Opel Reveals All-New Astra Hatchback in Europe

The all-new Opel Astra is touted as safer, lighter, more comfortable, more agile, and more efficient than the model it replaces. It's smaller on the outside but bigger on the inside, with a length that's nearly two inches shorter and a height a full inch squatter, but with more space in the cabin. And it's between 265 and 440 pounds lighter.

That more compact form is cloaked in new sheet metal that's noticeably sharper than the outgoing model's, but should be instantly recognizable as an Opel. Styling is derived from the striking Monza concept, with the floating C-pillar we first saw on the smaller Opel Adam.

Power comes from an array of engines with three or four cylinders, burning gasoline or diesel, and ranging from 95 horsepower all the way up to 200. And that, presumably, is before the GSi and OPC/VXR performance models come along.

What really impresses about the new Astra, though, is the amount of upscale tech Opel has crammed into it. It's got OnStar, onboard wifi, an eight-inch touchscreen, automatic parking, ergonomic seats (with massage, ventilation and adjustable width), smartphone connectivity (through both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and adaptive LED matrix headlights. That's an impressive feature set for a vehicle going up against the likes of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.