VIVA VAUXHALL’S VIZOR
Vauxhall has unveiled a new version of its popular family estate with a bold promise of perhaps its most comfortable ride ever. For the ergonomically designed front seats of the stylish new astra Sports Tourer are certified by Germany’s Campaign For healthier Backs to provide optimum comfort and support, vital on long journeys.
The new family load-lugger will be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain from launch, making it Vauxhall’s first ‘electrified’ estate. To ensure versatile performance, the boot provides up to 608 litres of space with the rear seats upright, and up to 1,634 litres when folded flat.
an underfloor lithium-ion battery in the plug-in hybrid reduces this to 548 litres and 1,574 litres.
Petrol and diesel variants can be specified with an optional moveable load floor ‘IntelliSpace’, which can be set as high and low positions and tilted at 45 degrees. The rear tailgate has a convenient 600mm loading height.
at launch the 225hp plug-in hybrid is expected to combine a 1.6 litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 12kW battery set-up — plus an eight-speed automatic gearbox — and cost from about £34,000.
a frugal 1.2 litre 3 cylinder turbo petrol priced from £24,000 and 1.5 litre turbo diesel are also expected in power ranges from 110 hp to 130 hp with a six-speed gearbox as standard.
The sharp futuristic ‘face’ is a what Vauxhall calls its Vizor design, which also houses lED headlights and a front camera.
Inside is a ‘digital cockpit’ featuring a 10in driver instrument cluster and a 10in digital touchscreen. Order books with exact pricing and specifications open in February for early summer deliveries. a pure electric version is expected to follow.
Vauxhall has committed to selling only fully electric vehicles by 2028. Its British factories at Ellesmere Port and luton produced 120,000 vehicles in 2019, accounting for 7.5 per cent of the uK market.