2017 WhichCar Style Awards: Top 5 style features of the Holden Astra

The Holden Astra may be a conventional five-door hatch, but its all-new Opel-derived architecture gives Holden’s small hatch a touch of European class.

Taking a step away from its previous Korean-sourced design, Holden has sculpted an agile, sporty looking car that, from a design perspective at least, has what it needs to take on Australia’s popular small car segment.

It may not have a radical look, but its style centres around elegant simplicity and cohesive design, restrained accents, and a well-balanced and spacious interior.

Despite some plastic-heavy details, like the base model’s bare urethane steering wheel, the Astra compared favourably to the Volkswagen Golf by sister publication Wheels, with its “all-round composure and sense of quality” winning it praise.

Paul Beranger, WhichCar Style Awards judge, said “The interior design, particularly, I felt was a good balance for the exterior… it was of a very high standard in that class.”

Here are the five most stylish features of the Holden Astra:

1. Despite being slightly smaller than the original Astra, the cabin is spacious enough to comfortably fit four adults.
   
   
2. The Astra boasts a clean European design thanks to General Motors’ European subsidiary, Opel.
   
   
3. Its design is simple and sporty, and that won the Astra points with the judges. Features like the semi- floating roof, blacked out C-pillar, LED headlights and shallowly-raked windscreen gave this otherwise conventional hatch an athletic feel.
   
   
4. The Astra’s cohesive design gives it a sense of flow and unity as the exterior’s sophistication is also carried throughout the interior.
   
   
5. Features like a pocket for your smartphone and a ledge to rest your hand while using the touchscreen are clever design features of the Astra’s cabin. Judges liked the Astra’s accessibility and ergonomics.