My ownership experience
Was the owner of a red 2017 Astra r+ Auto . Bought with 6,500 kays on it from a private seller. I like the design, build and features for the price. Thats where the good points end. I was very disappointed on such a new car the amount of rattles coming from interior trims coming from the dash, door area and seatbelt area. As I put more Kays on it I noticed how soft the paint was with many stone chips. I even had one on the roof!. I had engine problems when going up hills a clicking sound happen like the sound of a piece of tin in a coke can rat...Read more
tling and loose power for a moment or to. The transmission wasnt very smooth you could hear it clunk into second gear and would jolt. 1 year and 20,000km later I decided to trade it in for a older car and lost money as these Astra do not hold there value at all.Purchased in June 2021.
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R.V.Sydney, NSW
- 3 reviews
Nice drive
Purchased new in April 2018 for just over 20 thou. for the R+.
Has done over 30,000 Kims now.
This car has been quite reliable and economical. Plenty of go in the 1.4 Ltd donk.
Has excellent handling and good onboard tech. Although the forward collision alert seems to come on at odd times. But very comfortable car to drive.
Well worth the purchase price.
Purchased in April 2021 at Suttons.
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ASTRA PROBLEMS
I have had noting but problems with my BK Astra Has only done 25,000 klms. Water level topped up at every service, Blind spot mirrors warning coming on together, Vibration on gear changes, Irregular gear changes, Red warning light keeps coming on for no reason. Evaporative solenoid replaced.
Never will I buy another Astra/ Holden
Purchased in June 2021 for $29,000.00.
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David J.Sydney, NSW
Back up service under warranty is disgusting
Our Astra with less than 60 000kms on the clock and still under new car warranty had an orange light pop up saying ESC on the dash. So I rang Col Crawford who were great. I got the car in straight away only to be told that the car needed pistons and rings. Not a problem, I understand that, but the problem is that it took me 4 phone calls, an hour of my time each time and threatening that my solicitor said to send them the bills for a hire car to finally get a replacement car while they try and find pistons which they have no time frame on. Be wary if you plan on buying a Holden.
Purchased in July 2021 at Col Crawford for $14,500.00.
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Sagar
- 5 reviews
- 2 likes
Good car but not without quality niggles
Have had a 2018 Astra R+ hatchback for under 2 years with 11k kms on the clock so far.
Pros- it’s a drives like a dream with excellent ride, handling with decent power and kit. Good value for money
Cons- very bad paint quality, chips very easily, almost as if they used crayons for paint.
Headlights are extremely inadequate out of the city or on dark unlit roads
The placement of the reverse camera and the resolution are causes for limited utility
Purchased in April 2021 at Holden Dealers.
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Stan ZPerth, WA
Astra La Vista Baby
Our 2018 Holden Astra Sportwagon is a replacement for a 13 year old V6 petrol SUV.
It comes with a turbo charged 4 cylinder 1.4 litre engine that is as economical as it is powerful. Suburban driving returns 6.8 litres per 100km with the car being used every day as a family workhorse. Clocking over 500 km per week it is easy to drive due to its low centre of gravity and six speed auto gearbox, which has a " Sport " mode.
Rear load space ( with seats down ) is over 1600 litres and by any measure this is HUGE. Four tie down hooks keep Charlie th...Read more
Purchased in March 2021 for $16,985.00.
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Ashleigh HThe Mallee, VIC
Great little run around
The Astra RSV is comfy, stylish and has great features. The Adaptive Cruise Control has failed numerous times and the Bendigo dealership was unable to detect the problem. The features are lacking compared to our Calais V - no front camera, no windscreen display projection and manual seat adjustments. Overall, a good car but getting faults fixed is proving to be a problem.
Purchased in December 2021 at Holden Dealers for $30,000.00.
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Excellent small car
We chose the Astra RSV 1.6 turbo
Terrific car for our small family and recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable performer.
It’s fuel economy around town with Aircon on is about 7L/100km and is quite easy to drive with minimal road noise.
Holden have completed the first two services so far without anything extra needing to be fixed.
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Electreks PAU
- 3 reviews
- 2 likes
- BK (Hatchback) RS-V (2016-2020)
- Verified purchase
Best car we've owned
We purchased this Astra after having a TS hatch from new in 2005 and needed to update. After looking at the options, we decided to purchase the RSV with touring pack. This included the sun roof and the adaptive cruse control. (couldn't justify the expense for the innovations pack for LED headlights) The must have was the adaptive cruse control. This car is brilliant in features, performance and reliability, it is a real testament to the Opel brand and to the Holden team that tweaked it for the Australian conditions. I did research the vehicle ...Read more
on overseas forum sites before purchase and from what I was reading, the 1.6 L is the pick of the motors. The only thing I can say against this car is the paint is quite soft and chips easily. If I had know this when purchasing I would have got a clear wrap on the vehicle at delivery and then had nothing to complain about. After saying that I would not hesitate in re-investing in the same vehicle given the time over.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
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Rae
- 3 reviews
Astra must mean a Star.
My Astra Hatchback 2016 is one of a kind and I seriously rarely have seen another pass me. The sat nav is not great to use in a hurry. Twirling the dial back and forth and over and over for each letter is very tiresome. I end up using my Google Map app on my phone. Side vision is limited, but the electrics have not let me down more than once. Warranty covered that sad little affair. ( Whatever a broken front camera is, it stopped working)
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A real surprise! Great value, comfortable and fun to drive
Had never considered an Astra but when my circumstances changed from driving 20kms return to work, to 170kms, I needed a small efficient and comfortable vehicle. 3 months and 13000kms later, couldn’t be happier. Quiet, comfortable and great on fuel (averaging 6.3l mixed city and HW). Fantastic stereo- sound connectivity and simplicity is amazing. aircon, heated seats and steering wheel all work great. Car feels solid and well made, soft touch materials and well fitted panels. Safety gear works well and not at all intrusive like a lot of other m...Read more
anufacturers offerings. Engine is sporty and has fantastic flexibility due to the torque in the lower revs and between 0-100kmph is very quick. Loses a little steam higher in the revs but only an issue when going very quickly. handling very good when needed but ride is still supple enough for day to day driving, heaps of room for 4 adults and boot is a reasonable size. Love the remote starting, never knew what I was missing until I had it! Start the car on the way out to the car and nice and cool when I get inside. Negatives- factory tyres ordinary, and gearbox can be a little clumsy at low speeds. Leather seats although comfy and supportive, feel is a little plastic and cheap. Engine is great however can be harsh and noisy above 4500 revs. Due to the low down power is does torque steer when giving it the beans. All in all small issues but nothing is perfect! In summary, if your after a well sorted small car with all the bells and whistles with plenty of grunt, without the pricetag of the other manufacturers top spec offerings, give the Holden a go. Great deals currently from holden, very underrated and highly recommended for a great all round commuting, family and surprisingly fun vehicle.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
daveIllawarra, NSW
- 4 reviews
- 4 likes
Great buy
Hadn't considered one as a bit dearer than others in category. But on seeing a low km demo for $20K i had a look. Very impressed with the value and features of r+ . Drive much better than the cerato sport and i30. Cheaper too. Engine doesn't struggle on hills like the i30 or cerato. Hardly any cabin noise. 5 years warranty and 3yrs servicing included.
The car has a surprising amount of kick when you want to overtake. Can only dream about the extra grunt in the 1.6 turbo on the RS.
Safety features are cool. Lane keep assist feature is a treat....Read more
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Mary FalconerRedondo Beach
- 4 reviews
- 1 like
Dream Car
Good for nothing. 5 weeks after I bought this car it broke down. That was one sure sign of it being a lemon. Test drive and yep, very impressed. Steering was so easy, seats comfy, spacious, all the bells and whistles except for inbuilt maps, but can get the current up-to-date maps from my mobile phone via usb cable, and that works great.
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LukeSydney
- 2 reviews
- 2 likes
Terrible
Good for nothing. 5 weeks after I bought this car it broke down. That was one sure sign of it being a lemon.
Second sign was when I took it for its first 6 monthly warranty service, and got told repairs would cost $880. ???
Apparently what needed to be replaced was not covered by the warranty. How convenient.
Somebody told me the Astra and the Holden Viva have same engine types. I will know to stay away from both in the future.
Please note: All the positive reviews you see, are written by Holden dealers. Customers will never have anything good to say about a Holden.
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Ronnie D
- 5 reviews
- 2 likes
Dream Car
Oh wow, I so love my new Astra. Replaced my 2004 Astra, was so happy with the old car decided to stick with Astra. Looked at a few new ones, and fell in love with this sleek black 4 door hatch back, was a demo model. Test drive and yep, very impressed. Steering was so easy, seats comfy, spacious, all the bells and whistles except for inbuilt maps, but can get the current up-to-date maps from my mobile phone via usb cable, and that works great. Sensors here there and everywhere, so many features, still learning them. My son informed me the Sport setting/button works well. Real good on fuel consumption.
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woodunnHahndorf
- 7 reviews
- 6 likes
- BK (Hatchback) RS-V (2016-2020)
- Verified purchase
Great low down grunt and good looking to boot
Good value top of the range hatch.
Plenty of power and smart traditional automatic.
Handles great around the Adelaide Hills and also on the open road.
Fantastic technology with DAB radio, Android Auto, Apple Carplay, self parking, heated seats..........
We found the seats in the R and RS too tight with the side bolsters however the RS-V with leather have a wider seat base and are very comfortable.
The lumbar support adjusts vertically and horizontally.
The only downside so far is it requires 95RON as a minimum.
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BP93Brisbane
- 4 reviews
- 1 like
Simplicity at its finest!
Astra la vista baby. Yes, tested here is the 2017 Holden Astra R manual, the newest iteration of the Astra family launched in Australian showrooms in November 2016.
Starting with design, Astra has always been a good-looking car and this generation is no different. In base model ‘R’ form, Astra really looks quite the package. In a former nod to its predecessor, Astra retains its symmetrical oval headlights with a nice touch of DRL’s (daytime running lamps). On the road, the DRL’s really set the Astra apart from the competition making it quite...Read more
a head turner. Side on, Astra really looks the part thanks in construction to the D-Pillar design. The D-Pillar design joins with the C-Pillar window creating an uncommon execution not seen on many cars in its segment. On paper and through photos, the design can look odd and not well executed. But in the metal, the design emphasises Astra’s athletic and svelte European lines perfectly. At the rear, Astra design brings quite a masculine design to the table. In base model R, Astra really looks the business with its Alfa Romeo-esque taillight design and over layer of dark tint, creating an imposing and ‘boss’ look to the design. Dressed in ‘Absolute Red’, Astra really brings a cohesive and exciting design to the table. On the road, Astra is quite the nimble little car. In base ‘R’ format, Astra comes equipped with a 1.4-litre turbo engine comprising of 110kW at 5000rpm and 245NM at 2000rpm (240NM Auto). The engine was previously seen on its predecessor ‘Cruze’ nameplate. Where Cruze stumbled, Astra succeeds with a 100kg+ loss over Cruze scaling in at 1283kg, transforming the engine and meaning Astra is a hoot to drive around town, with steady power and good acceleration surge to keep most A to B drives fun and exciting. 0-100km sits at around the low 7 to high 8 mark, meaning Astra is swift enough to navigate fast paced freeways and roads without hesitation. How’s that translate to economy? Thought you’d never ask. With a 1.4-litre turbo engine and 1283kg of metal to move, Astra is quite efficient. Around town and with a heavy foot, Astra will sit on around 7.0-8.0L/100km. Highway is Astra’s strongpoint with the engine sitting comfortably just below 2000rpm in sixth gear, bringing a fuel efficient 5.0-5.5L/100km to the table. For the record, my personal best on economy was 4.9L/100km.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Pretty good
The engine is little small, but pretty economic. The interior are really good. I am very enjoy when I drive the car. Nothing have problem. It is a good first car. I guess. I would recommend this car probably. Running cost is not too high. The reliability is good. I guess I would have this car for a while.
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Austin
- 2 reviews
Great value
The driving experience is smooth and fun. Hardly can hear any noise while driving. The insulation does a fantastic job. The ergonomics is perfect for a first car buyer like me. However, lots of cheap plastic in the cabin which makes the quality a bit nasty. Overall a very good first car.
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DeanSafety Bay, WA
- 6 reviews
- 2 likes
Great car. Love it!
Nice smooth drive, really love its fuel efficiency. Yes to take it for a country trip but can’t wait to go do. Apple Car Play very handy and heaps of information comes from the onboard computer. No regrets at all about my purchase. Will buy an Astra again once my 5-year warranty runs out.
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Questions & Answers
Amber C.asked
Wondering what experience others have had with turnaround under warranty. Under 2 yo Astra r+ has so far had confirmed blown piston and cracked piston head - currently investigating whether its damaged the bore - to which Ive been told thisll mean a full engine replacement (26k on the engine!!). Im pushing for a courtesy car because Im stuck 30ks from the service centre with 3 kids and no car. while Im giving the dealer the chance to get things done (they havent finished their warranty process yet - but Ive been told their warranty lady goes on leave tomorrow) Im worried if I dont start to push Ill be stuffed for at least another week. Would appreciate some guidance on a way to expedite the process - no doubt Holden hasnt even had anything through from the dealer as yet.
No answers
Alison R.asked
Hi my Astra 2016 R model central locking only unlocks the driver’s side door. I have to press the lock unlock function to let my passengers in once I’m inside the car. My model doesn’t have keyless entry. How do I get my central locking to unlock all doors?
Jess masked
What do people think of the Holden Astra R BK 16/17? Are they lemons? I've test driven one and really liked it but I've heard the Astra can be unreliable. I'm not sure if that's associated with earlier models though. I really liked the car but should I be concerned it would die on me or something?
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