1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154 
LONG-TERM TEST VEHICLE
Page 46
Page 47
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
VAUXHALL ASTRAVAN SPORTIVE SE 1.9CDT1
Price: £14,920 Payload: 647kg Mileage: 14,545 Expenses: None Faults: None Average mpg: 45.1 Modern vans may profess to have car-like handling, but as easy as they are to drive nowadays, it's only when you get into a product that's based wholly on a car that you realise the gap still exists.
Having spent time with our new long-term addition, a Vauxhall Astravan Sportive SE, we've rediscovered our love of driving, such is the experience it offers.
The Astra has always been labelled 'a van for those who don't like driving vans', but this latest incarnation takes that concept a stage further.
Boasting 148hp, 17-inch alloys and sports suspension is always going to help the cause, but at the heart of this sleek van is a chassis that's as capable as it is forgiving.
It feels phenomenally well planted on the road, and changes direction at the flick of a wrist, thanks to steering that has a tight ratio and accurate tracking, complete with plenty of feedback. In fact, it's so good that we now think about our approach and exit from corners, so we can capitalise fully on its its abilities, combining its powers with a cornering talent that once more dusts off the hackneyed expression "on rails".
Around town the Astravan is easy to navigate through traffic, although the obscured side vision is only partly alleviated by the sporty — but small — door mirrors.
That said, though, spending time in the Astra is certainly not a chore, thanks largely to its achingly stylish yet simple interior.
The body-hugging driver's seat is surprisingly comfortable, if a little firm for long distances, while the range of adjustments are plentiful to help muster a decent driving position.
There's also much praise for the engine, which more than matches the sporting pretensions elsewhere, thanks to the near tidal wave of torque it provides from 2,000rpm upwards, although with your foot planted to the floor, a frisky degree of torque steer can kick in.
However, if you're not one for high-speed dramas, the Astravan also provides a serene and relaxed drive when you ease off. This long-termer does everything with an accuracy you just won't find in a high-cube van, and it's this quality that really sets it apart. •