Vauxhall Astra
New from £23,825 / £271 p/m
Is the Vauxhall Astra Hatchback a good car?
Read our expert review
Words by: Autotrader
"In a world swamped by an influx of Chinese products with baffling alphanumeric names it’s sometimes nice to revert to something comfortingly familiar – and cars don’t get much more recognisable than the Vauxhall Astra. Now the longest-serving nameplate in the range, the Astra has been around for eight generations and more than 45 years. This update brings in subtly massaged looks, fresh colours, extra range on the pure electric version, and an interior with enlivened trims and ergonomic seats. It remains a strong, all-round-capable contender, if perhaps lacking the killer blow to beat the Volkswagen Golf that remains the class benchmark."
Green Rating
Vauxhall is part of the wider Stellantis group, and the Astra is built within its European manufacturing and supply chain network, which helps reduce its ‘embedded’ carbon compared with rivals built further afield. As it stands nearly 60 per cent of energy powering these European plants is from renewables, with a stated aim of getting this to 100 per cent by 2030. It also intends to halve water consumption in its plants by the same deadline, compared with 2021 levels. Fully recycled ReNewKnit upholstery helps this updated Astra’s sustainability credentials and we like Vauxhall’s commitment to consumer choice for powertrains. For this score we’re rating the petrol and hybrid Astra as distinct from the pure electric version, though.
Read the review by category
Running costs for a Vauxhall Astra Hatch
4/5
Vauxhall offers four main powertrains for the updated Astra, comprising plain petrol, a regular hybrid (HEV), a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and then a full electric vehicle (EV). This means you can pick the best one to suit your wallet, in terms of fuelling/charging fees and taxation, too. But while all versions of the Astra are competitive for running costs, they’re not groundbreaking in any regard – we tested the PHEV Hatch, which should do more than 50 miles on electric alone. But even on a fairly gently-driven test route with plenty of battery charge in reserve we barely saw better than an equivalent 50mpg – little better than the old diesels it effectively replaces.
Reliability of a Vauxhall Astra Hatch
4/5
Responses from customer satisfaction surveys in recent years suggest both Vauxhall and the Stellantis family of which it is a part along with Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, have got their collective act together when it comes to making dependable cars. That said, Astra have reported some electrical glitches with the onboard technology, so maybe Vauxhall isn’t quite out of the woods yet.
Safety for a Vauxhall Astra Hatch
4/5
The current Vauxhall Astra only picked up a four-star Euro NCAP rating when tested in 2022, and the safety organisation’s evaluation process has only got tougher since then. Nevertheless, there’s a good level of standard safety gear on the base Griffin trim, including adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and high-beam assist. You need to upgrade to Ultimate spec to get blind spot alerts, lane change assist, lane positioning assist and rear cross-traffic alert technologies, this also getting the new Intelli-Lux HD headlights with more than 50,000 elements to prevent dazzling other road users at night.
How comfortable is the Vauxhall Astra Hatch
3/5
Things start off well in the Vauxhall Astra Hatch, because it doesn’t have the small steering wheel and high-set instrument cluster of the related Peugeot 308, which means a more conventional driving position suiting a wider range physiques. The Astra also comes with redesigned Intelli-Seats in the front as standard for this updated model. These have a recessed channel in the middle of their bases, inspired by the saddle of bicycles, to reduce pressure on the coccyx for longer journeys. All well and good, so it’s therefore a shame the ride quality of the Astra isn’t great. Certainly, on the bigger 18-inch wheels that come on both GS and Ultimate cars, and in the relatively heavy PHEV Hatch version, the Vauxhall too often amplifies medium-sized bumps in the road to the discomfort of its occupants. It’s just a bit too firmly set-up for our liking, in all honesty, and not as comfortable as that 308 relation.
Features of the Vauxhall Astra Hatch
4/5
Again, there’s nothing wrong per se with the equipment levels, given all versions get twin 10.0-inch digital screens for the main interface. These are more neatly integrated in GS and Ultimate models with an edge-to-edge glass display overlay, but they work fine and are easy enough to read. The problem is, the Astra’s cabin is quite boring to look at. We know the Peugeot 308’s interior can infuriate some with its idiosyncratic small wheel (see above) but it’s still so much nicer and more visually interesting inside. Also, Vauxhall says it has improved the trim finishes of its car’s cabin for the midlife update, but it still doesn’t feel particularly plush or upmarket.
Power for a Vauxhall Astra Hatch
3/5
There are no out-and-out performance models for the revised Vauxhall Astra range, but there is plenty of variety in the drivetrains offered. Considering there are five main powertrains to go at – petrol manual, petrol auto, HEV, PHEV and EV – Vauxhall confusingly offers these with five different gearboxes, too. Nevertheless, there should be something to suit every buyer’s needs … providing said buyers don’t need rip-roaring pace. The PHEV is the most-powerful model in the range, but it doesn’t feel quite as brisk on the roads as a claimed 7.6-second 0-62mph time, while the 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine element can be a little rowdy when worked hard. Other choices include the EV, which is smooth enough but underpowered for its kerb weight, so our favourite option is in fact the 1.2-litre HEV – which is the least ‘advanced’ of the three electrified power choices.
Lease deals
These deals are based on terms of 8,000 miles, for a 36 month lease with a 6 months initial payment.
£394.34
Monthly payment
£2,366.04
Initial payment
£432.53
Monthly payment
£2,595.18
Initial payment
Standard equipment
Expect the following equipment on your Vauxhall Astra Hatchback. This may vary between trim levels.
Other vehicles in the Astra family
Related articles and reviews
Vauxhall Astra Hatch (2026 - ) review
Vauxhall’s longest-serving model gets a refresh – plus a rangier EV derivative.
Vauxhall Astra Electric Sports Tourer (2023 - ) review
Estate cars may not be as trendy as SUVs or crossovers but the Astra Sports Tourer proves they still have a place
Living with a… Vauxhall Astra Plug-In Hybrid (Final report)
Vauxhall’s bold new Astra suggests a return to form – we're testing the theory with six months in the latest plug-in hybrid version
Coming soon: Vauxhall Astra GSe
Plug-in hybrids with a performance twist, the new GSe versions of the Astra aim to make electrification electrifying
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