Well, another trip to Maidenhead HQ, another hire car to drive, another review to write. This time, as you might have guessed, I had a Vauxhall Astra. As you may remember I've already had an Astra (and Golf) to drive, but this was a better specced Astra, and an automatic!

Its the first time I've driven an automatic, and I have to say, it was actually quite good. I still wasn't properly used to it changing down all the time when I stomped on the accelerator, but other than that, really cool, especially in heavy traffic. Would I buy an automatic in the future? Probably not, but certainly for driving to Maidenhead I wouldn't mind one again.

As for the rest of the car, well, as I've said it was well specced. It was a 1.8 Elite trim level. That means heated seats, trip computer, a/c, CD player, automatic lights, semi-auto wipers (you have to switch it on, but then it adjusts the speed to the intensity). All pretty good, and all worked. The engine had its bad moments (odd ticking), and lacked power in the mid range if it was in 4th, but I think that's partly due to the auto gearbox, and that its been ragged around the country by drivers like me.

I'm going to finish on a down though - the indicators. Why oh why manufacturers have to mess with the humble indicator stalk God only knows. Why they decided, click it on click it off wasn't working I can't work out. Now its a crazy tap it down and let how you steer the car decide when we turn it off nonsense. That's probably not how they describe it in their blurb, but that's how it works, and it annoys the hell out of me. Big mistake, I hope other manufacturers don't follow Vauxhall and stick with indicators that work.

Anyway, that's me done for another review, and its nearly time for the Apprentice, so in summary, 5/10 (average).