Price/availability: £16,000/on sale December
Tested: Vauxhall Astra 1.4 turbo five-door, with six-speed manual transmission
Power/torque: 138bhp/148lb ft
Top speed: 127mph
Acceleration: 0-62mph in 9.7sec
Fuel economy (combined): 36.2mpg
CO2 emissions: 139g/km
VED band: E (£120)
Alternatives: Ford Focus, from £12,602. Peugeot 308, from £13,495. VW Golf, from £14,075.
Verdict: Brings a better class of design and construction to this sector and drives nicely. Not sold on the 1.4T engine: the Astra's too heavy for it to pull.
