Family favourite returns with greater practicality and the option of plug-in hybrid power On sale Now Price from £25,515
Max Adams Max.Adams@haymarket.com
IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE that your parents had an Astra estate, and maybe a few cousins too. But generational brand loyalty isn’t the only reason to choose what is now called the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer.
As ever, variety is the Astra’s watchword. Not only does its engine line-up include 99bhp and 128bhp 1.2-litre petrols and a 128bhp 1.5-litre diesel, but there’s also a 1.6-litre plugin hybrid that promises low CO2 emissions, bringing lower tax bills for company car users. Plus, in 2023, an all-electric version will arrive – a rare thing in the estate class.
It’s a shame, then, that none of the Astra’s regular petrol and diesel engines stand out; all are beaten by equivalents in the Skoda Octavia for both performance and efficiency. Refinement isn’t brilliant, either; the diesel transmits too many vibrations to the interior, while the petrol’s six-speed manual gearbox has an unpleasant rubbery feel to it.
The plug-in hybrid – named Hybrid-e – is rather more polished, though. A 222bhp version will arrive shortly, but the 178bhp model you can have now compares well with the equivalent Octavia iV for performance and efficiency. What’s more, its useful 42 miles of official range (more like mid-30s in the real world) means you can make a lot of trips on electric power alone, made easier by the fact that the motor will take you right up to motorway speeds.
Floor the accelerator, though, and the petrol engine cuts in smoothly, with respectably strong acceleration – 0-60mph takes 7.7sec. The only fly in the ointment is the hesitancy of the automatic gearbox to change down a gear or two when you want to pass slower traffic.
Comfort-wise, we’d recommend sticking with the standard 17in alloy wheels to maximise comfort; the ride is rather busy over scruffier surfaces on the optional 18in wheels.
When it comes to handling, all versions of the ST offer plenty of grip and contain body lean well. The PHEV is barely any less nimble than the lighter 1.2-litre petrol, and both beat the heavier diesel.
Inside, all STs have a sharp-looking 10.0in infotainment screen that responds swiftly enough to inputs. The menus aren’t overly intuitive, though, and the shortcuts to some functions aren’t
