Holden Astra GTC, Astra VXR: 2015 Price And Features For Australia

Holden’s lion and Astra badges have been reunited once more, with the returned line-up now on sale in Australia from $26,990, alongside the new $41,990 Cascada cabriolet.

The Astra hasn’t been seen in the Holden range since it was replaced by the mechanically similar but more affordably manufactured Cruze in 2009, built in Korea and here at Holden’s South Australian facility.

The Astra returned again, briefly, as part of Holden parent GM’s bid to launch European stablemate Opel in Australia as a near-premium range in 2013.

That project lasted just one year, but as Holden looks to new (or old) ways to recover market share in the lead-up to and beyond the 2017 end of its local manufacturing program, the Euro-built Astra is back.

But, with the Cruze still its focus for small five-door hatch and four-door sedan sales, Holden has re-introduced the Astra as a sports-focused range that can be had only in three-door GTC, GTC Sport and hero VXR form (seen here previously as the Opel Astra OPC).

As a Holden, the Astra range picks up more standard equipment and sharper pricing.

The cost of entry has fallen $2000, and even the top-shelf VXR is $3000 more affordable than its Opel-badged but otherwise identical predecessor.

POWERTRAINS & SPECIFICATIONS

In GTC and GTC Sport form, the Holden Astra is powered by a 1.6 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, matched to a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmissions.

Those that prefer the simplicity of an auto will be ‘limited’ to 125kW of power and 260Nm of torque - the same numbers offered with the auto-only GTC when it last appeared in Australia.