UK Drive: Can updates to Vauxhall’s Astra bring extra appeal?
Vauxhall has made its Astra a little sharper but no less competitive on price. Jack Evans finds out what it’s like to drive.
What is it?
However, the Astra is now in one of the most tumultuous periods ever experienced by the UK car industry, with competitors arriving in the market left, right and centre. As a result, Vauxhall has tweaked the Astra to keep it current, but can it still come out on top? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
However, Vauxhall has tweaked things in a variety of areas with the hope of introducing a series of small edits which can add up to a big change. It is also going hard on the affordability side of things, with the Astra’s pricing now even more competitive than ever. More on that shortly.
What’s under the bonnet?
A maximum charge speed of 100kW means that the Astra can manage a 10 to 80 per cent charge in just over 30 minutes. Plus, vehicle-to-load technology is now included on this Vauxhall, meaning that you can power external devices using the car’s energy – though you’ll need an adapter for the charger port to convert it to a three-pin.
What’s it like to drive?
Though kitted out with bonging assistance systems, the Astra has a good shortcut menu to easily switch them off. While the steering might not be the sportiest out there, this isn’t the sort of car which requires it. Though electric power may not be the fit for all drivers, it has a great home in the Astra where it gives the car an edge in terms of refinement and quiet.
How does it look?
Vauxhall has added some new colours to the Astra range as part of this update, too, and the ‘Clover Green’ available helps to give it a classy, old-school edge.
What’s it like inside?
In the back there’s a decent amount of space, while the 597-litre boot on this estate version is usefully sized. It’s quite low and easy to access, too, with practically no lip to contend with. The practicality side of things is sorted, as a result.
What’s the spec like?
Both of those make it cheaper than an equivalent plug-in hybrid, too, which start from £29,995. Even the standard petrol is only slightly cheaper at £27,495, and given the potential savings on fuel that the electric model could bring, it seems like the EV is the obvious choice.
Verdict
Given the current squeeze on the budgets of drivers, it feels as though the UK needs more cars like the Vauxhall Astra. It’s competitively priced, has loads of equipment as standard and, in electric form, is fantastically refined.
Sure, it might not shout about it, and it may not try to dazzle with technological wonders, but it gets the job done – and that’s just what many people want.