Vauxhall Astra
Eighth-generation hatch gets a bold new look and plug-in hybrid power On sale Early 2022 Price from £22,000 (est)
All change for Vauxhall’s Focus rival
THE VAUXHALL ASTRA is one of the most popular family cars on British roads, and that makes the task of replacing it very difficult. Do you play safe and accept that you might struggle to attract new buyers, or be bold and risk scaring off existing customers?
Well, take one look at this new, eighthgeneration model and it’s clear that the designers decided to twist, because it has the same radical front end treatment as the recently launched Vauxhall Mokka small SUV.
This includes a front grille that stretches the full width of the car, with the headlights incorporated within it. And those lights will be available with Vauxhall’s Intelli-lux Pixel Light technology – an adaptive system that incorporates 168 LEDS and is said to automatically adjust in milliseconds to provide maximum illumination without dazzling other road users.
It’s all change inside, too.you’ll find two 10.0in digital displays placed side by side, one of which replaces conventional instruments, while the other is a touchscreen for infotainment.this sort of layout is very much on trend in the car world right now, but, fortunately,vauxhall has resisted the temptation to follow sister brands Citroën and Peugeot by putting the air conditioning controls on the infotainment screen. Instead, you get dedicated physical switches, which should be far easier to use on the move.
To further reduce distraction, the digital displays have a shutter-like layer that is said to prevent upward reflections in the windscreen. And if you prefer to use your smartphone’s operating system rather than the car’s, you can connect it wirelessly via Apple Carplay or Android Auto.
Those who despair at the way many cars balloon in size whenever a new model is introduced will be relieved to hear that the new Astra is just 4mm longer than its predecessor. However, the front and rear axles are now farther apart, which should be good for leg room, and the boot has grown from 370 litres to 422 litres, leaving the Skoda Octavia as the only family hatchback that offers significantly more luggage space.
The new Astra also offers more interior storage than its predecessor, particularly the automatic models, which adopt a gear selector switch in place of a traditional lever, freeing up space between the front seats.
Vauxhall is promising that this new Astra will set the highest standards for comfort, too; those front seats have been certified by an independent German organisation that promotes better back health.
Meanwhile, the list of technology that will be available includes lane-keeping and lane-change assistance in an effort to make motorway driving less tiring, a 360-degree camera and a rear cross-traffic alert system to help with parking and manoeuvring, plus traffic sign recognition so you always know the prevailing speed limit.
Unlike the Mokka and the smaller Vauxhall Corsa hatchback, the new Astra won’t come in fully electric form. However, 178bhp and 222bhp plugin hybrids, which combine a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, will be offered from launch.
Efficiency figures for these have yet to be confirmed, but it seems likely that they’ll match those of the closely related Peugeot 308; in 178bhp form, the latter car can cover up to 37 miles on electric power and emits just 25g/km of CO2, giving it an 11% benefit-in-kind tax rating.
As for conventional engines, these are also shared with the new 308 and comprise 108bhp and 128bhp 1.2-litre turbo petrols, and a 128bhp 1.5-litre diesel.
A six-speed manual gearbox will be standard on most Astras, although the plugin hybrids will get an eight-speed automatic, which will also be an option on more expensive petrol and diesel variants.
Speaking of pricing, the current Astra undercuts the similarly popular Ford Focus, but we expect the gap to narrow, with the new Astra likely to start at close to £22,000, rising to more than £30,000 for the plug-in hybrids. A Sports Tourer estate version will follow later, but there will be no three-door hatchback.