You couldn't criticise Vauxhall for offering a lack of diesel choice to their Astra customers. After all, no fewer than four CDTI common-rail diesel alternatives are available with the company's ever-popular family hatchback. The 1.3-litre CDTI model featured here forms the entry-level point in the Astra's oil-burning range and it's well worth a look.

Though of only 1.3-litres in size, the 89bhp this unit pumps out is enough to position it only just behind the 100bhp version of the substantially larger 1.7-litre CDTi engine. That CDTI 100 powerplant sits just below the 120 and 150bhp 1.9-litre units that top out the diesel range. These latter three are all also on offer in sporty three-door Sport Hatch form, plus there's the option of a stylish estate (for a premium of around £1,000).

As we said at the beginning then, plenty of choice. But why do Vauxhall feel the need to offer quite so much? The answer is that an increasing number of customers wanting diesel-powered five-door Family Hatchbacks in this class are looking for an engine output of around 90bhp. That's certainly what the Vauxhall's arch-rival, Ford's Focus, can offer in the shape of an 89bhp 1.6-litre TDCi model that sits smack in the all important £14,500-£15,000 price bracket. To match this car with an Astra, you had, before the arrival of the 1.3-litre CDTI variant, to either opt for a 1.7-litre CDTI 100 model and pay more, or go for the now deleted 1.7-litre CDTI 80 variant and sacrifice on power.

All of which seemed a bit of a waste to Vauxhall's product planners when they had the 1.3-litre 89bhp engine sitting on the stocks already being used in their smaller Corsa and Tigra models. Of course, it wasn't quite as simple as slotting it straight in: the unit had to be tuned specifically to cope with the Astra's greater weight. Nevertheless, creating the car was a relatively simple operation.

"Overall, the 1.3 CDTI seems like a better alternative than either of the two 1.7-litre diesel options that Vauxhall offers with this model.."

The 1.3-litre CDTI's asking price (from £14,500) is, of course, bordering on Focus 1.6 TDCi territory. In comparison to the old entry-level 80bhp Astra diesel, you get a car that makes sixty from rest 1.3 seconds quicker (in 12.7s) and, less significantly, that is 3mph faster flat out (at 107mph). That still makes it slower than the Ford but it's a little cheaper and there's 200Nm of torque on offer, so despite the apparently unappetising heavy bodyshell-small engine combination, you shouldn't have to row the car along with the (6-speed) gear lever too much. Fuel economy of course is superb: this Astra returns 58.9mpg on the combined cycle. Moreover, the engine is Euro IV-compliant and produces a CO2 figure of 130g/km.

On the road, the Astra's is very smooth, the lack of vibration at speed being particularly laudable. Despite being turbocharged, there's not the elastic power delivery of, say, a Volkswagen TDI engine and acceleration feels more measured and not a frantic struggle to hook up the next gear. One thing that Vauxhall trust will be immediately apparent is the Astra's ride quality, courtesy of an advanced suspension system. It's the first car in its class to feature Continuous Damping Control (CDC), electronically controlled shock absorbers that continuously adapt to the road surface and the driver's style. It's all part of what Vauxhall dub the Astra's 'Interactive Driving System' (IDS) that can integrate all of the electronic functions in a way that's a good deal cleverer that you might think. For example, the ESP stability control system now beefs up the damper forces first before applying the brakes to the front wheels during extreme cornering manoeuvres, making for a more sensitive and less intrusive intervention.

Vauxhall has tweaked the Astra's cosmetics a little, with sharper-looking front and rear lights, a revised front bumper, more chrome splashed about the grille and the choice of piano black or matt chrome interior finishing. Sport Hatch models also get a honeycomb front grille.

Clever packaging and a long wheelbase have helped to maximise the Astra's interior space, helped in no small part by the fact that the exterior tale of the tape shows the Astra is one of the biggest cars in it's class. That sloping roofline looks as if it'll pinch rear headroom but look a little closer and you'll notice the sloping line that catches the eye is but a chamfer and the actual roofline arcs higher. Rear headroom is in fact better than the outgoing car and legroom and shoulder room is in another league. A Vauxhall spokesman claimed that the interior of the new Astra fitted like a glove, but as few people we know are shaped like hands, this would seem to present certain problems. Not so. Big doors and surprisingly upright side windows give an airy feel to the interior, although anybody familiar with the look and feel of the latest Vectra's cabin won't find much to excite them with the Astra's fascia.

Overall, the 1.3 CDTI seems like a better alternative than the 100bhp 1.7-litre diesel option that Vauxhall also offers in the Astra. As usual with a diesel purchase however, you'll need to work out whether your annual mileage really will justify the upfront premium. Petrol-engined Astras do, after all, start at around £11,000 and, in 1.4-litre form, get within 15mpg of the diesel Astra's return at the pumps. You'll have to do an awfully high mileage to get those sums to add up. If you can however, then in the shape of the 1.3 CDTI, you'll find yourself with a far more responsive and enjoyable car. And ten years ago, whoever thought we'd be saying that about a diesel?

TOP 5 ASTRA DEALS

The results below show the top ASTRA deals on buyacar

	Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi 16V Life [90] 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £198	Saving £3,737	Price £11,083
	Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi 16V Life [90] 5dr [AC] Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £3,883	Price £11,437
	Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi 16V Club [90] 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £211	Saving £4,045	Price £11,825
	Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi 16V Life [90] 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £211	Saving £3,886	Price £11,784
	Vauxhall Astra 1.3 CDTi 16V Life [90] 5dr [AC] Estate
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £4,033	Price £12,137

typical 10.96% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000