Vauxhall unveils all-new Astra with plug-in technology

The brand new Vauxhall Astra has been unveiled with a bold new design and the promise of two plug-in hybrid powertrains alongside petrol and diesel options.

Vauxhall has yet to confirm full details of the line-up but has said that the more powerful of the PHEV variants will offer 222bhp, with the other option likely to be a 178bhp tune of the same setup.

Petrol options will all be 1.2-litre three cylinder units, while it’s likely that a 1.5-litre four-pot will be the Astra’s only diesel option. Power for these will range from 109bhp to 128bhp. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, with an eight-speed auto an option on more powerful models.

As well as a move to electrification, the new Astra features a bold redesign. The company’s striking Vizor grille features, with slimline LED headlights below a wide, flat bonnet designed to give the Astra a low-slung and dynamic look. The rest of the car features a cleaner, sharper look and th east ra is longer and wider than before.

Inside, the Astra echoes the recently-launched Mokka with a simple uncluttered layout dominated by two 10-inch “Pure Panel” digital screens.

Full specifications will be announced closer to the new Astra’s launch date but

Vauxhall has revealed that among the technology available will be auto adapting headlights with 168 LED elements; adaptive cruise control; semi-autonomous lane changing; a head-up display and a 360-degree parking camera.

Pricing will be confirmed ahead of orders opening in autumn but expect a small increase from the outgoing model’s £19,740 starting price.