Nah, I reckon the Golf is much better looking than the Astra, inside and out; and despite the decrease in material quality (vs. the IMO general standard these days) of Golf V vs. Golf IV and its contemporaries, I think the Golf V still feels nicer inside.

I'll leave build quality out - our Golf Vs are built in South Africa and haven't been spotlessly perfect. The Astra hasn't got drivetrains to match, either - that 1.8 petrol should be in a museum, and same with the 4-speed auto to match it. Sure, it might not be popular in Europe, but here, it's a deal breaker, to me.

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Anyhow, back to the Antara. The outside is pretty forgettable. I'm not a fan of this neo-Opel wedgier design. However, the interior looks quite nice - decent colours, materials and a comfortable looking steering wheel. Let's hope it feels nice, too.