I only ask because nearly all look made the same way the same material.?!🤔
Humans
Got a 2015 model in black.so far engine blew at 27.800.and recently the second cat has gone duff.but it looks good with a few carbin fiber bits to replace the chrome
fik....! you are not the first one that says that@ fkn unbelievable those major engine failures !😡
It looks nice
Great looking car better in blue tho
Quite fancy the white one. Can get them about 10k these days too :)
I saw one for sale in Invercargill. Great looking car
Looks great
Budget Top Gear test team, VBH annoyed the most!
why does Europe get all the best cars..hot hatch options suck here in America. if I ever visit the UK I need to test drive these cars
The main reason we have hot hatches in the UK is due to our insane fuel costs, currently in the UK it costs roughly £1.4 ($1.75) per litre of petrol, where as in the states it'll cost you roughly £0.76 ($0.95) per litre. Therefore reducing the demand for small engines in the states.
(in the UK it is near un-heard of to have a 7.3 litre vehicle due to the insane running costs)
You get your challengers chargers camaro end f150 end i want theme but no sold in euro
It's only meant for two people!, so the big chairs in the front are fine, how many VXR's do you ever see four up?🤔
Plenty space in the rear
Astra J OPC over vw gti everytime!! After an accident with my ex GTI 200hp lose control after trying avoid hitting a large stone at a bend in the road (no drugs, no alcohol, even when i was super rigurous about its maintenance). i've never felt gti plenty estable and gripping as the Astra when cornering and weaving. It's a proper 'budge' hothatch for most of entusiast drivers in this kind of vids. About sat. nav. Infotainment and thing like that, i think a good one smartphone is the best solution!
Super looking motor, the new Astra is just pants in comparison. I have a diesel GTC with the OPC pack, only thing missing is the grunty engine and fancy seats 😂
I agree with the driver you don't realise how fast you are going! I love mine,it's not really designed for back seat passengers!
How long has Jonny worked with these 3? How has he not spend HOURS learning from them and getting them to teach him?? I would be bugging them on a daily basis to teach me!
I think it's because he's suppose to be a normal driver without any race training to try and show it from an average guys view
Johnny is the nicest
My one of these arrives in 3 days :)
How was it ?
It's Holden in Australia...
Even the diesel ones a good fun to drive
sigh GM has no hot hatch in North America......
Mike Buenting sonic rs
super lame. If it had 170 plus HP maybe
+Mike Buenting it has 280bhp, I have the 165bhp no vrx version. Handles great and has enough poke for UK roads. It suffers with horrendous turning circle, and lots of bad visibility at evey corner of the car. Parking sensors are a must. Small 55l fuel tank, won't do much more than 400 miles.
But the chassis is brilliant and divers superbly.
+Mike Buenting it has 280bhp, I have the 165bhp no vrx version. A Handles great and has enough poke for UK roads. It suffers with horrendous turning circle, and lots of bad visibility at evey corner of the car. Parking sensors are a must. Small 55l fuel tank, won't do much more than 400 miles.
But the chassis is brilliant and divers superbly.
Mike Buenting 280bhp
Thought it was a good review, the interior isn’t that nice, the seats are too big and it doesn’t sound great. It’s also not the best handling hot hatch nor the fastest so I thought they gave it a fair score.
Gumpy 49 That’s your opinion, I would love one of these. What would you class as the best hot hatch?
Looks good to me I’ll have one soon in red,at the end of the day it’s there opinion,but as an individual if you like it job done simples
awful review. Bunch of complaining childrens in the car.
Had a Astra H VXR looks loads better than this new family car vxr !!! Fastest car I’ve had
You can buy a 3 year old one for half price! If you spent £27k on one of these you must be mad!! But im pleased because now theres a few cheap 2nd hand ones for me to buy.
john jackson bought a 2015 VXR with 11000 km in Australia back in 2016 at 28000 AUD, which was a massive 40% loss in value within the first year (new at 46000AUD) I thought I picked up a bargain, but 2 years and 12000 km later... I am now struggling to sell it at 18000 AUD..... the resale value is just nut......
So why don't the experts drive to tell us how it goes??! I swear I can't believe it...
Sorry it's missing VW badge😒 I love my vxr it's so much fun great car and the noise is amazing it's A 2.0t FFS
Are they actually reviewing cars? Just asking.
And now Plato drives one in BTCC 🙂
Love this car
Dream car, only got the astra H OPC/VXR... :(
Right so all they did was steal the Opel Astra OPC Turbo sport (only a few hundred were made and i have one its not being made anymore) made it 2 doors with a fancy wing placed the steering on the other side and call it a new car? cmon
Vauxhall is for the British. They are just the same car really.
@@FAT8893 Yeah no not at all... the Opel Astra OPC Turbo Sport was a limited edition since only a few hundred were made Like i said.
If it comes to the US i think it will be sold as a Buick
The Andy oh a shitty saturn what ever you call then lol
It's so weird that Vauxhall is called Opel in the rest of the world haha :p
Or is it weird Opel is called Vauxhall in Great Britain only?
Join the Astra J VXR owners club. We attend all major UK shows. Biggest J VXR meets in the 🌎
a 2.2 engine rebored with turbo fitted
it weird that Opel called Vauxhall
A VIDEO review can be much more than that. Everybody knows that it has some grunt. It's a VXR. Of course it has some decent interior. It is a vauxhall. It's not an american or chinese car. And "it is fun for normal people". Yeah, normal people will buy an astra vxr. Sure. Normal people (not car fanatics) don't watch fifth gear. And it is a little expensive, at least for me (middle class).
I really like this Astra but it isn't worth 30 grand for that price you can get a 2015 Ford Mustang in the uk
+Thomas Cole and GTI is or a RS?
Yes, but even with a massive mustang engine, you can barely beat the astra :/
Rather have a Focus rs
Head gasket blows on them after like 2 miles
this is more subjective than Jeremy Clarkson, at launch it was the best hot hatch that you can buy
its nice but imagine spending 26 thousand on an astra
imagine spending 38k on an impreza
imagine spending 38k on an impreza
Kcuf elgoog tell me about it
Well 26k isn't too bad
back seat drivers ..... i had its big brother !!!! VECTRA VXR and was it fast and quick shame it had to go .
Worst understeer going
2020 - im gonna buy this OPC . not VW TFSI junks that are drinking oil like fuel.
old due; a youngster would give the noise at the back a 10!!!
please dont refer to people as "old" its very offensive.
Handles like it's on rails wet bald tyre's no difference brilliant
Hahahahaha, next joke..
Hot hatches have got so expensive.
i score 10!!
Vikki needs stop them tanning jabs
not everyone can afford a ferrari
2013 Fifth Gear
Astra VXR (1315)
bring to usa!!!!
I just couldn’t live with how awful the instruments look.
External looks are top notch though
Mk5 vxr looks much better!
It makes a noise... so 7. WTF. Can't take this programme serious 🤣
26k for a Vauxhall? Are you kidding me
Low mileage used ones now 12-16k fully spec'd out
35k for a golf no way
It's not the fastest car now now focus rs boosting 350hp a lot better car
the focus is 4wd...
wayne allan
This isn't marketed against AWD hot hatches. 🤣
Pumaspeed X47 it also £35,000.
fu(king ugliest looking Astra ever made (fact) the wheels just look way to big for it and it's tennis ball cut in half not my style for a Astra
This car is a big heavy fat-ass cow. The slowest of hot-hatches
+Moreira Da Lima The slowest? its the fastest Hot Hatch if you dont take into consideration the £50,000 german hot hatches which are ugly and rediculous, This VXR leaves an ST for dead and takes a Megane RS at the same time
Lol you actually called the Astras slow
8.5 I see that is your .
Can't get anything from this review. Anything. Please, make better reviews. You can do it!
Or that... :p
Why is the woman so grumpy
Because she dislikes the car's styling
Sweg
Needell you plonker 😮
i get viki here, it is one of the most. fuking ugly cars ever made, its sad opel makes shit cars like this
@Sink who wrote anything, about it was better?? are you drunk
its a Vauxhall so its poo buy a focus ST or Seat Leon Cupra 280 or Renault Megane Sport.
We got a PUB-REPORTER here guys
Ben Garlick The Renault would break down after driving 6ft
A Leon that drinks engine oil in 2 weeks? Nah you're alright.
Ben Garlick what you got lol
He drives a Prius, leave the poor fella alone haha
Just a shame it's a Vauxhall!