Vauxhall Astra GTC review

Why has Vauxhall put so much effort into the totally bespoke-look Astra GTC coupe? Because lots are going to be sold: around 20,000 a year in the UK alone. As there’s now no three-door Ford Focus (something Vauxhall finds hard to conceal its delight about), a huge opportunity exists for the Astra GTC to cash in. Basically, Vauxhall’s aim is to deliver a genuine coupe look and experience despite being derived from the practical Astra five-door: a car to go head-to-head with the VW Scirocco and Hyundai Veloster. Style matters, and, boy, does the GTC deliver. Clean, sleek and perfectly proportioned, it looks great. It literally shares only the doorhandles and roof aerial with the five-door Astra.

Although it’s based on the Delta platform used by regular Astras, it gets front suspension from the Insignia VXR. And it’s this that makes the Astra VXR hot hatch, tested elsewhere, so good.