2017 Holden Astra RS Review – The Sweet Spot In New Small Car Range
History never repeats, according to 1980s pop-rock band Split Enz. But it certainly is trying to in the case of the Holden Astra RS.
Not because this small Holden is attempting to revive old-school small-car motoring, but rather it is trying to rekindle its spark on the charts. From the late 1990s until mid-way through the 2000s, the Astra was absolutely class leading. But the Mazda3 and Volkswagen Golf then stormed the reign parade, just before the Astra was killed.
Holden’s Cruze replacement never really recovered from either a talent or sales perspective, but now the Astra returns armed with class-leading power and torque figures, competitive kerb weights, segment-challenging technology and keen pricing.
As with New Zealand-born song-artists Tim and Neil Finn, Holden hopes Australia will call the new Polish-built Astra our own. But can charts-topping success return?
Vehicle Style: Small hatchback
Price: $26,240 plus on-road costs
Engine/trans: 147kW/300Nm 1.6 turbo petrol four-cylinder | six-speed manual
Fuel Economy Claimed: 6.5 l/100km | Tested: 9.0 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The entry-level Astra R is designed to toil with the Hyundai i30 and Toyota Corolla, and the 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder model grade is a superb option in either six-speed manual ($21,490 plus on-road costs) or auto ($22,490 plus orc) form.
However, the middle-tier Astra RS, as tested here, is designed to lure small car buyers up the range while making no apologies for tackling the semi-sporty Mazda3 SP25 and semi-luxurious Volkswagen Golf 92TSI Comfortline head on. For too long, these models have been leaders for raciness and refinement respectively.