Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission

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Tue 9 Aug 2011 13:16
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - RedLake

Am looking at low mileage 07 or 08 plate Astras, around the £5k range. Specifically want an automatic, but probably can't pay the premium for the diesel version, and only make short journey's anyway with very infrequent motorway miles, so a bit bothered about DPF issues. Thefore want petrol version.

Fuel economy aside, Is there much difference between the 1.6 and 1.8 petrol versions in an automatic? .... Have heard that the 1.6 Astra ecoflex is a bit weedy.

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Tue 9 Aug 2011 22:33
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Avant

The trouble with the smaller engine will be that you have to use more 'welly' to achieve the same performance that the bigger engine can manage with ease - and therefore save little if any fuel.

Go for the 1.8....if you're sure you want an Astra.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 00:51
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - jamie745

Ive never met anybody who 'wants' an Astra, the Astra is the white-goods of motor vehicle. Its there, but nobody would care if it wasnt. Its bang in the middle of 'meh' regardless of what engine or gearbox it has.

I agree with Avant, small engines need some driver ability on the gears to get the best out of them and auto's typically stunt them anyway so biggest is best.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 08:36
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Talking Hoarse

Actually, I think that the real trouble with the 1.6 Astra auto is that it has the easytronic gearbox that some will tell you to avoid. Drive a 1.6 and research if you are considering.

The 1.8 has a torque converter box that should be OK. I have driven several of the 1.8's - they are well sorted, go well (with 140hp), drive smoothly but are not particularly economical. Good thing is that the 1.8's are quite good value 2ndhand.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 11:05
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - spacem_uk

If the 1.6 is the Easytronic we had this in an '05 plate Astra Estate and it went like stink, no lack of power at all. Drove it like I'd stole it some of the time and still managed an average of 44mpg over 3 years/48k miles without skipping a beat.

Turned into a right monster if you pressed the Sport button.

However this was coming from a manual driving experience, so when the gearbox went to shift I knew to lift off slightly and you get a smoother change.

Coming from a traditional torque converter automatic you may not fair so well with it (plant you foot and zoom, off you go).

Also you MUST use the handbrake to prevent rolling back, as no hill start assist available on the Easytronic.

Had a normal sized Astra 1.8 auto petrol as a hire car for a few days and was ok, drank petrol though.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 13:22
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Victorbox

"I've never met anybody who 'wants' an Astra, the Astra is the white-goods of motor vehicle. Its there, but nobody would care if it wasnt."

I thought the request was for opinions of which Vauxhall engine to choose, not a chance for you to spout off about your obvious dislike of the Vauxhall Astra. I suspect the thousands who work at Ellesmere Port would care if it was there or not.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 13:51
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Sam49

I have driven plenty of these and they're nice cars; I find them refined, comfortable. I agree with the comments above - 1.8 VVT (140) automatic goes well.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 16:10
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - jamie745

Oh get off your soapbox Victor. I was responding to Avant's 'if you really want an Astra' bit. Get over yourself.

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Thu 11 Aug 2011 02:10
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Dynamic Dave

Ive never met anybody who 'wants' an Astra.

And the stupid statement of the month goes to.....

If nobody wants one, then how come they're continually in the top 10 car list?

Jamie, has anyone ever told you that you like the sound of your keyboard too much and sometimes your opinions are worth diddly squat?

Anyway, back on topic, as others have said, avoid the easytronic gearbox. A manual gearbox cannot be turned into a reliable auto box with just a few servo motors.

It's a pity with the Astra-H Vauxhall only put the aisin warner auto box in engines 1.8 litre and above. In the Astra-G the 1.6 engine and the aisin warner auto box were a good combination.

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Thu 11 Aug 2011 04:00
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - jamie745

Ive never met anybody who 'wants' an Astra.

And the stupid statement of the month goes to.....

If nobody wants one, then how come they're continually in the top 10 car list?

Jamie, has anyone ever told you that you like the sound of your keyboard too much and sometimes your opinions are worth diddly squat?

They have. Frequently. Im ok with it. Thanks for pointing it out though. Appreciated.

I still stand by my statement that nobody wants an Astra. People buy them because its either cheap, given to them, all they can get hold of, cant be bothered to go elsewhere or its the only car they've tried. Of course you could say all of those reasons constitute 'wanting' an Astra, people might well 'want' it because its cheap and will do the job, for sure, nothing wrong with that. What i mean is its not one of them cars which gives you that feeling in your stomach of 'god i want one of those' even in VXR form. I'd still rather have a Focus ST or a Golf GTi or something. I dont think you understood what i meant by 'wanting' one. If people 'want' something cheap and at hand and the Astra ticks all the boxes then fine.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 22:39
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Avant

"....when the gearbox went to shift I knew to lift off slightly and you get a smoother change."

You did well - I should take drivign lessons from you! When I had a Corsa courtesy car with the Easytronic gearbox, try as I might I couldn't get it to change smoothly despite trying various degrees and timings of lifting off. If the 1.6s are all Easytronic I'd be even more in favour of the 1.8.

Most of the competition (Focus and Golf in particular) is more inspiring to drive than an Astra - hence my mild comment above - but the OP may of course have looked at others already and decided on an Astra.

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Wed 10 Aug 2011 23:20
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Nezza
I have never driven an auto Astra so can not comment on the original question, however in response to other people's negative points about the Astra I can honestly say I would have the Astra over the Focus any day. I have owned an Astra mk5 for the last 6 year and find it comfortable and the best car I have owned for reliability. The Focus I have driven plenty of times with work and I find them uncomfortable and the whole driving position badly set up. (including the hand brake which is next to the passenger not the driver). It may handle better but let's be realistic, unless you are racing them, no modern car of this category actual handles badly. The Astra is not without faults, the heater and stereo fascia is badly designed so it is too vertically positioned so not as easy to see and adjust as some rivals. However, this is my opinion only.

I would not buy a golf due to the premium for very little extra. In fact my money would probably go to the KIA Ceed which I found to be a very competent car at a very good price. Again I have never driven the auto in this model.

Neil
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Thu 11 Aug 2011 12:29
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - spacem_uk

You could get it to upshift by driving like a manual, rev up to speed and lift slightly and it would upchange, I think you have to learn at what rev range its due to change, but we did quite well together, it probably learned my style and me its shift points.

The only time it wouldn't and would hold onto the lower gear was when cold first thing on an icy morning for the first mile or so, I assume just to get some heat in the engine. I think in about three years of driving I over rode its gear selection about 4 or 5 times, if that.

Plant your foot and off like a rocket from the lights.

The Snow setting worked, (starts off in 2nd) also coped well with a muddy Glastonbury when others were being yanked out by tractor.

Sport setting used occassionally, didn't really need it, as already quite brisk.

Nicely screwed together, plenty of space (it was the estate) and economical for a petrol auto. in Design spec so auto lights and wipers also. I think in three years all it ever need was a fuse replacing, due to a frozen windscreen washer.

Would of bought at the end of the lease if had the readies.

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Thu 11 Aug 2011 17:30
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - Chris79

I don't have to much experience in autos, I did until recently have a job that involved me getting a Astra sized hire car twice very 3 weeks. During this time I had just about every different type of astra sized car some in auto and manual. The one thing I do remember is that without a doubt the worst car for me out of all of these was a Focus 1.6 auto. It had 4 speeds (Not sure what type of box it was) but it was absolutely gutless, I can honestly say I had more pleasure driving a Hyundai Atoz as a hire car!.

The Astra's I had as a hire car were always pretty good, Personally, and im well aware that people would disagree with me out of all the mainstream non premium models I thought they were one of the best. It wasn't as good as a Golf, But that said im not sure that VW can justify its premium price tag anymore - they don't seem to have an outstanding reliability record.

The other car that stood out for me was the Kia Ceed. Found the I30 a bit plasticky, Focus didn't really do it for me for the same reason and Peugeot 308 because it was French!.

I guess if lease companies all over England buy Astras in droves them they can't be that bad, as lets face it the accountants would have soon ruled them out if they were costly to run.

Good luck car hunting.

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Tue 16 Aug 2011 13:26
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - RedLake

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. Have been away, so only just caught up with it.

On the subject of "wanting" and Astra, well if you search used car ads for an automatic, under £6k, preferably 3-4 years old, and without silly mileage, (as my circumstances dictate) you'd better want an Astra 'cos that's all there are on offer! - I'd prefer an Audi or even a Jag, but then I always did have champagne tastes on a lemonade budget.

Am starting to get my head around the many types of automatic and semi-automatic box, and as far as I can tell most folk seem to prefer the old type of sequential or "epicyclic" box than the modern "easytronic" of CVT types. Better reliability over the long term apparently.

Having always been a manual Ford driver, currently stuck with an utterly gutless 1.6 Zetec that requires me to apply in writing at least 3 weeks before I wish to overtake anything, I am mildy encouraged by actual Astra drivers comments here regarding performance and comfort etc.

Once again, thanks all for your input.

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Tue 16 Aug 2011 16:00
Vauxhall Astra - Which engine best for automatic transmission - jamie745

You can get some excellent Jag's for under 6k like i did but 26 to the gallon isnt ideal for high mileages. I think ive noted in other threads the 1.6 in the Focus is gutless and underpowered. Personally i just dont like Vauxhall's and i'd never buy one, i'd purposely buy something worse and less useful if that was the choice. But thats just me.

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