Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
The latest Vauxhall Astra looks the business.
8
Infotainment Hardware and Software Updates
- Thread starter RollCage
- Start date
I think the new Astra looks the business
.Vauxhall as a brand is frowned upon on some VW forums - maybe it’s a snobbery thing with some die hard VW owners clinging on to the perception that VW is a more premium brand. That may have been the case 20 or so years ago when VW’s build quality did seem to be a few notches higher than Ford and Vauxhall, but these days VW is just another manufacturer of mass produced cars, and the build quality is no better than most other mainstream manufacturers. My brother owns a Vauxhall, and I’d say the build quality of his car is better than my VW. The ride and handling of VW‘s is very good though, and IMHO VW do build some very good driver’s cars.
Bear in mind that with the Cupra Born it’s a VW ID.3 under the skin. The ID.3 hasn’t been without its software issues (similar to the Golf) - hopefully they’ve been fixed like the majority of the issues seem to have been fixed on the Golf. The Cupra Born is definitely a better looking car than it’s slightly gawky looking ugly sister, the ID.3 though - that’s just my opinion.
I think that the EV sector is likely to produce some very interesting cars over the next few years, and battery technology is likely to advance too (maybe smaller batteries that are less expensive to produce, with greater range and faster charging) - hopefully the EV charging infrastructure in the UK will keep pace to meet increasing demands. When I change my car, my interest will be in the small car sector - cars the size of the VW Polo and Mini where currently, there seems to be less choice than there is with Golf-sized EV’s. Cupra has recently showcased its near-production ready UrbanRebel small EV which looks a very interesting proposition. It’s due to be launched in 2025 which is around the time I’ll be changing my VW Polo GTI+, and the UrbanRebel will certainly be on my shortlist.
https://www.cupraofficial.co.uk/cars/concept-cars/urbanrebel.html
Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
The Cupar Born e-boost is very appealing but at the end of the day it’s a rebadged VW 
. If you want one sometime in the next five years order one tomorrow 
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. If you want one sometime in the next five years order one tomorrow .The interior of the new Astra feels cheap and nasty though. I've test driven it (we were considering switching our order of a MY23 Golf GTE due to waiting times), and while there's not much you can fault in terms of normal day to day driving, the interior isn't great. The car had 900 miles on the clock and was already creaking.
If you like the Astra, look at the Peugeot 308. Test drove that too, drives almost the same but the interior is much, much higher quality. Higher quality than the Golf, too. The problem for me was the steering wheel, could not get into a position where i didn't either hit my knees on the wheel or couldn't see the instrument cluster due to the wheel blocking it.
We would've cancelled the order for the GTE if i could drive it comfortably.
If you like the Astra, look at the Peugeot 308. Test drove that too, drives almost the same but the interior is much, much higher quality. Higher quality than the Golf, too. The problem for me was the steering wheel, could not get into a position where i didn't either hit my knees on the wheel or couldn't see the instrument cluster due to the wheel blocking it.
We would've cancelled the order for the GTE if i could drive it comfortably.
Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
Interesting observations. I don’t think you are comparing like with like though. Since you have ordered a Golf Mk8 GTE I wouldn’t consider cancelling it to get a Astra/308. The PHEV Astra is a warm hatch with 180BHP whereas the Golf GTE is a sh1t hot one with 242BHP. No contest.
Oh. Perhaps I should confess. I have a Mk8 GTE and love it. You will not be disappointed especially now that the software has been sorted.
It'd be certainly more of a "choice by reason" than a heart thing. We want the GTE, but would've been okay with the 308 225 - it's just due to waiting times. Waiting 12+ months on your car (which in the mean time gets a mild facelift too, which is likely a downgrade) just wears you down.
Historically, VW’s mid lifecycle facelifts have resulted in cars gaining additional equipment rather than ending up with a downgrade. Admittedly some items of spec might be removed, but others are added, and the net effect has been an improvement in spec. VW need to maintain customer interest in their cars throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle and adding additional equipment during the mid lifecycle facelift is a way of doing this - if the focus was on downgrading spec and equipment, then prospective customers would be likely to look elsewhere (at competitors vehicles), resulting in potential lost sales to VW.It'd be certainly more of a "choice by reason" than a heart thing. We want the GTE, but would've been okay with the 308 225 - it's just due to waiting times. Waiting 12+ months on your car (which in the mean time gets a mild facelift too, which is likely a downgrade) just wears you down.
The Polo got its mid life facelift at the end of last year. From memory it gained revised design of bumpers and alloy wheels, LED headlights as standard across the entire model range, new Golf style rear light clusters, updated infotainment software, digital instrument display for all models, new climate control panels and new style steering wheel. Off hand, I can’t think of anything significant that was deleted.
Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
I feel your pain regarding having to wait 12 months for delivery. Interesting how you fear that by the time it arrives it will come with a lower specification. Something I hadn’t considered. Perhaps I shouldn’t say it, but I bought my GTE in October 2020. It was ten days between ordering and delivery 
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.As far as i can tell, the MY23 changes include a switch to a gloss piano black console (awful), that silver/grey trim piece on the dash instead of black chrome (meh at best, if cheap enough awful too), and that's about it. Judging by the configurator, nothing was added, just changes in material here and there, of which most are (to us) a downgrade. I do like the centre armrest in leatherette, but that's about it.
The one upside of the delay in the car of course is that it should come with the latest, or close to latest software installed - 1896 at least, i'd assume. I will say that i'd rather have a less interesting interior if that means that i don't have to experience the same problems many others have/had to.
I feel your pain regarding having to wait 12 months for delivery. Interesting how you fear that by the time it arrives it will come with a lower specification. Something I hadn’t considered. Perhaps I shouldn’t say it, but I bought my GTE in October 2020. It was ten days between ordering and delivery
Well.. A buddy of mine bought a CLA last year. Lets just say that they royally screwed him on that one (missing MBUX sat nav, no parktronic, parts of the interior lighting removed, plus a few other things he didn't get but were advertised when he ordered).
And, cheers. Good to know that you only had to wait 10 days, harumph lol.
One important question we do have though - in the GTE, with software version 1896 - are you able to display the map in the cluster behind the wheel?
Your earlier post referred to mild facelift downgrades. The interior trim changes in the post above are - as you’ve just said - model year changes; they’re not facelift changes. Model year changes happen each year (sometimes twice a year) whereas the larger facelift changes are made at the mid life point in a model’s lifecycle.
Changing the colour of the dash trim isn’t necessarily a downgrade - some prospective owners may prefer it, although like you, I personally prefer the current dark dash inserts, and I’m not a massive fan of glossy piano black trim either.
Some vehicle manufacturers removing items of equipment from their vehicles is a consequence of the semiconductor supply shortages that have been affecting the motor industry for some time now. The two main options that have been available to vehicle manufacturers were in light of semiconductor shortages are;
- build cars with items of equipment missing or fit lower tech alternative equipment instead, so that production can be kept going and the impact on lead times and delivery of completed vehicles to customers is minimised. In addition to Mercedes, BMW have also been doing this. I’ve read that Ford have too. It’s very poor that the spec reduction in of your friend’s CLA wasn’t communicated to them - maybe all German car manufacturers are poor at customer communication and not just VW.
- partially build cars and store these incomplete vehicles pending receiving further supplies of semiconductors and semiconductor-dependent components, which when received are then fitted to the partially built vehicles. This is what VW have been doing, the downside being very long wait times for customers. Shortages of semiconductors may also have meant that VW have been prioritising some vehicle builds over others.
Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
Yes, since the software update I can now display the map on the dash. I can have the map on the infotainment screen or the dash but not both.
Thank you ever so much, that's good news. In our current car (MY19 Ateca X-Lux), it's the same (in MIB2, of course). I've just gotten so used to it. Now, if only they'd add the option to diplay google maps in the cluster, .. Too much to hope for i guess.
One other question that our saleslady wasn't really able to confirm either way - in the "in-car shop", i understand that you can buy the "native voice control" (Hey Volkswagen"), and something in regards to the ambient lighting - is "auto parking" another buyable option retrospectively? I can't seem to find the content of the shop online to look at, just curious about it.
Maturedriver
Go Kart Champion
Since the GTE is so well equipped as standard the only thing you can buy on the ‘in car shop’ is Alexa. I haven’t bothered plus it requires a monthly subscription with Cubic Telecom. The “Hey Volkswagen” is standard and is much improved since 1896 (but nothing like as good as Sky’s Q Box Remote). The interior and exterior lighting has more features than you can shake a stick at and you won’t want for more. The auto parking is a factory fitted item I believe. Not sure if Google maps can be displayed on the cluster but I doubt it.
Huh, in the UK that "Hey Volkswagen" isn't standard. It's a what, £200 optional extra that you can also retroactively purchase in the in car store. Auto parking is the same (although i don't know if one can buy it retroactively). That said, i think the native voice control comes as standard if you go for the Discover Pro navigation (£1200 or something like that).
In MIB2 systems, you can't - i doubt that MIB3 is different in that regard (google maps). Which isn't a big issue anyway, would just be nice to have.
Auto parking, aka Park Assist, is only a factory fit option, it requires an extra 4 parking sensors, 2 front and 2 rear, that are positioned near the wheel arches of the front and back wheels. It gives the car an all round view of obstacles.