2018 Holden Astra Sportwagon pricing and specs
The Holden Astra Sportwagon hits dealers in October, once again giving the Lion brand a presence in the diminished small wagon class that it exited last year when it discontinued the Cruze.
The UK-built (Opel/Vauxhall-based) Astra load-lugger joins the Poland-made Astra hatch and Korean-made (Chevrolet-based) Astra sedan in Holden’s globalised small-car family. It’s the thirteenth new vehicle to launch following Holden’s 2015 promise to launch 24 new models by 2020.
The Sportwagon gets the same tuning setup as the hatch, co-developed by the Holden team based in Victoria, over multiple European testing drives.
The imminent arrival also competes in a class of few rivals, with obvious alternatives being the recently released Renault Megane wagon, plus the related Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf wagons.
Many other brands, such as Hyundai with its i30, are eschewing this class due to an iffy business case given most are made in and for Europe, and/or growing demand for SUVs instead.
The key selling point for the Astra wagon is its boot capacity, which is 1630L with the back seats folded (25 per cent greater than the hatch).
The range kicks off with the LS+ at $25,740 before on-road costs, a little over $3000 cheaper than a Golf 110TSI Trendline wagon, and tops out at $29,940 for the loaded-up LT (detailed below).
Both get the base 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine with 110kW/240Nm, and a six-speed auto as standard. The 147kW 1.6 turbo from the hatch is a no-show.
Additionally – of potential importance to fleet buyers – a full suite of active safety technology including Auto Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Alert are all available as standard across the range. All combine to offer a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
We’ll review the Astra wagon soon, once we get one through the garage.
Holden Astra Sportwagon pricing (before on-road costs):
- LS+ auto $25,740
- LT auto $29,940
LS+
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Leather Steering Wheel
- Rear sensors
- Reversing camera
- Holden Eye forward facing camera
- AEB city stop
- Lane Keep Assist
- Forward Collision Alert
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Digital Radio (DAB+)
- Rain sensing wipers
- Electrochromatic Mirror
- 7.0 -inch colour touchscreen
- Projector headlamps with LED DRL’s
- Six speaker audio
- Cruise control with speed limiter
- 60/40 fold flat rear seat
- LT (additional to LS+)
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Leather trim
- Electric power liftgate
- Proximity key
- 8.0-inch colour touchscreen
- Satellite navigation
- Climate control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Park Assist
- Colours available
- Absolute Red
- Nitrate Silver*
- Cosmic Grey*
- Phantom Black*
- Heron White
- Darkmoon Blue*
* Prestige paint – $550 premium