1994 Opel Astra 2.0i 16V 4AT FWD (136 HP)

Vehicle Overview

When Opel refreshed the Astra lineup in 1994, it improved the engine lineup and the safety features and made some aesthetic upgrades for all versions, including the station wagon.

The first generation of the Astra was already a big hit in 1994. The German automaker faced a huge success on the market and was already biting a part of the Golf’s slice. But Opel didn’t stop improving the vehicle. Instead, it kept the momentum and pushed even harder.

For the facelifted version, Opel created a new front fascia that sported a redesigned grille with a reversed trapezoidal shape where the carmaker’s badge took center stage. But changes went even further, and the corner-mounted blinkers got clear lenses instead of orange ones as on the 1991 Astra. In addition, the car’s profile showed the same long-roof shape fitted with two doors on each side. Some people hoped that after the facelift, the carmaker would return the three-door station wagon shape to the market, as it was on the Kadett. Yet, that didn’t happen. Finally, at the back, the Astra Caravan featured smoked lenses for the taillights.

Inside, the carmaker installed a redesigned dashboard with an airbag for the side passenger. In addition, the driver got a standard airbag on the new, four-spoke steering wheel. For the sound system, Opel offered an option for a CD player for the top trim levels, while the base version remained without any radio. The rear folding rear bench increased the trunk space from 500 liters (17.7 cu-ft) to 1,630 liters (57.6 cu-ft).

Under the hood, the carmaker introduced new Euro 2-compliant engines. The base version featured a 1.4-liter that provided just 60 hp, but on the other end of the scale was a 2.0-liter, 136-hp version.