By guest blogger Luke Heydenrych

Find him on twitter @TheLukism

I love being pleasantly surprised by something that delivers more than I ever expected. And spending a week with the new Opel Astra 4 1.4 Turbo Enjoy, gave me exactly that. A spacious, dynamic and enjoyable vehicle, that makes for a perfect daily run-around and a comfortable long-haul drive as well.

Historically, Opel Astra would make me think of the car most should remember from the late 1990s. It was a popular car that you would often see driving around the suburbs, and I at least, knew a few people who owned one. Popular yes, but not entirely captivating or awe inspiring. Cut to 2013, and we are faced with a very different scene- a car that under promises and over delivers in every way.

Besides the “sex appeal” in the way the Opel Astra 4 looks, there’s even more excitement when you lift its skirt. The 1.4 Turbo Enjoy is jam-packed with every luxury add-on you would want and more.

So let’s talk features:

Putting the sporty GTC and OPC models aside, the Opal Astra 4 boasts four dynamic models: A 1.6 Essentia, 1.4 Turbo Essentia, 1.4 Turbo Enjoy and 1.6 Turbo Sport.

The Turbo Enjoy is a swift and intuitive drive, and from the driver’s seat you are offered the following features over and above other 1.4 models:

•             Anti-dazzle review mirror

•             Rain sensor wipers

•             Flex Ride

•             Automatic headlight control

•             Automatic headlamp levelling

•             Rear power windows

The interior cabin of the vehicle has an appealing revamped aesthetic, with adjustable seats and steering column offering even this 6 foot 5 driver more space than needed. The “infotainment” system includes a front loader CD player with MP3 capability and AUX input. It also has an impressively easy to connect, wireless smartphone integration system making it a safe hands-free drive. On the safety note, the Astra 4 has six airbags throughout the cabin, including side and curtain airbags, and side impact protection bars.

Holistically, the new Opel Astra 4 is the large hatch to watch out for in the segment. It offers everything you could need and at a price range you can’t ignore- between R235 000 and R303 000 (R260 900 for the 1.4T Enjoy on review).

How does it compare to its peers?

I picked four popular cars in the segment to compare it to as listed below.

From a drive perspective I found it hard to fault the vehicle on any aspect. It’s smooth, comfortable, quiet and enjoyable. The question is… would I buy it? Yes indeed! I’d swap out the white colour I had for the gunmetal grey, and probably want leather seats and a sunroof if available. Definitely worth a look.

Opel SA website