A new 178bhp engine in the Vauxhall Astra combines performance and economy, thanks to a modest 1.6 engine and a turbocharger.
With our attention firmly on the Corsa VXR at the moment, it would be easy to overlook the newly refreshed Vauxhall Astra. Yet it too can be had with the new 1.6-litre turbocharged engine (albeit in slightly de-tuned form) that the VXR boys have just dropped into the Corsa.
Like most mid-size hatchbacks, the Astra has grown over the years, which perhaps explains why you fear the 1.6 turbo unit will feel a little swamped. Refreshingly, nothing could be further from the truth. Despite being some 400cc smaller than the 2-litre turbocharged engine it supercedes, the new 1598cc ECOTEC unit not only manages to develop more power (178bhp versus 168) but it also consumes 13 per cent less petrol in the process. Coming at a time when vehicle emissions are under the microscope, it’s heartening to see Vauxhall rising to the challenge of engine downsizing while still giving us more power to play with.
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