2020 Holden Astra range to be trimmed, gain standard kit

Holden wouldn't confirm or deny the revisions, but official dealer documents reveal change is coming for the Lion Brand's rival to the Hyundai i30, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf.

The mid-spec R+ variant will be removed, with the existing Astra R to instead gain the active safety equipment previously reserved for the R+.

Meanwhile, a raft of small changes will be rolled out range-wide. Opel's latest touchscreen infotainment system will replace the existing setup, and LED headlights will replace the halogens previously used on base models.

The black pack – which brings black alloy wheels, mirror caps and bumper detailing – will be made standard on the Astra RS and RS-V, too.

Expect to see dual-zone climate control on the RS, while the top-spec RS-V will get active cruise control and a panoramic sunroof as standard – both previously optional. Gone is the manual transmission, too. The six-speed automatic will become standard range-wide.

Holden hasn't revealed pricing, but the current Astra line-up kicks off at $21,490 before on-road costs for the R, and runs to $30,740 before on-roads for the RS-V.

Power in the R comes from a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine making 110kW and 240Nm, down on the 147kW/280Nm 1.6-litre turbo four offered in the RS and RS-V.

So far in 2019, Holden has reported 3252 Astra registrations, down 23.7 per cent on its 2018 figure. Those figures have no doubt been affected by the death of the sedan and Sportwagon, removed from the range in June.

Supply issues are to blame for the sedan's downfall. Having originally sourced the car from a now-shuttered plant in South Korea, Holden's only alternative was removed in March, when GM's factory in Ohio, USA, stopped producing the Chevrolet Cruze on which the Astra sedan is based.

The sedan accounted for 46 per cent of deliveries before its axing.