HOLDEN’S AH Astra SRi Coupe is out to win your heart before you’ve even slipped into the driver’s seat. The low-slung roofline, 25mm lower than the five-door hatchback model, has been beautifully integrated into the already-slick Astra shape and subtle detail tricks like the slightly longer nose and subtly re-drawn grille and front air-intake define it as something a little more than just a regular, practical hatchback. New to the Astra is a direct-injection version of the familiar 2.2-litre engine option that adds power, torque and improved efficiency. Coupled to the six-speed manual gearbox, this gives the eye-grabbing little coupe the extra sparkle that is always welcome in a sporting-oriented car. For a touch more than $30,000, the Astra SRi coupe offers an eminently satisfying drive, as well as a level of street credibility well beyond the price. Just remember that it is not, and was never intended to be, a family runabout.

TS Astra SRi three-door
Released: October 2001
Ended: July 2004
Family Tree: AstraHolden’s TS Astra three-door hatch was little more than a family Astra hatch with a couple fewer doors. But, because it was based on a nicely-Euro hatchback design, it was an appealing, slightly personalised alternative to the five-door and, in SRi form, offered the benefits of the bigger, torquier 2.2-litre engine. Gearbox choice was a five-speed manual or a four-speed auto. Being based on an already-respected formula, the SRi offered what were arguably the best dynamics in its class, although the interior suffered the drabness that afflicted the TS Astra generally.
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