Vauxhall Astra Twintop

Our verdict

The Vauxhall Astra TwinTop uses a three-section roof in an attempt to make a four-seat convertible smoother-looking. Point duly missed.

Comfort

Front seats are excellent, but out back it's cramped and windblown if the roof's down. At least it's waterproof with the roof up. The ride is a bit harsh.

Performance

Straightforward engine range consists of 1.6 (sluggish) 1.8 and 2.0 turbo engines. All are smooth and willing but only the turbo is anything special. Oh and it's not the VXR engine, which would get out of hand in this body. You can have a 150bhp diesel. More and more go that way.

Cool

Open cars are about abandoning yourself to hedonism. Folding-roof four-seat cars are a demonstration that you can't actually let go of the real world. Oh dear.

Quality

The general feeling of well-being as you settle into an Astra cabin is about class standard, but the basic structure of the car feels solid and Germanic.

Handling

Sharp-steering and quick to react, the Astra is fun to drive, but the TwinTop suffers from a gain in weight and a loss of stiffness even Viagra couldn't adjust.

Practicality

The roof uses up the boot space and the back seats are cramped, but among open cars this is one of the more useful.

Running costs

Everything is obsessively worked out by Vauxhall with the fleet market in mind, so fuel and insurance and maintenance costs are pared to the bone.