Vauxhall Astra facts for kids

The Vauxhall Astra is a popular car made by Vauxhall. It has been around since 1979. At first, it was only called a Vauxhall. But since 1991, it has also been sold as an Opel, a Holden, and a Chevrolet. For a few years, from 2007 to 2009, it was even sold as a Saturn car.

The Astra's Journey: A Brief History

The Vauxhall Astra has a long and interesting history. It started as a way to replace an older car model and grew into a car known around the world.

How the Astra Began

In 1979, a big car company called General Motors, which owns Vauxhall, wanted to replace their old car, the Vauxhall Viva. They needed a new small family car for the United Kingdom. So, they decided to use a car design already popular in Europe, called the Opel Kadett.

A Car for the UK Roads

Even though the Astra shared its basic shape with the Kadett, it was made special for the UK. For example, the steering wheel was placed on the right side. This is important because in the UK, people drive on the left side of the road. This made the car easy and safe for British drivers to use.

The Astra Name Spreads

Over time, the Astra name became very popular. In 1991, Opel and Chevrolet stopped using the Kadett name for their cars. Instead, they started calling them Astra, just like Vauxhall. A few years later, in 1995, Holden also began using the Astra name for their cars.

The End of the Kadett Name

For a while, the Kadett name was still used in South Africa, but only for the Astra hatchback. However, by 1999, even South Africa stopped using the Kadett badge. This meant that the Astra name was used everywhere, and the Kadett name was no longer in use for new cars.

New Astra Models Over Time

Car companies often update their models to make them better and more modern. A new version of the Opel Astra, called the H/C, came out in 2004. Later, in late 2009, the sixth generation of the Astra was launched. Each new version brought fresh designs and new features for drivers.

A Look at Astra Models Through the Years

Here are some pictures showing how the Vauxhall Astra has changed over its many generations.

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  First Generation (Opel Kadett D)

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  Second Generation (Opel Kadett E)

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  Third Generation

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  Third Generation Astravan

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  Fourth Generation

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  A Fifth Generation Model used by the Bedfordshire Police.

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  Sixth Generation

Images for kids

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  Vauxhall Astra 1300 Celebrity hatchback

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  1990 Vauxhall Astra Belmont 1.4 Merit saloon

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  1990 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 L 5-door hatchback

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  Vauxhall Astra Mark III five-door hatchback (Pre-facelift)

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  Vauxhall Astra Mk III 5-door hatchback (Pre-facelift)

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  1992–1994 Phase 1 Vauxhall Astra Mark 3 GSi three door hatchback

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  Vauxhall Astra MkIV

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  Vauxhall Astra Club 8V 1.6 MkIV

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  Vauxhall Astravan MkIV

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  Vauxhall Astra Mark V five-door hatchback

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  Vauxhall Astra Mark V three-door Sport Hatch

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  Vauxhall Astra Mark V five-door estate

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  Vauxhall Astra Mark 6 Front

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  2017 Vauxhall Astra Design Mk7 Front

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  2017 Vauxhall Astra SRi Mk7 Estate Rear

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  Vauxhall Astra Coupe at the BTCC Silverstone 2006

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  Astra sedan

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  Astravan

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  Astra 1.7 diesel engine

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  Astra Estate

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  Astra Estate facelift