2022 Vauxhall Astra-Revies, Price and Details

When you get behind the wheel of the new Astra you know it's a Vauxhall.

The dynamic attitude is what the German brand has accustomed its customers to. The first deliveries start in June and the big news is the plug-in hybrid with 60 km of electric range.

The mechanical basis of the new Vauxhall Astra is of course the EMP2 platform, also used by the new Peugeot 308, but the German brand promised that all the suspension and chassis calibration would be immediately identified with what we expect from a German car.

We've already driven the new Vauxhall Astra and can assure you that this promise has been fulfilled: despite the giant leap in quality in many different aspects, the new Astra retains the firmness and lack of uncontrolled body movements that have always characterized Vauxhall models.

More importantly, this feeling of precision is achieved without sacrificing comfort, with the suspension tuning achieving a good compromise between dynamics and comfort.

Vauxhall will begin delivering the first Astra units in June, first exclusively in five-door configuration, with the Sports Tourer (wagon) due to arrive in September.

Diesel engines are available, based on the four-cylinder 130 hp engine (prices starting at £ 31,950) and petrol engines, with the same power output and based on the three-cylinder 1.2-litre Turbo engine (prices starting at £ 28,450).

The electric power for the electric motor is provided by a battery with a capacity of 12.4 kWh and which guarantees, according to Vauxhall, a 100% electric autonomy of 60 km. This results in an advertised consumption (WLTP) of 1.1 litres of gasoline per 100 km/h.

Still regarding the battery, the announced time for a full charge at a 22 kW power station is two hours. A version with 225 hp is expected to arrive at the end of the year.

The new Vauxhall Astra is available with both the Elegance and GS Line trim levels and in both cases, specific packages can be added to accentuate its sporty character or enhance safety and comfort.

Among the options are the ventilation and massage system for the seats, as well as the leather coverings.

Inside, the highlight is the almost total disappearance of the physical buttons, replaced by tactile controls. However, for some more common functions, there are still some direct commands in a small console on the dashboard, as well as on the steering wheel, or through voice command.

The big news, however, is the double central display (each one with 10 inches) that covers more than half the dashboard: in front of the driver, there is the usual travel information (speedometer, rev counter, fuel level, consumption indications, etc.), while in the middle, the screen placed there serves the entertainment functions (radio, music streaming, etc.), comfort (climate control) and communication, allowing, for example, to mirror all the functions of your smartphone, through Android Auto or Apple CarPlay systems, wirelessly.

In terms of driving information, it is worth mentioning that, among the options, there is the Head-Up Display that projects most of the information on the windscreen.

The new Vauxhall Astra comes standard with several state-of-the-art safety features, such as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic approach warning.

To assist with parking manoeuvres, the Astra comes with a rear-view camera and sensors as standard.

Captivating dynamics

At 4.37 metres long, the new Astra is four millimetres longer and has also gained a lot more space inside, thanks to the new platform which features a long wheelbase (2.67 metres).

Visually, the body style brings it closer to the Grandland, Crossland and Mokka SUVs, highlighting, immediately, the front with an acrylic panel instead of the traditional grille, as well as the very "torn" headlights, always with LED technology.

As an option, it is possible to have the latest Intellilux lighting technology, which optimises the illumination of the road in all situations, avoiding, for instance, the dazzling of oncoming drivers. Another striking solution is the two-tone paintwork, with the roof in black, which serves to accentuate the more dynamic and sporty character, an objective also underlying the rear mudguard widenings and the deflector placed on the boot lid.

The latter has a capacity of 422 litres, or 352 litres in the case of the plug-in hybrid version, due to the battery.