Vauxhall Astra

FORECOURT VAUXALL ASTRA

Power

The Astra Hybrid is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor that together produce 178bhp.

The Mk8 Astra promises to be better than ever – James Batchelor sees if it can really succeed.

WHAT IS IT?

While the Astra has been Vauxhall’s bread and butter for the past four decades, it’s fair to say that for the majority of those 40 years it’s been an earnest but not exactly outstanding offering. But now there’s a new one and it’s the first to be built under the guiding hand of Stellantis, not General Motors.

WHAT’S NEW?

Everything – only the name has been carried over. Being Stellantis-owned, Vauxhall gets access to the car giant’s parts bin, so under the handsome body lies the same platform as used for the new Peugeot 308, plenty of familiar technology and a suite of up-to-the-minute engines. Speaking of powertrains, this is the first Astra to come as a plug-in hybrid and there’s even a fully electric Astra-e coming along next year.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

Vauxhall is offering a power type for every customer, with pure petrols, petrol plug-in hybrids and a diesel option. As well as the electric Astra-e next year, there’ll also be a mildly hot Astra GSe with a 221bhp 1.6-litre petrol plug-in hybrid.

But until that arrives, the most potent Astra is the plug-in hybrid (confusingly badged simply ‘Hybrid’) with up to 43 miles of electric-only range.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

Vauxhall has worked hard to make the Mk8 Astra more exciting but also more refined. On the latter element, this has been a success for the most part, with the bulk of road and wind noise prevented from entering the cabin. It’s also pretty good to drive, with accurate steering (via a normally sized steering wheel – take note, Peugeot) and decent body control.

We did, however, find the ride in this plug-in hybrid a little on the hard side – no doubt a by-product of the added weight brought on by the electric motor, batteries and stiffened suspension used to accommodate them.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

This is one seriously good-looking car and, along with the Mokka, was designed to wear the brand’s ‘Vizor’ front end from the outset. It’s a wedgy, daring design that makes a Focus look dull and a Golf just plain frumpy.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Vauxhall Astra Ultimate Plug-in Hybrid

Price (as tested): £39,115 Engine: 1.6-litre petrol engine with electric motor

Power: 178bhp

Torque: 360Nm

Max speed:

140mph

O-60mph: 7.7 seconds

MPG (combined):

256mpg

Emissions:

24-26g/km CO2

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

The bold exterior styling is mostly carried over to the interior, which features a nicely designed dashboard – we just wish it was a bit brighter and not quite so black in there. That said, there’s decent room up front and our car’s super-comfy front seats (which have been certified by a German back specialist) were a treat to sit in.

The same can’t be said for the back seats, though, as knee and headroom are both in short supply, and the plug-in hybrid’s boot (352 litres) is smaller than in the petrol and diesel Astras (422 litres). There’s always the Sports Tourer estate if more space is needed.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

Our test car came in high-end Ultimate specification, with all the bells and whistles a buyer could want. At £39,115 after options, our Astra model certainly sat at the more premium end of the spectrum, although features such as dual-zone climate control, a heated leather steering wheel and a 10-inch driver display go some way to justifying this price tag.

The 10-inch infotainment system on the latest Astra isn’t the most intuitive to use, but it’s handy to have physical shortcut buttons for many of the functions. Some areas of the cabin were let down by cheaper-feeling plastics, mind you, which did contrast with the overall

premium feeling that it seems Vauxhall is aiming for with the Astra. But for the most part, the interior quality is good enough.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

Top Gear said: ‘It’s decent to drive, smart looking and finished to a high standard. Besides, Vauxhall has clamped down on ownership costs, so it’s accessible too. The Astra’s not a car to set your heart on fire, or your pants, but it feels satisfyingly well sorted.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Vauxhall has finally managed to add a bit of spice and style to the Astra, and while it will appeal to new buyers, it’ll likely still be favoured by Vauxhall die-hards, too.

The PHEV will probably be best suited to company car drivers, as these models look rather expensive – our car’s near-£40,000 price tag is way too much. Cheaper models make more sense, but while the Astra doesn’t stand out in any particular area, there’s a lot to like about it and the new version certainly sits among the top branches of the hatchback tree.

Cabin

The interior isn’t the brightest, but the dash is well designed and the front seats are comfy.

Vauxhall has finally managed to add a bit of spice and style to the Astra.

Style

The design of the latest Astra makes it a seriously good-looking car.

TARGET BUYERS:

Family buyers. Company car drivers.

THE RIVALS:

Volkswagen Golf eHybrid Peugeot 308 Hybrid Seat Leon e-Hybrid

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Decent to drive 2. Good-sized boot (ICE versions) 3. Comfortable interior

DEAL CLINCHER:

Stylish design really does turn heads.