New car news

Anonymity, thy name is Astra.

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Hmm, that rear end seems very familar. Golf? Megane? Seat thingy?

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I like. It's trying to pull off the 'classy yet classless' appeal that the VW Golf is so famous for. The problem is, people of all social classes love the VW Golf because it's such a good car. The Golf is to hatchbacks as the Porsche 911 is to sports coupes. It's the yardstick for hatchbacks. In order for the Astra to have the same popularity, it needs to feel and drive as good as it looks. And if the looks are anything to go by, you TG writers can take a break - i'll test drive it for you! :)

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Looks like a Megane that's been bred with a Corsa

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loks even duller than before. The only interesting looking cars in this segment are the new Civic hatch and Alfa 147. The Seat Leon ain't bad too, but this thing is plainly boring

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Today I saw an Insignia in the street, first time. In real life it actually looks quite pretty. Nice stance. You don't see that on the pictures... So wait until you see the Astra for real 'cos pictures don't work for Opel. Vauxhall.

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Looks allright i beleive, but actually, i do think every new Vauxhall (Opel where i live) looks good, they've really captured those modern looks. :) Don't like this car in silver though, i hate silver.

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That has to be the most dull looking car i have seen for a long time. Must try harder vauxhall.

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I think it looks pretty good - though I'm not sure on the rear; it is a tad Renault-ish. Plus, in almost ANY other colour, it's much, much less dull than the previous Astra, which wasn't exactly a 2-box dullard itself. Looking forward to the 3-Door version.

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A nose from the Insignia, a profile from the Seat Leon and an arse from the outgoing Mazda 3. Is it me or has the C-segment become extremely derivative?

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Front: Ampera Insignia Corsa (not bad). Side: Leon C4 (bad; copying). Rear: (concept for present)Megane Corsa (bad). I think that Astra G was the best design of all other Astras so far (just thinking about the shape the time when it was designed). This car looks like a "forced compromise" - "we mustn't leave all good cookies to Golf and Focus, so, lets mix something quick and fill our stomachs" - it sucks. But, that's the business. Long time ago, they've stopped making money to make cars and started making cars to make money. Bah.

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The proportions are good - and I've seen a good few Insignias on the road now (it outsold the Mondeo last month), and it has such road presence! Photos don't always to a car justice - and these look ever so slightly computerised. But I like it - more of an evolutionary approach (and I think the current car still looks great) - and with the innovative new engines and supposed good interior quality, it should do well again. Well done, Vauxhall.

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i think it looks fine, yeah it's not gonna take your breath away in the looks dept. but aren't many new small hatches that do these days - all down to safety you see. There's not alot to work with these days in the style dept - nip here, a tuck there but fundamentally all car manufacturers have got to work from very similar platforms and very similar restrictions - their hands are tied. I think the Astra is the best of a pretty weak bunch of similar cars.

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Looks better than the old one but it doesn't have that "Me want" feeling.

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How can you say it looks like a Megane? If you've not noticed Renault's AND Ford's are ugly, well the Ford's look better than Renault's but are far too BORING. Renault's fall apart and Ford's are just boring, passion-less and are slower than a DONKY. And the Golf GTI, well A. It falls apart B. its butt ugly C. It's boring D. It's a Clishe. The Vauxhall is good to drive, looks good, has good engines, has a good interior, and it doesn't break down. THE END

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All Vauxhall cars have a family first all the front lights were like the Vectra, now however they are going to be like the Insignia and so on.

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JohnAstonMartin: Golf GTi? Falls apart? You realise we ARE talking about the MkV, right? And cliche or not, it's a good car. I personally wouldn't buy one, but then that's because i don't plan on getting a hatchback for my next car unless it's the VW Scirocco (which is labelled as a sports coupe for some reason anyway).

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JohnAstonMartin, the Golf GTI VI is built like a tank just like, er, ALL German cars. It's kinda their thing. It can't be ugly and boring, ugliness adds (albeit negative) interest. And PLEASE proof read you comment for spelling before posting -- cliChe, donkEy. Plus, ugliness is an opinion, not a fact, so no I hadn't "noticed". I personally think all the current segment looks great compared to the previous generation of family hatches. And Ford? Slow? Focus ST? RS? Fiesta in a shopping centre?

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Agreed with Mikeado. Even the standard Ford Focuses will beat the snot out of whatever the french has to offer (except the Clio V6 and RenaultSport Megane), the ST is one of the fastest hatchbacks money can buy, and the Focus RS has more horsepower than a bloody Porsche Boxster for crying out loud. Then there's the Escorts, Sierra Cosworths, 500bhp Mustangs... the list goes on. Also i'd like to add that a car might look boring, but could be a real riot to drive. This car promises just that. After all, i'm sure the Ford Fiesta is a pretty anonymous car, and yet look at the fun Clarkson had with that. And the Peugeot 206 is one of the most common cars in Britain, yet it's competed in WRC for years.

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Ford Focus is arguably the second dullest looking car in this segment at the moment, (The dullest of course would be the Auris. Well done the most powerful car manufacturer in the world, we are humbled by your lack of design innovation) and this comes a close third. It doesn't matter if they ticked all the boxes or not, they just forgot to add some character. I'm sure it's going to be well built like the old one. No wait...

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Looks smart if vaguely too similar to Seat Leon and Renault Megane. I notice that the badge shape isn't really integrated into an body panels so could swap for a nice red Fiat one if necessary!!!

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What happened to its aerial? Did some chav pinch it, or is the black thing on the roof above the boot meant to be some aero tweaker like on BMWs? In those pics it just looks like an eagle's crap the morning after a night of guinness.

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Not that much changed, but this is a good looking car. Hopefully the VXR will come soon and have 8 million hp, like it seemed to last time. They do know how to get a lot of horsepowers at Vauxhall, but not how to go round corners with that horsepower. I think the GTI and the new Megane RenaultSport may lose to the VXR on power, but sail past it through the corners.

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Is is just me, or do the rear lights seem to come from an Audi RS6?

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The police might like it's classiness and any criminals who get picked up in this as a panda car might be more appreciative but Honda Civic is still better

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I work for a Vauxhall Dealer so it had better be good cos all our jobs depend on this. Looks promising though. If the interior is as high quality as the Insignia then the Golf is going to worry.

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The front end looks a lot like the new Mazda 3.

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The front end looks a lot like the new Mazda 3.

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It looks good, but I can't shake the feeling I've seen everything it has to offer somewhere else. It's new, but it feels like it's been for sale for a dog's age.

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As someone said, anonymous. Don't like it, and this is probably a top spec version. If I saw one on the street I'd swear it was a Hyundai or Kia.

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As for JohnAstonMartin, you don't deserve that name! Enough said.

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Quite funky. I'd still have a Golf

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Looking forward to the Fiat Corsa. Fiat Astra sounds just wrong.

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What an arse.

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I think fiat, umm.. i mean vauxhall is the only manufacturer that doesnt make an ugly car. This new astra has just changed that. Its not bad but it just so bland.

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Eww I hate it... like so many new cars the bonnet is too short and far too high up, not only that but the whole car looks poor quality and plasticy. I bet they still have those stupid indicator stalks that don't stay where you put them, and electric power steering that has all the feel of turning a dinner plate on a table.

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I like this. I mean its not as good as the last astra, and this new vauxhall range will look rubbish with VXR modifications. But it shows vauxhall are getting better at standard models. And the new insignia vxr isnt going to be too punchy, vauxhall should step their level up, or just not at all. Good luck to them, i hope they suceed in this economic downturn!

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Looks quite good. Its pretty much a scaled down Insignia

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puggyz,dull?,this car was desighned and built by the germans!,aka OPEL? since when have the germans made dull cars? and ill tell u what mate id rather drive a vauxhall any day of the week then drive a french motor! at least id get to my destination without breaking down! lol!

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Not shure on the styling it seems to look a bit like a holden and who would buy something with a vauxhall badge and say that they had a posh car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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