Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTi Diesel Hatchback...

The Vauxhall Astra is a good all-rounder that's sharply styled and easy to live with. It's not the most exciting or involving car to drive but it's safe and composed with good road manners while there's a wide range of strong diesel and petrol engines. The interior is well finished too with good quality materials but unfortunately the layout isn't particularly good with some of the buttons and controls in awkward places. The boot is cramped too - especially when compared to other hatchbacks. But with plenty on the used market and an abundance in car supermarkets, there's no need to pay over-the-odds for one.

There's a strong diesel choice with no fewer than three engine sizes and five power outputs - all of which deliver good economy. The 1.3 CDTi (from mid 2005) has 90bhp and although it can feel stressed at times, it returns a good 58mpg. The 1.7 CDTi isn't a particularly refined engine, it's available with 80bhp or 100bhp but the 1.9 CDTi is smoother and more powerful - plus with 120bhp and 150bhp its as fast as the petrol models. Our choice would be the 150bhp version of the 1.9CDTi which offers strong performance but will return 50mpg (identical to the 120bhp version). In late 2008 an ecoFLEX model with a 1.7 CDTi engine was introduced. This has 110bhp - 10bhp more than the standard 1.7-litre diesel, and yet thanks to engine management tweaks, emits 119g/km of CO2 and averages 63mpg.

Air Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, Radio/CD, Central Locking, ABS, Passenger Airbag, Side Airbags, Power Assisted Steering, Remote Central Locking, Audio Remote Control, Front Electric Windows, Front Head Rests, Heated Door Mirrors, Rear Wiper, 3x3 Point Rear Seat Belts, Drivers Airbag, Height Adjustable Drivers Seat, Isofix Child Seat Anchor Points, Service Indicator, Trip Computer, Electric Door Mirrors

If you require any further information or would like some assistance with deciding upon which diesel hatchback or diesel saloon would best be suited to you and your business then please .