It’s remarkable how much a few short words can change a car. Stick an ‘RS’ at the end of a Megane or Focus, for instance, and it becomes a completely different beast. They can turn what might be a low-spec, gutless repmobile into a car that's recognised as being at the forefront of its class.

The 'RS' suffix - or 'ST' or 'GTi' - can add hundreds of horsepower and performance chassis to your humble shopping car. The same applies whenever Vauxhall applies the VXR moniker to one of its own cars, like the Astra for example. The latest Vauxhall Astra VXR challenges similarly powered hot hatches, particularly the Ford Focus ST.

Ford and Vauxhall - two bastions of the UK car industry - have been slugging it out for decades: for every Fiesta a Corsa; for every Mondeo an Insignia; for every ST a VXR.

Hot hatch enthusiasts will be wowed by the latest Astra VXR's muscular, aggressive and squat stance. It is lower again than the three-door Astra GTC and its visual flourishes should leave other road users in no doubt as to its intent.

Next to the Focus ST and the majority of other rivals, the Astra VXR has an advantage in terms of power and performance. But does it perform well enough in other areas to be considered a class-leader? Read on to find out.

Performance

The powerful engine is arguably the biggest star of the Astra VXR, with the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit boasting 276bhp.

It also delivers a stunning 400Nm of torque. With all of this, the Astra VXR can go from a standstill to 60mph in just 5.9 seconds. That time beats the Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen Golf GTI and is just one tenth behind the Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy.

There's a broad, smooth and progressive delivery of torque between 2,450-5,000rpm, meaning the car will pull strongly in most gears - and pull quickly. If you don't have your wits about you, you can easily find yourself on the wrong side of the legal speed limit very quickly, and without apparent effort.

The Astra VXR’s punchy power delivery certainly manages to add a fun factor to the driving experience.

Ride and Handling

All of the Astra VXR's mechanical trickery translates into a car that sounds lovely on start-up, is very powerful without feeling manic and handles wonderfully.

Just as importantly as its powerful engine, the Astra VXR has a very clever (and expensive) suspension set-up to handle all of that power through the Astra VXR's front wheels. A few problems can crop up when you try to put a lot of power through front wheels. Therefore, Vauxhall has brought together its clever and comfortable Watts linkage rear suspension, a Drexler limited-slip differential to address understeer and strengthened front suspension to reduce torque steer, where the wheel writhes in your hands. First driving impressions are excellent. All of the Astra VXR's mechanical trickery translates into a car that sounds lovely on start-up, is very powerful without feeling manic and handles wonderfully. The limited-slip diff could have been designed for that hoary old 'handles like it's on rails' cliche. The effect of the Drexler diff is to provide a feeling that the Astra VXR is actively pulling you into a corner, like a steel wire has been slung around a pole on the apex and wound in. It gives a feeling of tremendous confidence and banishes most - if not all - thoughts of understeer. That steering wheel is noticeably smaller than the Astra GTC - and it is pleasingly firm with the Sport or VXR setting engaged thanks to hydraulic steering. A constant complaint of drivers who enjoy driving is that steering systems are inevitably too light. Vauxhall appears to have listened and learned. The steering on the Astra VXR is responsive, gives excellent feedback and is nicely weighted - it communicates where the car is and what it's doing; along with giving an impression of the road surface underneath. The ride can get bumpy in VXR mode, though the suspension soaks up any crashes. The ride is more bouncy than jolty over poor road surfaces. However, body roll is fairly limited and deselecting Sport or VXR buttons on the Flexride system makes things as comfortable as many small family cars. As a daily drive the Astra VXR should prove more than capable.

Interior and Equipment

The first ever Astra VXR hot hatch was launched back in 2005. The VXR moniker debuted the year before on a sports car called the VXR220 Turbo, which was based on the Lotus Elise.

The bespoke sports seats inside the Astra VXR are designed to be comfortable and functional. The three Flexride settings available mean you can firm things up with a VXR button significantly, or smooth things out to an impressive degree by electing to choose a more comfortable ride. There's an ECO button that engages stop-start. You can opt for satellite navigation and there are all the usual gadgets you'd expect from a modern car. This doesn't affect performance - the VXR weighs in less than the GTC thanks to a number of clever weight-shaving measures. The effect of all the VXR's features and refinement does mean the VXR may lack some of the grittiness that some hot hatch buyers seek. However, it will open up a new audience of buyers who may not have previously considered such a powerful car. The cabin does make manoeuvring quite hard at times; thick pillars and a high rear mean all-round visibility is not a strong point. However, there is good space for four inside and a decent boot. Rear seats can be folded down to extend storage space and there are various binnacles around the cabin to up storage. The Astra VXR’s standard boot capacity of 380 litres is comfortably more than the Focus ST hatchback (316 litres) and the Renaultsport Megane (344 litres).

Cost

A quoted 34.9mpg combined is possible, though we managed 27mpg over some challenging driving. That's fairly impressive all things considered and another clue as to how useable the Astra VXR is in the real world.

There is a stiff premium for all of the Astra VXR's power and ability. List prices surpass the Ford Focus ST even in its most expensive specification.  While Vauxhall is keen to point out that the standard spec beats competitors, adding in the VXR Aero pack - with bi-plane spoiler, side skirts and gigantic 20-inch alloys - takes the price to above £28k. A quoted 34.9mpg combined is possible, though we managed around 27mpg over some challenging driving. That's fairly impressive all things considered and another clue as to how useable the Astra VXR is in the real world. The CO2 output is 189g/km and that's not a figure that will prove financially crippling, nor is it likely to put any buyer off.

Our Verdict

All told this feels like a car designed to offer everything that the hot-hatch brigade will want - the power the chassis, the looks - while opening up the car to a broader demographic. This is a hot hatch with comfort, refinement and gadgets. Perhaps, like with most new iterations of a powerful hatch, some people will fret about the lack of more rowdy characteristics. The Astra VXR does not feel as deftly chuckable as the Corsa VXR Nurburgring for example. Pricing and visibility are concerns, particularly next to rivals, but the Astra VXR is still fast and fun to drive. But most will enjoy the combination of performance and high quality. With the addition of three letters the Astra has gained much, without losing anything. That's seriously impressive.