Holden Astra vs Audi E-Tron Gt
What's the difference?

Holden Astra

$4,500 - $20,990

2018 price

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Audi E-Tron Gt

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2026 price

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Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 2

Mazda 3

Mazda 6

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2018 Holden Astra

2026 Audi E-Tron Gt

By Peter Anderson

By Stephen Ottley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Electric motor type

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Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Vehicle type

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Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

Electric range

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Energy consumption

—

Battery capacity

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Seating

Likes

Good to drive
Good looking
Well-specced

Immense performance and acceleration
Active suspension works brilliantly
Super-responsive handling

Dislikes

Missing rear seat amenities
Smallish fuel tank
Awkward pedal position

Very close to Porsche Taycan on price
Very close to Porsche Taycan on performance
Not the most spacious family sedan

2018 Holden Astra Summary

Holden's current Astra is the second go the car has had in this country, after first being badged an Opel to the sounds of crickets from the buying public. That hubristic exercise was followed by a brief withdrawal from the Australian market before returning, rather more sensibly badged (and sensibly-priced) as a Holden.

It chugged along quite nicely in 2017. It didn't break any records, no, but regularly broke the 1000 units per month mark to end up with about five percent of the small car market, which it shares with some serious competition from Europe and Japan.

The + in R+ means more safety, but also more money. Safety is good, but do you get anything else for your money?

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2026 Audi E-Tron Gt Summary

It can be easy to dismiss electric cars as an imperfect solution to the world’s problems. But that would be missing one big point - they’re really, really fast.

Carmakers twigged that not everyone was enamoured with the environmental credentials of electric vehicles (EVs), especially luxury brands, and thus pivoted to the new sales tacit of performance and prestige.

Which is why Audi’s current performance flagship vehicle is not a mid-engined V10-powered replacement for the R8, but rather the all-electric RS e-tron GT. And for the new model year they have not only updated the range, bringing (you guessed it) more power, but also added a new hero model - the RS e-tron GT Performance.

It leads a new three-pronged line-up for the four rings brand, with the RS e-tron GT Performance sitting above the RS e-tron GT and the new S e-tron GT; the latter effectively replacing the previous ‘entry-grade’ model known only as the e-tron GT.

These arrive as part of a mid-life update for the model, with some minor styling tweaks (inside and out) along with enhancements to the battery and changes to the specifications.

The new range has just arrived in Australia and Audi will be hoping it can turn around the sales performance, which saw the outgoing e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT find just 84 customers in 2024. That was a decline of 75 per cent on 2023 sales, and nearly 200 less than the closely related Porsche Taycan.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Holden Astra 2026 Audi E-Tron Gt

Verdict

The Astra's biggest problem is probably the Holden badge. Despite the company's best efforts, some buyers are wary of the company's longevity and some of the other cars in the range do the Astra no favours - Trax, Colorado and Barina feel cheap, because they are. The Astra isn't cheaply made and holds up very well in excellent company.

Verdict

While it may be a very different beast to the R8 supercar, it’s hard to argue that the e-tron GT offers performance that isn’t equal to anything Audi has previously produced. The immense acceleration and power, coupled with the brilliant and clever handling make this updated range, especially the RS pair, feel like something special.The fact that it will save you visiting a petrol bowser and might help cut harmful emissions is just a bonus.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Holden Astra vs Audi E-Tron Gt What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Holden Astra vs Audi E-Tron Gt
What's the difference?