Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Exclusiv 1.4 16v (100ps) 5dr Car Review - March 2012

With a maximum power output of 99 bhp at 6000 rpm and a torque figure of 96 lb-ft at 4000 rpm, this 1.4 litre petrol engine delivers a fair amount of power. The car has a top speed of 109 mph, the same as the diesel model, and 62mph arrives in a fairly pedestrian 13.5 seconds.

The engine runs quietly and noise from the wind and road only becomes excessive at high speeds. However, the chassis is well sorted and the Astra Sports Tourer drives with a suprising amount of agility and panache.

The Astra Sports Tourer is good looking inside and out and although the Exclusiv trim level is not the most advanced in the range, it offers a decent selection of features with other options available for an additional cost.

The standard features include power steering, central locking, stability control, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control and an advanced stereo with CD and MP3 compatibility.

Optional extras include alloy wheels, climate control, a metallic pain finish, rear parking sensors, an alarm, Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in sat nav. All of these options are available at cost with Bluetooth connectivity the cheapest at £220 and a built-in sat nav the most expensive option at £855.

The Astra Sports Tourer should be fairly reliable and benefits from an impressive 100,000 mile warranty.

In terms of safety, the car performed well in the NCAP crash tests, achieving a five star rating for overall safety. Driver, passenger and front side airbags are all included as standard.

An immobiliser is fitted to protect the car from theft and an alarm can also be added to increase safety but this will cost buyers an additional £250 – although it does become a standard fitting on other trim levels within this range.

As a five door model, access to the car is easy and this makes it ideal for families. The practicality of the car is also shown through its boot capacity which stands at an impressive 500 litres with the seats in place and a mammoth 1,550 litres when the seats are folded down.

Priced at £18,150, the Vauxhall Astra Tourer is priced higher than a number of its rivals and this could prove a problem for buyers – especially those on a budget. The range also has poor resale values with high depreciation levels and this means these models are something of a risky investment.

On top of this, the petrol model fails to match the diesel when it comes to efficiency and running costs. For the petrol, insurance premiums are fairly low under insurance group 9 but road tax falls under band E and refuelling will be more frequent than in the diesel.

Therefore, for those looking for long term ownership of a reliable and efficient model, the diesel powered Vauxhall Astra Tourer would be a better option, offering higher savings with few compromises.