He: Holden has introduced a second member of the "New Astra family", bringing a four-door sedan to complement the five-door hatch that arrived in 2016. But this isn't really an Astra by traditional standards – those have always been Euro-centric models designed to take on the world's best small cars. This Astra sedan is a larger, less refined proposition sold overseas as the Cruze.

She: I spent a bit of time in the Astra hatch earlier this year, so I was curious at how different the sedan would be. It's much bigger than what I expected. For me, while it's missing that European flair of the Opel-sourced, Polish-built hatch, the sedan is still very comfortable and more practical than the five-door. In particular the boot is huge, with 445 litres of space.

There are a lot of features for a base model but unfortunately no navigation, as much as I like tech such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I was disappointed to not see Autonomous Emergency Braking available in any sedan variant, unlike the hatch version which does offer it. 

He: This is a fundamentally different car to the hatch, and you're right in saying there is plenty of space. The omission of AEB is disappointing but I'm not really bothered by the lack of sat nav – smartphone maps extended to the central display are a fitting substitute whenever you have mobile phone reception.

Our South Korea-sourced test sedan didn't feel as polished as Astra hatchbacks we've driven, with noticeably larger interior panel gaps, hard plastics and glitch steering adjustment that didn't feel right. How did you find it on the road?   

She: The engine in the base-model Astra LS Sedan here is the same punchy 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine found in the Astra hatch, producing 110kW and 245Nm through a six-speed manual gearbox. But it doesn't feel as sporty as its sibling.

The sedan is still enjoyable but it feels a bit firmer on the road, with that extensive Australian tuning producing a comfortable, refined ride and well-balanced steering. Holden's manual transmission is fairly smooth and in my view more enjoyable than the automatic. The other advantage to choosing manual is that it's cheaper, $21,990 drive-away, and price is a big drawcard for Holden.

He: The Astra's engine gets the job done without feeling particularly engaging. There's a reasonable amount of torque for a car this size, and its 5.8L/100km fuel economy is impressive, too. But the heavier, larger sedan drives with a little less poise than the hatch, feeling relaxed but less engaging – not what you normally find in an Astra. Tuned for comfort as opposed to agility, this is a different sort of Astra, one that costs $2000 less than the five-door. 

She: You do get a lot of car for $22k, and capped price servicing is just $916 for the first three years or 60,000km. Has it done enough to win you over?

He: The Astra sedan isn't a bad car, but I prefer the hatch's driving experience and superior fit and finish. This one still feels like a Cruze, and I wouldn't say it's on par with the latest Mazda3, Volkswagen Golf or Hyundai i30/Elantra. Then again, it's bigger and cheaper than those three, making it a tough one to pin down. Would you have one?    

She: I don't understand the logic behind why Holden would offer AEB in the hatch and not the sedan - that's the main sticking point for me. However, the Astra sedan offers an attractive package for those prepared to look past that shortcoming. Being of European descent, I'm a bit more biased toward the hatch's looks, as I think it is sleeker than the sedan. 

2017 Holden Astra pricing and specifications

Price: From $21,990 drive-away

Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 110kW at 6500rpm

Torque: 245Nm at 2000-4000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 5.8L/100km

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