The Vauxhall Astra H VXR is a very popular car in the modified community. The 2.0 litre turbocharged engine producing 237 BHP provides a great platform for big power.

0-60 can be achieved in 6.2 seconds but let’s be real – that’s not fast enough!

Let’s get straight into it and list out what we believe are the top 5 modifications for an Astra H VXR.

Rear anti-roll bar

What? First mod isn’t a performance one?! 

Trust us, adding a rear anti roll bar to your VXR will make the world of difference. The handling of the VXR isn’t all that great from factory, which isn’t exactly surprising. It’s front heavy, FWD and produces a great amount of power.

Which brand you go with, is your choice – but we recommend one that’s adjustable. 

Exhaust

Bit of an obvious one! The VXR engine sounds great, but it’s a little let down with how quiet the standard exhaust is. When it comes to fitting an aftermarket one, you’ve got plenty of choice.

Fitting a catback will make a world of difference to the sound, but if you’re hunting for more power then you’re best of looking at a turbo back system and potentially increasing the size to 3 inches rather than the factory 2.5 inch.

Intercooler

The VXR engine is a heavy breathing engine that likes to run hot, so if you’re thinking about adding more power it’s important to keep the engine cool.

You are 100% going to remap this car, but adding an intercooler first would be a wise choice. 

Induction kit

Remember the raygun on Call of Duty zombies? Imagine that sound, under your engine bay. At least that’s what I think it can sound like!

There are a variety of choices, and plenty of debating around whether or not it’s good to have an open air intake (hot air and all that). But the general consensus is that it’s something you should do, especially in prep for the next mod.

Engine remap

In our opinion, this should be the last step! Get the modifications needed to be able to produce (and handle) bigger power, and then get a custom remap put on the car. Rabbid tuning tend to be the most popular choice.

It’s your car

This is just a guide, you do what makes you happy. Your car should be exactly how you want it, not how we want it – but trust us when we say that a modified astra VXR can be a scary thing!