Hot hatchbacks: VW Golf, Renault Megane, Vauxhall Astra - Top Gear - BBC autos

[toneykk]

i have a 2005 astra 4 dors 2.4 155 hp its quik and cofortable

[WarFite]

Have you seen the 2009 golf gti ?

[friskyfixedit]

lol sounded like a borat accent

[WarFite]

You all know theres a new VW Golf 1.4 170bhp right? It owns this old one.

[theeponym]

lol, not even close

The standard 1.4 has under 100bhp.

The 1.4 TSI has a 158.

And none of them own a MKV GTI.

[WarFite]

What you mean not even close o.o

[theeponym]

The old MKV GTI in this video has a 2.0 Turbo with direct injection and 200bhp. I would also imagine it has a better suspensions and brakes.

It would drive circles around around a 158bhp car.

[wizkid01]

'theeponym' - i should imagine you're right because the golf is the better built car of the three.

[Stjepan105]

wuuuuuuuz rubbish hahahahahaha

[jaodr]

Me encantaria saber que dice del astra alguien me lo traduce

[YGGGGSM]

Pero en qué parte??? jajaj

porque traducirlo todo me da flojera!

:p

[jaodr]

Esque me gustaria saber que dice del opel astra y las comparaciones con los otros dos megane y golf, gracias un saludo

[LostChildOfTime]

Ah, yes. The limitations of front-wheel drive. In life, all you need is one. Everything else should be RWD or AWD.

[Kraig00]

wtf?

[LostChildOfTime]

What. You take opinions seriously? My point is FWD sucks and you don't need a quick FWD car to figure that out. If you like to go fast (or go anywhere, even), you might as well drive something that delivers power to the proper wheels. There is nothing FWD can do that RWD or AWD can't do better except FWD is easier than RWD in the wet.

Don't get me wrong because I've loved Honda's FWD Type R hatches for the longest. I'm liking how the limitations of a powerful FWD car are displayed here.

[theeponym]

I'm gonna guess you live in a warm climate, because FWD is significantly better than RWD in snow. The added weight of the engine over the wheels makes a ton of difference.

[LostChildOfTime]

You're right, and because of me being in a warm climate, I've learned something new. Thanks.

[NobleM15fan]

You're right - I live in Britain, and earlier this year we were hit by freak snowstorms. My Dad's Merc E Class was completely stuck, but my Mum's Zafira had no problems at all.

[henkkaS4]

Where i live, there is snow every year, and i must tell you, fwd is much more frustrating on snow than rwd...

[12valvepower1]

renault clio williams. still fwd but really fun.

and the rear engined renault is rwd clio oh dear. still like the clio sport.

[12valvepower1]

any good toy, can get you if you dont watch it.

[viderus]

The More car tries to kill you the better :)

[FleeceLiner]

Nice, they had Stan Getz playing.

[Bilbur428]

the golf wasnt even dsg, which makes it almost a second slower... i have one i would know

[canonheadmk1]

But anyone with a brain would still buy the GTi over the other two..

[DEditor51]

vw ftw!

[rackstraw2]

i just bought myself a new golf 1..4tsi

goes like shit off a shovel !!

[varesidetv]

Anyone can tell me where that racing track / small airport is located?

[Wirld]

The Top Gear test track is located at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Dunsfold, Surrery, England.

[thavry1]

giuiford i think

[rocknrollman1234]

mini cooper?

[luminaeus]

I would take the GM in a heartbeat. Overpowered FWD cars are too much fun.

[thatsucks23]

what does he mean by:" It really is miss iceland"??

[hahaha10001]

focus RS FTW!

[CSilva76]

escort RS cosworth... one of jeremy´s fav car ever... and mine too

[CSilva76]

escort RS cosworth... one of jeremy´s fav car ever... and mine too

[korn123456]

OPEL:D

[knightmadz]

Is a renault clio considerd a hatch back?

[x3WeirdAl]

just in case some ppl still don't get it..

Vauxhall = Opel

different badge, same tech

(most of the time anyways.. they do have some options in Opels which aren't available on Vauxhalls and vice versa..)

[Tim8336]

plus Vauxhall=Opel=Holden

[sifonis]

Vauxhall=Opel=Holden=GM

[tippmannc3]

thay should have had the mustang hatchback on the track

[carcrrrazy214]

At 10:25 I've never seen the Stig mess up so bad!

[jan585]

with a little less luck he could have flipped it ..

[carcrrrazy214]

Can the U.S. please get a Saturn Astra that's as fast as that Vauxhall? The only Astra engine we have is a 140 hp version. I'd love to have the 215 hp version!

[ionoMaybe]

That engine sadly doesn't meet the emission requirements for the EPA. If you want a fast hatch, you'll have to wait until they bring the Focus RS sometime next year to the US. 300BHP!

[carcrrrazy214]

Well, seeing as how i love GM, i'll just have to put up with the merely phenomenal Cobalt SS until we get an Astra like that one.

[megaman2000]

It truley is amazing.

[halo3fan216]

The Vauxhall Astra is a beautiful car

[AsAngelsFall221]

Woah, just looked, it's called a "Saturn Astra". -_- That sounds very wrong lol.

[AsAngelsFall221]

We have a Version of the Vauxhall Astra hatch in the USA... it's a Saturn, and it just doesn't strike you as much with the Saturn symbol then with the Vauxhall symbol.

[poretobatido]

isn't the astra a car model from opel?

[ziper7]

it is

[megaman2000]

Same car. Just badge engineered for Opel

[BIGbertDC]

VEEDUBZZ da best  vw #1

[mattyzpb74]

but it's a bullshit version.....the original sounds 10x better

[Husnain234]

i think vw golf is a lot better car than vauxhall astra it's my point of veiw. i know astra is faster than golf but to be fast is not everything which u need in a car.

[BrimstoneAlpha]

WHATS THE NAME OF THEFIRST SONG?

[MattLoaf123]

CAPS LOCK BY THE SHOUTING BAND.

[TheCubeIsIn]

Anybody agree that if The Stig hadn't yanked the E-Brake, that Volkswagen woulda pushed through the grass and right into where the camera man and them were standing?

[netsql21]

the title of the song at 4:41?? Thank you

[Taavioneeger]

4:06 van helsing movie music! woo :D

TOP GEAR BEST SHOW EVER!!

[cowman9022]

the morontal looks like a pontiac GTO

[ConeDeez]

That's cause it is......

[cowman9022]

but pontiac is an american car and the morontal isn't

[ConeDeez]

you are correct my friend, do a little research on it and you'll see they are the same vehicle.

[panzleonard]

lol "torque steer, it is good when u want to go left"

[players97]

at 6:50 they play music from the batman movies

[benrush17]

Megane>golf

[HeinrichJamslather]

It's a shame GM's gonna give Saturn the ax. Maybe we might've gotten that gorgeous top-range Astra here in the States too.

[rinoldkirk]

Boy the English do not like the French NONE,FRENCH Look I am giving a baby a cigarette whould do you think aboot that.

[aznkid221]

01:52 lol he sounds like borat

[best17driver]

1:47 and 1:52 rofl!

[harry1908]

i think VW GOLF is the best...

[hellogeorge1985]

Citroen C4 is the best looking I believe. With standard equipment you find on an e-class or 5 class. loaded with airbags, mp3, ESP, ABS, EBD, EBA, Ventilated disc brakes (2 of 4), cruise control, speed limiter, macpherson knee suspensions, auto-climate control. AND wayyyyyy cheaper. Plus you can choose from so many extras: navi, parking sensors, glass roof etc. And the best turning wheel I have ever seen, fixed center

[subcent]

fuck all this cars ..the best is TOYOTA COROLLA

[qc8]

i'd take the astra

[kevin8se7en]

i'd take and buy the VW...

I personally like the way it looks the best and find the Renault hideous

[JumpStop1]

it definitely looks the best. i wanted one but i got a 06 jetta instead...

[burroputa]

vauxhall are just copy of other cars expect the older vauxhall's

try to compare the astra vxr (vauxhall) & astra OPC (Opel)

[holdthefish15]

there the same company

[brianthegreat01]

i love this show!!!!!!!!

[djrowley1]

ford focus st is a far better car all vauxhalls are crap boxes and french cars fall to bits

[fekdani]

Does anyone know what song was the Stig listening to when he was shown the first time in this video?

[K7BoogieMan]

opel have the exat same cars names of cars as the vauxhall. Y?

[oarih94]

it could be that they're both owned by gm

[tgseason12]

Only a month until the new series starts =)

[alexkvaskov]

series 13 right

[dunkmannhowlett]

Doesn't the Vauxhall line remind you of the Pontiac?

[Apollwn1]

pontiac gto huh? lol

[kevin8se7en]

GM owns Vauxhall and Holden

The GTO is basically a Monaro

Just like the Astra is a Saturn in the USA

That body style Monaro came out in 2001... the GTo in 2004

[Apollwn1]

yes i know.. my friend has a gto. :)

[subcent]

top gear is the best of the best of the besssst

[torbinho220890]

how is it done at 3:45? i dont know how to do this

[micinum]

easy..put the handbrake on...rev the engine and ...dont know the english world for it .. but you lift the clutch and pres it again...try you will figure it out

[torbinho220890]

habs verstanden..thx for that quick answer mate!

[Eagle1ZX]

yep thats how its done mate. Just make sure you're ready to fit a new clutch in straight after :)

[arebegai]

That happens if you drive a car with front wheel drive and block the rear wheels with the handbrake and trying to take off.

[alphashadow3]

i love jeremy's french accent

[XQlusiveProductions]

I don't know what they were thinking when they designed the Megan. It just looks...ugly...

[jorgescomx]

Why they didn't include Seat Leon Cupra?

[jizzinpeace]

vauxhall is holden in australia

[XQlusiveProductions]

and Opel in Germany

[dylanmoran123]

I think the Volkswagen was brilliant!

[ENRIQUEGOITIA]

5:47 to 5:50....like chewie

[Sjoerd675]

the vauxhall models are the same as opel

[argh1989]

In fact the Vauxhall models are copies of Opels because development is done by them.

[fastfuller96]

Opel is actually the european copy of vauxhall and is owned by vauxhall.

[VortexNeurofunk]

owned by GM if i remember correctly

[VWEOSgr]

You must be English...definately. Opel is owned by GM. Vauxhall is only in UK...

[uhmidk7]

i it just me or does the vauxall cars look a lot like the saturn cars?

[skaterjz67]

im with ya

[SonyEricssonGrey]

Vauxhall is GM(the devil in it's car form) in Britain and gm owns saturn

[epidemicstudios]

weird stig helmet

[minibus9]

cool video

[daftrok]

7:00 DARK KNIGHT! AWESOME CHOICE!

[peepeevagi]

Lol, Ms. "I've had all the pies".

[mippy95]

has a funny grille at the front, rather have a chrome one like on the other astra's

[AMVDawg]

Vauxhall = Opel

[jettostuning]

sting fucked the golf....i will kill him...hahahahahahaha!!!

[rayghor]

u mean STIG, right?

[VituMV]

The vaxhaull would do real well in the US, its fast on straight lines and it turns left... hahaha nascar can suck it

[InhumaneClient]

Vauxhall is already being sold basically in the U.S. They just badge them as "Pontiac". Just like how Holden is Badged Vauxhall in Europe.

[blackhawk11112]

In South Africa it is badged as Opel.. Same thing. Diff badge.

[AMVDawg]

It's badged as Opel in Slovenia too... and some other countrys.

[Only1erin]

its note baged in US as pontiac, its sold as Saturn

[InhumaneClient]

uh wrong sorry? thats why the new g8 sedan is being sold as the vauxhall vxr8. Pontiac shares production makes with saturn your right such as in the view/sky roadster pontiac also shares platforms with toyota i.e the matrix/vibe. However the main relationship is with pontiac vauxhall and holden.

[coolerdude44]

i love the gti because it can appeal to everybody. families can use it because it is very practical. come to think of it, when i was younger my parents only car was a mitsubishi mirage, i hate this obsession with suv's now that you have a kid.

anyway, their low price makes them loved by kids, the legend and speed of the thing makes them loved by millionaires too.

i love it so much, and i hope to buy the new one soon.

[xraycortina]

The chav factor is another Vauxhall problem.

[davekl45]

I got one and it's damn fast!!!!!!!!

[clockworkalex20]

Ha, they used the Batman theme for the Vauxhaull at 7:00. They should do a video test of the C30.

[snooopy85]

I lak to smoke ma front tyres...very mach! haha

[SgtXbox360]

they really should test the C30

[yanzodadon]

the reno looks like a piece of crap. astra looks the best. i'd still take the vw too.

[macher001]

please what's that song that's begenning with the renault?

[azaboy2]

the suzuki swift sport is alrite aswell

[yanzodadon]

what? the swift sport is like over 2 seconds slower to a 100 kmh and has way less power

[azaboy2]

yes i know, but £11k for a sub 9 sec car? and it is very fun to drive.. the best hot hatch is probly the r32 golf i recks

[yanzodadon]

yeah i can't wait till they make the new one

[VincentGrimm]

That's not a hot hatch, that's a f*cking scorching hatch :D

[azaboy2]

rightt... loll

[alexkvaskov]

how about the focus st

[azaboy2]

not baad.

[99Lezard99]

dont like vw and renault i would take the vauxhall or in my country opel lokks better then the others anyway

[PurpleMonkeyKick]

the best thing is that almost all the Vauxhall are actually designed and created by our Aussie Holden company, they're usually just rebadged :D

[EnfinityX]

they should test the mazdaspeed3

[theboxmike]

Are these family cars in europe? wow jereamy should review an XR6T with 270kw then and a 5.0 flat 0-100 km/h time. I bet if they sold them in Britain as well they could go for 20,000 pounds if not much less...

[hipvspec]

i am never a fan of GM stuff other than their trucks and corvettes. but i think the Astra vxr with that direct inject turbo 4 in the cobalt SS would be great fun

[abamosime]

at 10:25, Jeremy do you still use tapes at the BBC?

[azaboy2]

loool

[mklee176]

Imagine a Nissan Versa SE-R, and you'd have the Renaul Megane; same goes for the Astra, imagine our "Saturn" Astra, but Red-Line, then you'd have the same Astra.

[suraki939]

maybe they should try a limmo in the race track!!! that would be awsome!!!!

[Jeshualionheart]

3 pieces of shit cars lol

[manutdr8]

Vauxhall Astra ILL TAKE ONE PLEASE!!!!!!

[theboxmike]

What i dont understand is why cant the vauxhall handel 240 horses? my Aurion(or camry) has 260 horses and front wheel drive and it's fine...

[hagenttzd]

camry is a much heavier car

[theboxmike]

Im not talking about a camry.....

Ford Falcon XR6T

[hagenttzd]

oh ok. nice ride! but still, considerably heavier than the vauxhall.

[dildokop]

Even weight doesn't matter. The point is that the chassis is just rubbish, it cant handle all that power. If you have for example a Ford Focus, it would work fine with 240Bhp. Vauxhall just sucks with chassis. But, i've got to admit that the vauxhall does look good.

[COSMINBAZA]

fuck you !

[dalibor2109]

225

[Choopmans]

vauxhall is like Holden in australia? becuase we have the holden astra.

[val332]

yep

[littleraki]

vauxhall is the German Opel

[peroslowned]

you mean the british opel ;p

[littleraki]

Whatever:D

Opel is german

vauxhall is british

an both are from GM and poor :D

[jadakissboi]

Yes, here in North America we have the Saturn Astra. They're all the same cars.

[subcent]

vive top gear

[ten9son]

VXR8 Vauxhall !!

[alexkvaskov]

the gti does 0-60 in 7.2..

and it has 200 hp and 207 lb.ft. of torque

the civic si has 197 hp and 148 lb.ft. of torque and does 0-60 in 6.3

[nong333]

Jezza's right. 240hp on a FWD hatchback is a bit on the crazy side.

Vauxhall should release a 4WD version. Just like VW did with the Golf. Now that would make a lot more sense.

[acuraman07]

The Vauxhall is kind like the Dodge Cailber SRT 4 with 285hp it's got a crapload of over steer. I wish the North Americian Astra had 240hp

[martif84]

that p.o.s understeers dumbass.

[torod213]

The Caliber has 303hp... Quite amazing kept in mind it is only a 2,3...

[acuraman07]

The Dodge Cailber only has 285hp not 303hp and has a turbo charged L4 and it's only avaible in North America

[acuraman07]

But only the SRT 4 Model

[torod213]

You may be right on one aspect, but I'm right on two. 1: It is sold here in Norway. 2: (here atleast) It's got 303HP...