Design
The Cascada uses GM's Delta II platform shared with its compact front-wheel-drive cars and small crossover SUVs, including the Opel Astra J, with which it shares much of its mechanical componentry as well as much of its instrument panel.
Cascada specifications, trim and equipment levels vary slightly between the Opel, Buick, Vauxhall and Holden badge-engineered variants, with shared standard equipment including electric park brake, sport seats, French stitching on the instrument panel, DAB Radio, auto headlights and wipers, cruise control, and seven-inch Intellilink Infotainment System.[17][18]
Available ergonomic seats for the driver and front passenger were certified by the Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR, "Campaign for Healthier Backs"), an independent panel of back experts. The AGR accredited front seats offered six-way movement and a broad range of adjustment, with a powered, pneumatic lumbar support, a 60 mm seat cushion extender and a long, 280 mm fore/aft travel movement.
Where equipped with leather, the Cascada interior uses the Bayer Cool Leather System,[23] which uses specific dyes and pigments to reflect solar infrared; improve thermal comfort, lower the leather surface temperatures up to 20-30 C less and improve shrinkage properties.
Regional differences include ISOFIX points standard both Opel, Vauxhall and Holden models while the Holden Cascada also has top tether mounts. Excluding Holden, all Buick, Opel and Vauxhall (Elite trim from 2016) Cascadas include GM's OnStar System as of 2016 as GM expanded the service into Europe.[17][18]
Cargo capacity is 380 L with the top raised and 280 L with the top stowed. To allow for longer cargo, each side of the 50/50 split rear seatbacks could be lowered by their own control, while standing at the open rear trunk—via an electro-magnetic system, marketed as Flexfold.[24] Because the taillights are entirely located on the trunk lid, a second set of tail lights inside the trunk remain visible when the lid is raised, complying with safety regulations in Europe and other countries.
Front seats have automatic shoulder-belt presenters, where the outboard seatbelt buckle is mounted on an electrically powered telescopic arm, which extends forward, "presenting" the seatbelt to driver or front passenger—triggered when the door is closed and the ignition is switched on. The arm retracts when the seatbelt is fastened.
A system marketed as Easy Entry is activated by manually releasing the front seat back and tilting it forward. This electronically moves the front seats forward to facilitate access to the 2+2 rear seating, which is moved back again by tilting the seat rearward. As the driver or passenger seat moves back and senses the knees of a rear occupant, it stops and returns the seat forward approximately an inch.
Structurally, the passenger cell primarily uses high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels. Built into the doors at the beltline, are diagonally running ultra-strong steel struts and reinforcements. The A-pillars on each sides of the windshield are high-strength press hardening steels, which are surrounded by hot-rolled and then cold-bent, oval-shaped steel tubes.[25] The design also uses reinforced rocker panels with increased cross section; underbody reinforcements including X-braces, V-braces and additional brackets; and a reinforced “torsion box” bulkhead behind the rear seats that incorporates the pop-up roll bars.[26] Opel claimed the body of the Cascada was 43% stiffer than the previous generation Astra H TwinTop, and worked in tandem with the HiPer Strut suspension layout.[27]
Convertible top
The Cascada was designed from the outset as a convertible,[28] with its top module developed and manufactured by Magna Car Top Systems (Magna CTS).[29][30] After first manually deploying a trunk-mounted cargo-divider, the soft top can be electro-hydraulically raised or lowered at speeds up to 50 km/h by a control located between the two front seats. The top includes the automated operation of an articulating rigid tonneau cover that fully conceals the top when lowered—and uses a heated glass rear window flush with the roof fabric. The frameless windows lower slightly on opening the doors or operating the convertible top.
The cloth-faced top itself is double-layered for thermal and acoustic insulation, with an available triple-layered premium top featuring heavier layers and an additional polyester fleece layer for improved thermal and acoustic insulation.[31] Offered in black, tan, brown and burgundy (marketed respectively as Ebony, Sahara, Sweet Mocha and Malbec), availability varies by model year and trim level.
