Our verdict
The Vauxhall Astra VXR is one of the maddest hot hatches. Driving it is a bit of a scrap, but one you’ll enjoy.
Comfort
Buckety semi-race seats clamp you in place, which is just what’s needed for the centrifuging of corners and the pummelling of the hard springs. Driving the VXR gently doesn’t bring much relief, either.
Performance
The 2.0 turbo makes a drastic 240bhp. In the lower gears it tends to get neutered by the traction control or spun away in a haze of tyre smoke, but point the steering straight in third and floor it and the results are spectacular. On a wide road this is a brilliant overtaker. You don’t really need six speeds in the gearbox, but they’re there anyway.
Cool
It’s a bit of a blue-collar hero this car, and has a BTCC record to envy. But that’s not the same as being cool.
Quality
The general feeling of well-being as you settle into an Astra cabin is about class standard. But the basic structure of the car feels better than that: solid and Germanic. VXR logos are plastered in so many places you’ll think you’ve got spots before your eyes.
Handling
The VXR clings on like mad and eats smooth corners for breakfast, dinner and tea. But if you’re trying to get the huge torque onto a bumpy or cambered road, hold the wheel tightly because this thing has a mind of its own.
Practicality
The three-door shell is shaped for looks, so boot access is more restricted, and the rear feels confined because of the small windows and the huge front seats.
Running costs
You’ll be chewing through a lot of tyres, but otherwise it’s a Vauxhall. Easy servicing, but not the depreciation-proof asset that the Golf GTI is.
