Astra is one of the most recognised nameplates in Australia - and at one point this was one of the General Motors empire's biggest markets for the small car. The original Astra was simply a rebadged Nissan Pulsar before Holden adopted the Opel Astra from 1993 onwards. Holden dropped the Astra for a number of years after it added the Cruze small car to local production alongside the Commodore. The model returned as an Opel for just a year before GM's German brand was scared away by the highly competitive local market. Holden then imported sporty, three-door versions of the Astra (the GTC and VXR) before late 2016 saw the arrival of the sixth-generation Astra.
Pros
Cons
Competent ride and handling. Fast and fun VXR hot-hatch.
Good turbo petrol engines
Sedan's spacious cabin; hatch's practical boot
BK generation (late 2016) brought more upmarket cabin