Opel introduced a facelifted version for the Astra’s first generation in 1994, after three years on the market, and improved its safety features.
When the German carmaker retired the Kadett nameplate from its lineup, some customers criticized it. But the Astra was a completely new path. While the Kadett built its reputation on sporty versions, the Astra was meant to be a family car and the king of the rental companies. The sedan version was a choice for those who didn’t need a big trunk in the back. Also, the newly opened Eastern European market was hungry for sedans, and the three-box Astra was one of the best offers.

The facelifted version received a new front fascia with a redesigned grille that sported a reversed trapezoidal shape and the chromed Opel badge in the middle. Previously, the Astra featured a one-slat grille. The carmaker dropped the orange lenses for the turn signals favoring the clear-lens system, with orange bulbs inside to comply with the European legislation. Its trunk lid kept the same shape at the back, and the taillights received clear reversing lights instead of the smoked ones from the 1991 model.

Inside, the carmaker introduced a new dashboard, which included a passenger airbag. 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.

Under the hood, the carmaker introduced a new, 2.0-liter engine for selected markets. They became Euro 2 compliant.