Car reviews

The Astra Sport Hatch is radically different from it's dull five-door sibling and Vauxhall has done a great job in producing a sporty and distinctive design. The model is a fairly common site on the roads so it's easy to forget how attractive and neatly styled it is with a low, purposeful stance. It's entertaining to drive too thanks to a lower ride height than the five-door version although the steering feels a little remote. The cabin is disappointing - it's a dull design and the switches on the centre console are fiddly to use while the boot is awkward to access due to a narrow opening and high lip. If you can forgive these shortcomings however the Astra Sport Hatch makes a chic three-door and comes with a good choice of engines including some hot hatch rivalling turbocharged units.