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IGNORING
HALFWAY-HOUSE hatchbacks, there are more than 11O true estate cars on
the British market, counting all the theme variations. About a third
(more if you include those available at a discount) fall in the
£4000-£5000 price bracket, the light-middleweight sector where the
space race is at its most intense. It is the heart of this important
market sector, where there are some strong new contenders, that
attracts our interest here. Arbitrarily excluding three-door models
from the reckoning - which automatically bars the new Escort estate and
the much improved Allegros, among several others - we’ve focused
attention on three five-door newcomers that ought to figure prominently
on the shortlist of anyone seeking a serious, civilised, small estate.
Citroen GS estates are far from new but the latest GSA Club version
incorporates so many changes, mostly for the better, that it's due for
reappraisal. At £4793 (the 1100 Special is £500 cheaper) the 1.3 Club
is a little more expensive than the new Peugeot 305GL estate, custom
built for the job and more than just a derivative of the saloon. For
consistency's sake, we opted here for the £4754 1300 GL, but keep in
mind that the faster, plusher 1500 GLS costs only £215 more, making it
virtually the same price as the Citroen. General Motors’ new
front-drive German estate, here in Vauxhall Astra L guise at £4556,
completes the trio, though there are a couple of mechanically identical
Opel alternatives, sandwiching the Vauxhall on price, that would have
done equally well.
Styling, Engineering
There’s
more to these estates than a simple boxy extension at the back. None
could be described as big yet all are commendably roomy for their size,
the Vauxhall and Peugeot notably so (see Accommodation). Inevitably,
it's the GS, now in its 11th year, that’s out on a design limb. Its
flat-four overhead cam air-cooled engine -the torquey bored-out 1299cc
version first used in 1978 in the GSX3 - delivers 65bhp through a
five-speed gearbox (a recent introduction on the estate) to the front
wheels, very modestly shod with Michelin XZX 145 rubber. Suspension is
Citroen's familiar - and still unique - arrangement of front wishbones
and rear trailing arms operating on hydropneumatic (actually
oleopneumatic) self-levelling springs - spheres of gas and liquid
-
energised by an engine-powered central hydraulic system that’s also
tapped to operate the all-disc brakes but not (as in the CX) the
steering, which is an unassisted rack and pinion setup. The Club estate
shares the cosmetic changes and aerodynamic aids of the GSA hatchback,
including the chin spoilers and new grille. It also has new Visa-style
satellite switchgear (good news), CX-style rolling drum speedometer
(not so good) and new heating and ventilation. What it doesn’t have is
the hatchback’s extra three inches, so although there’s ' fractionally
more luggage area with the back seats in place, there’s marginally less
with them folded flat. So why an estate as well? For a start, the
extended roof gives a squared off tail and therefore greatly increased
volume. Then there’s a canny tailgate design that provides an unusually
low sill and easy loading. No, the estate certainly justifies its place
in Citroen’s rejuvenated GS range. Old it may be, dated it certainly is
not.
The Peugeot, marginally the heaviest car of the
trio, is much more conventional with a transverse four-cylinder engine
driving the front wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox in the
sump, Mini style, where it shares the engine’s lubricant. This
long-established running gear is inherited from the superseded 304, and
has nothing in common with the Douvrin powerplants of the sister 104 or
Renault 14. Considering its modest displacement of 1290cc (there’s also
a long-stroke 1477cc version, as well as the 1548cc diesel) it’s a
rather bulky engine, canted forward to give a low bonnet line, with
cast-iron cylinders spigotted into a light-alloy block, and a single
chain- driven camshaft operating inclined valves in cross-flow
bi-spherical combustion chambers. Despite the eyebrows it raised when
first seen more than a decade ago, the incredibly convoluted
round-the-corner belt drive for the ancillaries is still in use, and no
cause for concern. Output is virtually the same as the Citroen’s -
65bhp and 69Ib/ft of torque. Because the two cars are almost the same
weight too, there’s little in it on power/weight ratio, although the
Citroen has an aerodynamic advantage and a smaller frontal area, the
benefits of which are reflected in superior performance, as we shall
see. The front suspension, like that of the 305 saloon, is a
conventional strut arrangement, but the rear suspension is designed
specially for the estate to avoid encroaching on the cargo hold.
Progressive rate coils, inclined with the dampers at 30degrees from the
horizontal, spring the wheels through a system of bell-cranked trailing
arms. Unladen, the car sits with its tail up, just like the 504, but
that’s the only penalty, if penalty it be, of a cunning rear end that
helps make the 305 such a thoroughly capacious, practical and civilised
load carrier.
There are no suspension intrusions in the
Vauxhall either. Instead of near horizontal springs, the Astra has very
short vertical ones, conical in shape so that the coils compress within
each other to provide the necessary travel. As in the VW Golf, these
coils act on trailing arms linked to a torsional dead beam axle.
MacPherson struts suspend the front wheels, driven through a four-speed
gearbox, conventionally mounted in line with the lusty little ohc
engine -the 75bhp1300S unit used in the quicker hatches and saloons,
which gives the Vauxhall a 10bhp advantage over its two French rivals
to pull much the same weight. Small, almost dinky in size to look at,
the light-alloy Astra engine, the first of GM’s new three-member
family, is a big-hearted performer, unusual among small engines for its
self-adjusting hydraulic valve gear. Like the Peugeot, the Astra also
has disc/drum brakes with servo, and unassisted rack and pinion
steering. The General’s well-honed and respected mechanicals are
enclosed in a rather boxy but commodious van-shaped body, lacking the
aggressively butch squat of its stablemates, that’s 2.5in shorter than
the Peugeot, and 4in shorter in wheelbase. That the overall cabin
accommodation is just about as great underlines GM`s clever
quart-in-a-pint-pot packaging arrangements with this particular car.
Performance
Advantage
Astra. The engine is a prompt starter on its automatic choke, although
it tends to race excessively during the stumble-free warm-up period.
Blipping the throttle can reduce enrichment- but also cause stalling.
In 1.3S guise, it’s a fiery and responsive little engine, eager and
willing throughout a rev range that extends to 7000rpm - although one
would rarely reach such revs in the estate which has no tachometer: the
audio limit is nearer 6000. Pushed through the gears, all on the low
side, the Astra will outrun the other two cars, but (according to our
stopwatches) not by as big a margin as you might expect, considering
its superior power/weight ratio. Short gearing makes the Vauxhall a
busy performer but it never feels strained, not even when all out and
nudging 100mph.
The Citroen matches the Vauxhall for
maximum speed as a result of an easier passage through the air, and
betters it for high-speed cruising, ambling along in a much more
relaxed and peaceful way at 80-90mph. Acceleration in fifth (18.7mph/
1000) is inevitably more sluggish than the Astra’s in fourth (16.1mph),
although dropping a gear reveals an unexpectedly strong lugging ability
that lesser GSs of yore lacked. Indelicate throttle work betrays a
little snatch and clatter in the driveline, which is not as clean and
taut as that of the Astra. Nor is the quality of the noise - a deep
throbby roar - so agreeable when the engine, without the help of water
jackets to mute it, is extended to high revs. Yet sensible use of the
gearbox, making the most of the engine’s good mid-range torque, allows
the Citroen to be driven swiftly and fairly quietly. The extra gear
makes a big difference and the Astra could certainly do with one of the
same.
The Peugeot cannot match the other two cars for
maximum speed, although the optimistic speedometer, indicating 70mph at
a true 65, would have you believe otherwise. It runs out of urge at a
little over 90mph and lags a little in acceleration too, although the
willing, free-revving engine feels quite spritely and hums away sweetly
enough when cruising at 85mph. It’s also pretty flexible at low revs,
without power peaks or flatspots. Despite low gearing, which helps to
offset the capacity advantage of the 1472cc GLS (claimed to do 96mph
and better 14sec in the 0-60mph dash), the 305GL, although fussy when
extended, is not unpleasantly frenzied. Like the Citroen, it has a
manual choke that needs careful manipulation until the engine is warm
in stop-start traffic.
For economy, there’s not much in
it: all three cars bettered 30mpg in our hands, with the Peugeot
returning the best overall figure - allowing for an odometer over-
reading by 5 percent - of 32.4mpg. The last 305 we tested (a GR saloon)
also topped the economy table, underlining the frugality of Peugeot’s
1300, although official consumption figures suggest that the higher
geared GLS/SR 1.5 is even better. One might expect better things of the
Citroen, with its much higher gearing and good shape, but here - as
always -it is no better than average. According to official figures,
it’s the Astra, despite its low ratios, that is potentially the most
economical of the three.
Handling, Roadholding
All
three cars score well here though the two extremes - represented by the
typically Germanic Astra and the individualistic GSA - are poles apart
in feel and character. What they have in common is plenty of ability.
In the VauxhaIl’s case it‘s achieved with firm suspension that gives
the car sharp, precise handling and fine-edged manners. Steering is
light and accurate, but not especially quick, so quite big inputs are
needed on tight turns, and a fair bit of twirling on manoeuvres. Even
so, the Astra's agility and responsiveness give it real fun-car
handling, supported by as much grip as you could reasonably expect from
155 section tyres. Body control is outstanding (all three cars have
anti-roll bar control at both ends) and the onset of predictable mild
understeer is easily detected despite a certain deadness in the
steering. Backing off will negate it, providing just the right amount
of fail-safe throttle steering.
The Citroen is heavier
at the helm - parking can be quite hard work, and is a real problem for
women - but its steering is positive and more informative than the
Astra's when you're cracking on. Terminal understeer sets in earlier,
as you'd expect on skinnier tyres, so the GSA's ultimate cornering
power is not so high on tight and medium speed bends, especially in the
wet, where the Michelin XZXs are far too slippery. Backing off will
tidily curb front- end plough, though, and the tyres, narrow in section
though they are, cling to uneven surfaces with a reassurance that gives
the Citroen an immense feeling of security. Marvellously stable on fast
sweepers and at speed in gusty wind, it is difficult to imagine getting
into deep trouble with the GSA. Sharp steering inputs throw into
prominence the sudden keel of the body on its soft springs, but under
fluid control the Citroen is seldom less than well poised and never
ragged. Quick starts on the turn betray more front-drive reaction
through the steering than in the less communicative Astra: whether
that’s a virtue or vice depends on whether you like to be in close
touch with the machinery or not.
If anything, the
Peugeot 305 estate handles even better than the saloon, no doubt
because of its stiffer rear springs and more weight aft, which inclines
the handling towards the neutral without making it tail happy. Unladen,
the 305 rides on tiptoe at the back but even on bumpy corners it keeps
a firm footing, and can be thrown around in a thoroughly spirited
fashion. Pressed to the limit, which is respectably high on 155 section
tyres, it is still mild but predictable understeer all the way, as with
the other two cars. The 305 also follows the form book in tucking in
gently and safely on a trailing throttle if you start to run wide mid
bend, allowing fine placement adjustments when hard pressed over twisty
roads. Despite a recent ratio reduction (to make parking easier) the
light steering is quite responsive and informative, with no more than a
hint of the stodge that afflicts so many French cars. As with the
Citroen, sharp changes in direction are accompanied by body tilt,
though to a lesser degree, whereas the Astra corners all square with
hardly any roll.
Heavy loads in the Peugeot and'
Vauxhall inevitably compress the rear springs and to some extent upset
the attitude: starting so tail-up, the problem - not a serious one in
either car- is less acute in the Peugeot than in the Vauxhall. The
Citroen, of course, is immune from load sensitivity with its
self-levelling setup that retains an even keel no matter what you stuff
in the back. Nor is the ride and handling upset by the carriage of
cargo. Despite the space-saving geometric ingenuity of the Peugeot’s
and Astra’s rear suspension, neither has the innate advantage of the
Citroen when it comes to coping with heavy loads. That’s a very strong
attribute in the GSA’s favour.
The fully powered brakes
of the Citroen are less convincing. There’s virtually no travel in the
pedal- effectively a pressure- sensitive valve - and delicate footwork
is needed to apply and feather the brakes smoothly. The GS arrangement
is less ‘touchy' than that of the CX, though, and you quickly adjust to
it. Make no mistake about the stopping power: it’s fantastic. The
disc/drum brakes of the other two cars work admirably, those of the
Astra needing a firmer push than the more strongly servoed Peugeot’s.
Both are pleasantly progressive, so delicacy is not as critical as it
is in the Citroen.
Accommodation
One’s
first eyeball impression is that the Peugeot, which has the longest
wheelbase and overall length, must be the roomiest car of the trio. For
people it is, for cargo it’s not, at least not with the seats in place.
We were surprised to find that the Astra has marginally the biggest
goods deck whether the rear seat is up or down. At 65in, it is a couple
of inches longer than the Peugeot’s when extended, and wider by the
same amount at the tail end. Between the modest wheelarch intrusions,
there's nothing in it.
The Citroen’s straight-sided deck
is neither as long nor as wide, although it’s much the lowest of the
three, with a sill height of only 16.5in when the suspension’s not
energised. There’s not even a bumper to lift over - or to soil your
legs against- as Citroen have thoughtfully fitted the central section
of it to the tailgate so it lifts out of the way, making loading as
easy as it could possibly be. The tailgate is initially a little heavy
to lift in consequence, though. The GS also has an extendable (and
removeable) cargo cover that hides any goods behind the back seat. In
the others, everything’s on view.
The tailgate of the
Astra has only one gas strut support (both the others have two) and it
doesn't lift so high or make such a good umbrella. But at its widest,
it’s the Vauxhall that has the most yawning chasm, if not the tallest.
The Citroen wins here (because of its very low floor and under-bonnet
spare wheel), but the tailgate opening is almost a foot narrower than
that of the other two cars. Nor is the stepped-deck extension as flat
when the back seat is released (not as easy as it might be either) and
tumbled forward. The Astra's back seat is particularly easy to tilt and
replace, and it forms a completely flat extension. Neither has a split
rear seat like the Peugeot, which gives the 305 three-seat-plus-luggage
versatility, a very strong point in its favour. So is its ability to
carry the heaviest (9.6cwt) payload, which is nearly 2cwt more than
Citroen say the GSA can handle. The Vauxhal|’s payload is 9.4cwt.
The
Peugeot’s individual back seats are also very simple to fold, and they
can be removed altogether, making the deck even bigger than the Astra’s
and vast by the standards of other small estates. Tall heavyweights may
feel a bit hemmed in behind the low set single-spoke steering wheel of
the GSA, which is narrower than that of the others. The low scuttle and
switchgear satellites are very close to your knees, and there’s not
much clearance _ between thighs and steering wheel either. With the
deep central console (housing the radio) closing in on the left, and
prominent door protrusions on the right, the driver is in more of a
cockpit than a cabin. Nor does the seat go back far enough; another few
inches of rearward adjustment would not go amiss for anyone over 6ft
tall. The other two cars seem - and are - more spacious in the front,
though that‘s not to say the GSA is cramped. Rearseat legroom is almost
as generous as that in the Peugeot.
The 305’s dash
design allows for generous stowage of oddments, with a scuttle-top
tray, BMW style, a useful cubby and a large under-facia shelf. There's
much less putting-down space up front in the Citroen and Vauxhall,
though both have rigid door pockets -the Astra cavernous ones to
supplement a long central tray.
Comfort
Aside
from the possible problem of cramping for tall and corpulent drivers,
comfort levels in the Citroen are unsurpassed by very few cars
regardless of price, let alone by others in its class. Over the sort of
undulations caused by foundation irregularities - humps, hollows,
cambered ridges -the ride is outstanding, as close to the proverbial
magic carpet as you can get. It is less impressive over sharp and
broken edges, which can deal quite harsh and thumpy blows to the
hydropneumatic springs, especially when dawdling: at speed, the GSA has
a marvellously smooth and compliant stride. The seats are generally
excellent too, softly cushioned high-backed armchairs that lack only a
little lumbar support and fine micro-adjustment for the backrest- found
only in the Astra among this trio. Plaid cloth upholstery, repeated on
the doors, makes the cabin much more luxurious than those of the other
cars, particularly the Peugeot which has rather plasticky, utilitarian
decor (the more expensive GLS is much better appointed).
Despite
the strong springs required to cope with heavy loads, the Peugeot also
has an excellent ride, typically French in its pliant ability to smooth
out the rough without undue disturbance, especially when the car’s
laden. But, like the Citroen, it's rather thumpy over cats’ eyes and
ridges, and tyre roar on coarse surfaces is quite loud. The front seats
are not as good as the GSA’s: insufficient lumbar support causes slight
slouching behind a wheel that’s higher set than in the Citroen and the
cushions are far too short. The back seats, too, are flat-faced and not
very supportive.
The Astra, like most German cars, is
very firmly sprung and lacks the suppleness of its two French rivals.
The suspension is very well controlled though, so vertical movement of
the body, despite underlying jitters, is not of the gut-jarring,
teeth-rattling sort. Firm yes, harsh no - and by no means
uncomfortable. Some people, especially those with queasy tums, may even
prefer the ride to that of the softer French cars. Like the suspension,
the seats feel very hard, disconcertingly hard at first after the snug
cushions of the Citroen. Yet no one suffered from numbness, let alone
aches and pains, after a long stint at the wheel, reaffirming that the
German approach of giving priority to anatomical shaping rather than
pillow embracement is, in the long run, arguably better than that of
the French who take the opposite view. The GM seats are too low for
many people though.
Extended in the gears, the enigmatic
Citroen can be disturbingly raucous. Yet when cruising in top it is
delightfully quiet, underlining its superiority as a motorway cruiser.
The sizzling transmission, tyre thump and roar, and high-pitched gear
whine detract a little from mechanical refinement. But on the whole,
the GSA is relatively peaceful. The rorty engine of the Astra creates
as many decibels as the Citroen’s air-cooled boxer - considerably more
during fast cruising - but it’s a nicer noise, a crisp thrum rather
than a gruff roar, and is less intrusive, or perhaps we should say less
objectionable, when hammering through the gears.
Driven
with restraint, the Peugeot is quieter, less rorty than the Astra, but
not so relaxed or peaceful as the Citroen on a motorway. Persistent
gear whine soon passes unnoticed, but wind and tyre noises can be quite
intrusive, depending on the road surface and weather conditions.
All
three cars have effective heating and ventilation systems. The
Peugeot’s water- blender makes the setting of the illuminated
temperature control very sensitive - it tends to be on or off- but
output is good and the central ventilation, comprising a diffuser on
top of the facia and conventional grilles on its face, is particularly
efficient and easy to operate. There are no supplementary facia-end
vents, though, as in the other two cars. Those in the Astra serve as
side-window demisters, linked to the effective heater controlled by
simple vertical slides. Central fan-boostable multi-directional vents
deliver ambient air only, and plenty of it. In the Citroen’s excellent
new setup, it’s the side vents (chip grilles have superseded the old
eyeballs) that deliver cold air. Those in the middle are linked to the
heater which, despite the problems associated with air-cooled engines,
work very well. Three slides give progressive regulation.
Driver Appeal
If
taut, roll-free, sharp-edged handling tops your priorities, the Astra's
your car. Nor can its superior performance be lightly dismissed. In the
main, it has good controls too, though the precise gearchange is
sometimes reluctant to slot into first at rest, let alone on the move,
and second can need a heavy hand to overcome baulking synchromesh. A
much bigger niggle, and one we’ve aired before, is the awkward height
of the brake pedal, set several inches above the accelerator, so you
have to lift your foot (and perhaps bump your knee on the steering
wheel) rather than simply pivot it. A potentially dangerous
setup.
The switchgear including two chunky labelled stalks is excellent,
though once you’ve fathomed out the C|troen’s ingenious satellite setup
which you play me an accordion with your fingertips, everything else
seems a but archaic. It may not be very pretty but ergonomically it's
brilliant though non self cancelling indicators can remain an
irritation and the drum speedometer viewed through a magnifying glass
that picks up every reflection going is not for us. Still these things
are among the many idiosyncratic ingredients that help give the Citroen
its individuality and that’s one of its greatest attractions. Compared
with the first GSA we tried the action of the gearchange despite its
slightly clonky waggle-stick lever was delightful- light and easy and
pleasant to use. Clutch takeup is fluid and progressive so smooth
driving is no problem But the handbrake would be better if the trigger
release was an the right side of the handle
The 305 has a
very conventional Eurostyle dash and control layout (Peugeot have
dropped their long running round-the- square lights stalk you now
simply twist it). As in the other two cars the instrument panel is
pretty sparse and dominated by a speedometer with very cluttered
imperial and metric calibrations which make it difficult at a glance to
take a snap reading. The switchgear in the main is well placed, the
pedals nicely aligned the gearchange particularly light and easy to
stroke through its gate. But why a truncated hockey-stick knob which is
unpleasant to pull?
As in most estates, everyone has a
good panoramic view out of all three cars. All have rear wash/wipe
systems - and essential they are too, the back windows are quickly
plastered in bad weather. That of the Astra has an efficient pantograph
action, the Citroen’s a two-switch control - one for wash/wipe, the
other for intermittent operation. It seems a silly bit of penny
pinching on VauxhaIl’s part to deprive Astra estate owners of a dipping
interior mirror when hatchback users are supplied with one. The
Vauxhall doesn‘t have a clock either (only the Citroen does here) or a
trip mileage recorder.
Conclusions
A
premium of a little over £200, assuming you pay the full whack, is a
small price to pay for the Citroen’s five-speed gearbox, self-levelling
suspension and superior cabin appointments, so initial outlay is not a
deciding factor here. Depreciation could be though. Even with a
two-year 65,000- mile warranty on the suspension, traders (outside the
importer’s own dealer network) still tend to be wary of used Citroens
because they don’t understand them. Values take a tumble in
consequence, which is good news for the secondhand buyer, but not for
the original owner who has to weigh that heavy depreciation, however
misguided, against the car's other virtues. And they are many and
varied. Faced with a long cross-country journey, four up with luggage,
the GSA is the car we‘d choose of these three in which to travel. For
comfort, it’s in a class of its own with a marvellous ride and four
good seats. Moreover, as a load carrier it has the innate and unique
advantage of a suspension system that’s unaffected by weight, so the
GSA’s poise and meticulous manners remain consistently good. However,
to us it’s still the car’s strong, highly individualistic and - once
you’ve got used to it - very rewarding character that remains its
greatest attraction.
If it’s sheer carrying capacity you
want, then clearly the Peugeot and Vauxhall have more to offer.
Normally, the Astra has the slightly larger cargo deck, but to set
against that is the Peugeot’s split rear seat that can easily be
removed entirely to give even more room than in the Astra. Such
versatility is a very strong suit for a family workhorse, let alone a
farmyard one. The 305’s unusually long wheelbase also gives it the most
spacious cabin for people. Economy, lightweight controls, comfort and
good handling are other attributes of this pleasant and practical car.
The
dashabout enthusiast is likely to find the rorty Astra, with its strong
performance and sharp all-square handling, the most entertaining to
drive. As a holdall hotshot, it’s the ace of the pack, an efficient,
economical, capacious estate with a touch of the thoroughbred in its
road manners. But it doesn’t have the versatility of the Peugeot or the
comfort and character of the peaceful Citroen.
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