Vauxhall Astravan Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance VAN: Vauxhall Astravan range ENGINES: 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol, 89bhp 1.3-litre CDTi, 99bhp 1.7-litre CDTi, 118bhp 1.9-litre CDTi PAYLOAD: 650kg LOAD AREA: 1.58m3 SAFETY FEATURES: twin front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ABS, EBA, EBD
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4515/1753/1500

VAN-ISHING POINT

Our Rating: 7.7 / 10

Sales of estate car-based vans have dwindled away in recent years, leaving Vauxhall’s impressive Astravan perfectly placed to clean up. Steve Walker reports…

If your business driving tends to be more multi-mile than multi-drop and payload capacity is less important than personal comfort, you need a van that’s more car than a commercial vehicle. Vauxhall’s Astravan is just such a model - not the most practical van for its size or price but one with the looks, composure and class of a common or garden small family estate.

In the unlikely event that the name hasn’t already caused the penny to drop, the Astravan’s origins will become instantly apparent to anyone who’s familiar with the styling of the latest Vauxhall Astra. We’re dealing with a modified version of the Astra Estate that’s designed to retain the feel of the passenger carrying base vehicle while adding extra load-carrying capacity in the form of a long, low area immediately behind the front seats. The Astravan inherits the Astra’s sharp lines with the prominent V on the grille, the large pointy light clusters and the roof line sloping away towards the rear. By the modest standards set by rival compact vans, it’s a very good-looking vehicle indeed.

The Astra Estate’s rear glasswork and seats obviously got the chop in the Astravan conversion process but the commercial modifications go considerably further than that. A half height steel bulkhead comes as standard fit and buyers have the option of extending this to roof height with a mesh partition. This set-up is known as the Flex system and by means of a flap in the bulkhead and a folding passenger seat, it allows longer items to be accommodated. In standard form, the load area is 1,780mm in length and 900mm high but the absence of any side access means that you often have to physically climb inside to retrieve items that have slid down to the far end. A load liner protects the floor and there are six tie-down points for securing cargo, something that it would be wise to do before exploring the Astravan’s impressive handling package. The 1.6m load volume and the 650kg maximum payload mean that carrying capacity isn’t the Astravan’s strongest suit.

Commercial vehicle interiors are usually bland, no-nonsense affairs with the emphasis placed on tough materials and sturdy construction but the Astravan’s close links to Astra passenger cars pays dividends here. The design and materials that position the Astra as one of the top family hatches on the market make the Astravan arguably the top light van for interior sophistication and comfort. The two-tone dash and door panels take on the sharp, angular theme from the exterior, with the controls intelligently positioned and the aluminium-ringed instruments easy to read. The control interface for the stereo isn’t immediately self-explanatory and storage space is less abundant than you’d find in purpose-built compact vans but the Astravan is brimming with neat touches. Amongst these are the clever switches for the self-levelling headlamps and the instrument illumination: these pop out allowing you to twist them into position before pushing them back into the fascia.

Very tall drivers may have a problem with the restricted seat travel but those of around six-feet in height should have no problem reaching a very comfortable driving position with the aid of the rake and reach adjustable steering column. The seating itself is firm and supportive with strong side bolsters that become even more pronounced on the sports seats fitted to the range-topping Sportive versions. The driving position is exactly as you’d find in the Astra passenger car, which means it’s far less upright that in other compact vans. This makes repeated entries and exits more of a chore but is infinitely preferable on longer journeys.

The Astravan engine line up yields a good degree of choice, with no fewer than three CDTi common-rail diesel engines and a 1.4-litre petrol option. It’s the diesels that most buyers will concentrate on but making a decision between them is far from straightforward. For a start, there’s only 29bhp between the lot. The line-up opens with an 89bhp 1.3-litre option that produc