Overall rating:

The most powerful Astra in the line-up that doesn't wear a VXR badge is created when the new 1.6-litre direct injection Ecotec petrol engine is slotted into the suave GTC body. Packing 200hp, this is a pleasantly brilliant 'warm' hatch.

Key Facts

Model tested: Vauxhall Astra GTC 1.6 200hp
Pricing: £21,945 as standard; car as tested £23,670 (Navi 950 Intellilink £1,200; two-coat pearlescent paint £525)
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals: Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Renault Mégane Coupé, Volkswagen Scirocco
CO₂ emissions: 156g/km
Combined economy: 42.2mpg
Top speed: 143mph
0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
Power: 200hp at 4,000rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,650- to 3,500rpm

In the Metal:

The GTC has always been a fine-looking creation and nothing really has changed externally, although this 'limited edition' version with the 1.6-litre engine wears colossal 20-inch bi-colour alloys. There are also dark-tinted rear windows, while the interior includes a leather three-spoke steering wheel and, as on option on this car, the new Intellilink satnav system is fitted for £1,200. There's a nice sweep to the top of the dash in the Astra's cabin and almost all the controls are mounted in the centre console, but it can look a little button-busy compared to some rivals' offerings. Having said that, the driving position you can attain is great, suitably low to the floor and 'sporty'.

Driving it:

First seen in the Vauxhall Cascada, this petrol engine is an all-new motor with direct fuel injection and twin balancer shafts to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. And it's an absolute gem. No doubt about it, Vauxhall has met all its targets, the turbo unit revving keenly round to the redline and delivering a good, strong slug of power throughout the sweep of the dial. It's mated to a slick six-speed manual gearbox, which is a pleasure to use and easy to swap cogs with should you somehow drop out of the engine's very, very wide sweet spot. Quiet and near vibration-free no matter how hard you're working it, there is at least enough of a muted growl and a bit of exhaust fruitiness to make pushing the GTC on worthwhile.

Best of all is that the front axle handles this 200hp and 280Nm with ease, with minimal tugging from the steering wheel under heavy throttle applications in the lower gears. The GTC uses HiPerStrut front suspension (as seen on the VXR Insignia), designed to limit torque-steer, and it has worked a treat. Further, the GTC's suspension revisions (compared to a regular Astra, it is 15mm lower on ride height, with 40- and 35mm wider front and rear tracks respectively) bless it with sharp road-holding. It resists roll superbly, but the ride is never unsettled; in fact, it's damped to near perfection and those 20-inch wheels don't spoil the show. Vauxhall also claims the steering is optimised by its engineers for British roads and it's precise and weighty, but lacking the absolute last word in feedback. Still, as an all-round package, the GTC 200hp is a compelling machine with great handling and admirable refinement.

What you get for your Money:

There's plenty of equipment fitted to this sub-VXR model, such as those 20-inch wheels, a Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB, not DAB) radio with USB connection, Bluetooth, climate and cruise controls, a sports body kit and plenty of safety addenda such as six airbags, ESP stability control and active safety front seat head restraints. And it's competitively priced, too - given that a basic Volkswagen Scirocco in dowdy S trim costs £20,550 for a weedy 122hp 1.4 TSI models and the 210hp versions start at almost £27,000.

Worth Noting

All new Vauxhalls come with the 100,000-mile 'Lifetime' warranty, which should give a prospective buyer enough peace of mind to take the plunge on this warm GTC.

Summary

The Astra GTC, in this spec and with this excellent new engine, is beautifully smooth and plenty rapid too. The fact that it handles its turbocharged grunt so brilliantly might just make it the pick of the Astra range, VXR included. It's an exceptional blend of reasonable economy and strong performance well executed, and driving it proves to be a genuine delight. It would definitely get our vote over a more costly Volkswagen Scirocco of comparative power and spec, that's for sure.