The Holden Astra Sportwagon has been confirmed the
Australian market, and will go on sale towards the end of 2017. The new wagon
variant will join the existing Opel-sourced hatchback, and the Astra sedan,
essentially a rebadged Chevrolet Cruze, as part of the company’s three-prong
attack on the small car segment.
The Astra Sportwagon will
be exclusively powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with
automatic engine stop/start, and tied to a six-speed automatic transmission.In
the hatch and sedan range, this 1.4-litre mill has been tuned to deliver 150 Hp
of power and 240 Nm of torque.
Available features for the new Holden Astra wagon
include hands-free tailgate operation, push button start, keyless entry, and an
infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring
capability. Items available on the safety technology roster include autonomous
emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, forward collision alert, and a
rear-view camera. The wagon’s tuning setup will be shared with the hatchback,
and was developed by Holden in conjunction with its compatriots at
Opel/Vauxhall.
All Australia-bound Astra Sportwagon models will be
come from Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory, just outside of Liverpool in the
UK. Full specifications and pricing will be released closer to the wagon’s
launch date.
The Astra Sportwagon is the 13th new model released
by Holden since 2015, as the brand seeks to refresh its range and remake itself
as a full-line importer. The company has committed to releasing 24 new or
updated models to the Australian market by 2020.
Other confirmed new models include the Equinox,
which replaces the Captiva, as well as the Acadia large SUV, and the fully imported
next-generation Commodore, based on the Opel Insignia.
