VAUXHALLAstra Sports Tourer 2010 - 2012

　　Following the new nameplate system established by the Insignia, Vauxhall introduced the Sports Tourer variant for the Astra, dropping the formerly used Estate moniker in 2010.

　　The world financial crisis was still affecting the automotive market, and Opel/Vauxhall was among the hardest-hit car manufacturers in Europe. Still, these brands managed to survive and dodged the bullet of bankruptcy. In addition, Vauxhall couldn’t stop improving its lineup for the UK market and introduced the station wagon for the Astra J generation. It was a significant improvement over the previous H generation of this compact model. Most materials inside the cabin were better, and the newly developed platform made the car more comfortable.

　　At the front, the Astra J had a new design language with organic lines and curved surfaces. Its headlights had L-shaped daytime running lights similar to those of the 2008 mid-size sedan Insignia. Above the bumper, Vauxhall installed a narrow grille adorned by a chromed slat at its upper side and also incorporated the carmaker’s badge. Lower, on the apron, the Astra Sports Tourer featured a broad lower grille resembling a smile and a pair of scoops flanking it.

　　Up to the B-post, the Astra Sports Tourer shared all its body panels with its hatchback sibling. Furthermore, the rear doors were carried over from its five-door brother, with the same sculptured lower line adorning the car’s profile. It was a necessary cost-cutting measure. Behind the rear doors, the automaker installed a third row of windows next to the trunk. This long-roof version of the Astra featured a raked-forward tailgate at the back adorned by a roof spoiler at its top. Finally, the rear fascia revealed wide taillights shaped to echo the headlights. The deep cut into the bumper to ease loading and unloading was unique for the Sports Tourer variant of the Astra.

　　Vauxhall created a family-friendly cabin for the Astra J, with a higher perceived quality than the Astra H, thanks to improved materials on the dashboard and door cars. As an option, customers could have the car fitted with a satellite navigation system, and in front of the driver, the automaker installed four dials in the instrument cluster instead of three as on its predecessor. The front seats featured mild bolstered areas and were known for their comfort. In the back, the Astra J was available either as standard or as an option (depending on trim level and engine version) with a 60/40 split-folding bench seat that expanded the trunk space from 500 liters (17.65 cu-ft) to 1550 liters (54.4 cu-ft).

　　Under the hood, the automaker installed a choice of diesel and gasoline engines ranging between 95 PS (94 hp) and 180 PS (177 hp). Versions fitted with powerplants that provided less than 100 PS (99 hp) were paired with five-speed manual transmissions, while the rest of the range was fitted with either six-speed manuals or six-speed automatic gearboxes.

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