There is a tendency among journalists to assume that all people want to hear is what’s wrong rather than what’s right. The trend extends beyond cars to films, clothes, food, politics and music. But it is often fun to discover what’s good about something. Which is why I want to be positive about a car that over the years has had its fair share of negative press, the Vauxhall Astra.

The Astra has been around since 1979 in various incarnations. The latest version was launched last year and instantly won praise from critics who saw in it a genuine challenger to the supremacy of the Volkswagen Golf. The model it replaced, however, was a very decent car too and on the second-hand market now represents something of a bargain.

Introduced to Britain in February 1998, the revamped Astra was better built, nicer to drive and roomier than any of its previous incarnations. It offered an excellent choice of petrol and diesel engines and there was a wide-ranging selection of specifications from a basic version with wind-up windows to top-spec luxury with climate control and leather.

There was also a choice of manual or automatic gearbox and of three doors, five doors and an estate, all versions having an identical width but the estate being 7in longer. All this made the Astra one of the best cars in its class. But not the best.

Despite wanting to be positive about the car, any impartial assessment of it must concede that it is not as good to drive as a Ford Focus and not as well built as a Golf. The manual gearbox has a tendency to be notchy and the auto gearbox doesn’t change particularly smoothly. Sit inside the Astra and for many tastes the trim and upholstery are dowdy and the rearward visibility limited.

The broad range of trim levels also means that you could end up in a base model that has about as much equipment as a bag of marbles or in a top-spec one that comes with many features you’ll probably never use.

And then, of course, we have that bewildering array of engines. If you want economy then the diesels are great, but even the 2 litre turbo somehow still feels inadequate when the traffic lights turn green. So you are better off with a 1.6 or 1.8 litre petrol engine which, while less efficient, at least come with a relatively lowly insurance rating.

In terms of reliability, then, the Astra is no Lexus, but in fairness only a Lexus is, so don’t be disappointed if things occasionally go wrong. For a car of this price that has sold in such volumes reliability is about average. Happily, the Network Q Vauxhall-approved used-car scheme is far from average so if you buy a car under the scheme you will usually be well looked after.

However, when it comes to value for money the Astra is a bit of a star. With the introduction of the new model in 2004, values on the outgoing version have taken a bit of a hit. Today you can expect to pay about £300-£500 less for a used Astra than a similarly equipped Ford Focus and £1,000 less than for a VW Golf.

Antilock braking Disappointingly, not standard on many models

Insurance groups Comparatively low insurance ratings on all models, which will reduce running costs

Gearbox Manual gearbox prone to poor change quality, particularly from second to third gear

Safety Post-1998 Astras scored a respectable four stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests

Front carpets Check for dampness under the dashboard. It's a sign of a clogged pollen filter or leaking seals around the bulkhead

Air-conditioning A popular and inexpensive option which many new-car buyers choose. Check it works by switching between cool and hot with the fan blowing

Stereo All models fitted with RDS button for traffic information but only top-spec cars come with the essential CD player

Oil consumption Check oil levels regularly as most models burn oil between services, but let the engine stand and cool for an hour or the reading can be false

Front tyres Check uneven wear on the inside edge as incorrectly aligned steering geometry is common

Engines Prior to 2001 the 1.7 litre and 2.1 litre diesels were slow and unrefined

VITAL STATISTICS

Model Astra 1.8i Elegance 5-door
Engine 1796cc, four cylinders, 16 valves
Power 123bhp
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel 38.2mpg (combined cycle)
Acceleration 0-62mph: 9.5sec
Top speed 124mph

THE ONE TO BUY

Vauxhall Astra 1.8i 16-valve Elegance five-door 2002 52-registration with 30,000 miles. Pay £5,995 from a Vauxhall dealer or £5,000 privately

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY

2000 X Honda Civic 1.6 VTEC SE Executive

2001 51 Ford Focus 1.8i Zetec

2001 51 Peugeot 307 1.6 GLX

2002 52 Renault Mégane 1.4 Expression

2004 04 Rover 45 1.8 iXS

Values: Vauxhall Astra 1.8i 16-valve Elegance five-door



Three-door models worth about £250 less than equivalent five-door. Autos worth about £300 more than equivalent manual.

Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer