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8.11.2004
Victory for Opel Astra 1.9 CDTI station wagon

Opel stays in the fast lane: In the latest issue of the German motoring magazine “Auto Bild” the Opel Astra 1.9 CDTI station wagon wins a comparison test against rivals Renault Mégane Grandtour 1.9 dCi and Toyota Corolla Combi 2.0 D-40.

The magazine praises the Opel Astra’s 1.9 CDTI engine for having exemplary running characteristics and power output. With an average fuel consumption of 6.7 liters/100 kilometers the Astra beats the Mégane (6.9 liters) and the Corolla (7.1 liters). Reportedly, Opel also gets the most out of the diesel engine: to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h the Opel needs just 9.6 seconds – far less than the Renault (11.1 seconds) and the Toyota (11.3 seconds).

The Astra also received high marks for its driving performance. Although the sports suspension reduces the driving comfort, the running characteristics are exemplary. The 6-speed manual transmission suits to this sporty character. Gear shifting is easy and precise.

Auto Bild’s verdict: “Opel, Renault, Toyota: We were looking for the best combination in the compact class – and we found it: The Opel Astra Caravan wins. Not hands down but still clearly. The base price for the 150 hp version is sensationally cheap and it offers the best station wagon virtues.”

Test results:

1. Opel Astra 1.9 CDTI	440 points
2. Renault Mégane 1.9 dCi	432 points
3. Toyota Corolla 2.0 D-40	400 points