Vauxhall Astra review

Driving position

The Vauxhall Astra is a relatively compact family hatchback, but there’s still plenty of seating adjustment to get comfy behind the wheel.

You can sit right down low or up close to the steering wheel, and there’s plenty of steering wheel adjustment to boot.

We really rated the sports seat’s extra padding and lateral bolstering in our GS trim car, which made for a really supportive ride. It’s pretty figure-hugging for a standard hatchback, but it’s still easy enough to climb in and out of.

If you want electric adjustment for your seats, you’ll need to go for the top-spec Ultimate car.

Tech and features

Higher trim levels add more style throughout the cabin, but all variants of the eighth-gen Astra have twin-10-inch displays – a digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Some switchgear is borrowed from Peugeot, Citroen and DS models because they’re part of the Stellantis group. And while the infotainment’s operating system is similare to those brands, it has a distinct Vauxhall layer to the design to keep things separate.

You can control a lot of the car’s functions through the touchscreen, but key controls like the climate are still accessible via physical buttons. We’re always happy to see proper buttons rather than fiddly screens for climate controls.

Certain trim levels have a wireless phone charger, heated seats and a heated steering wheel, which are all very welcome conveniences.

Engines and power

Most of the Astras sold in the UK come with a 1.2-litre petrol engine, either in its standard 110hp or 130hp forms, or the 136hp version with mild hybrid assistance.

The mild hybrid is the pick of the bunch because it’s the quickest and the most efficient – the tiny electric motor helps to improve those sweet mpg figures.

It'll keep up with stop-start traffic with electric power, then recharge the battery once the engine kicks in and do it all over again.

Vauxhall claims up to 60mpg for this model. 45-50mpg is more realistic, but the mild hybrid system makes it more consistent than regular petrols, which tend to be less efficient in stop-start traffic.

The mild hybrid has a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which offers lightning-fast gear changes under light acceleration, though it hesitates slightly when you’re pushing it. The eight-speed automatic in the standard petrol is smooth, too.

Those in need of an engine for long-distance motorway driving might consider the 130hp 1.5-litre diesel, which should be able to beat 60mpg on an economical run.

Other engines include the 180hp and 225hp 1.6-litre plug-in hybrids – we’ve driven both setups in other Stellantis cars and found them to be capable of around 30 miles of electric-only range. Performance is similar, so the more sensible decision would be to settle for the lower-powered one.

You can also read our separate Vauxhall Astra Electric review here.

Handling and ride comfort

We’ve already mentioned that Vauxhall forms part of a broader group of manufacturers – for a long time, Citroen has been known for its comfortable suspension, and Peugeots have been a little more engaging to drive.

Vauxhall has generally been somewhere in between. But this version of the Astra stiffens things up a bit, and it’s reasonably dynamic to drive, which is great news, and all thanks to it sharing parts with those other brands under the Stellantis umbrella.

It’s quite firm, so bumps and potholes can be more noticeable, but no more than most family hatchbacks. The cabin is also well-insulated, so you won’t be disturbed when driving over rough surfaces.

Plug-in hybrid and fully electric models feel slightly more crashy in our experience, but that’s because they have stiffer suspension to handle the extra weight of the batteries.

Boot space

The standard hatchback, with one of the petrol, diesel or mild hybrid engines, has a 422-litre boot. This is well ahead of the class average, which is usually in the 380-litre region.

It’s more than you’d get in the mechanically similar Peugeot 308, which has long been recognised as one of the most practical hatchbacks in terms of luggage space.

Estate Astras have 597 litres of space, while hybrid and electric models of both body shapes lose some space because of the batteries.

The adjustable-height false floor is also neat – keeping it in its highest position makes sliding items in easy, and allows for some under-floor storage for your shopping bags. But you can drop it if you need more space.

It’s not the deepest of boots from front to back, but it can hold a lot if you treat packing the space as a game of Tetris, where you could be surprised at how much it’ll hold.

Rear seats

The trade-off for the big boot is space in the back seats. Legroom is just on the tight side, especially sitting behind a six-footer. Children will be fine, and adults should have enough space, just don’t expect acres of legroom.

Headroom is fine because there’s no sloping roofline to impact space. Other models like the Ford Focus offer more space in the back – at the cost of a smaller boot.

Storage solutions

The Astra isn’t a big car, but there are still plenty of spaces to hide loose odds and ends. The cup holders and centre console storage – which is home to the wireless charger on top-spec cars – are all covered by sliding doors to keep things neat.

Safety

The standard model has all the modern aids, like a driver drowsiness alert system, lane departure warning and speed sign recognition.

Any car built after 2024, including the Vauxhall Astra, also has an audible chime that plays when you go over the speed limit. It’s easy to turn off in the touchscreen with a few clicks via some shortcut keys, but it’s pretty quiet and easy to block out regardless.

Front and rear parking sensors, automatic high beams (or adaptive LED headlights on high-spec editions) and adaptive cruise control are all standard across the range.

When it was tested by Euro NCAP, the Astra got a four-star safety rating. It might sound like a downgrade over the previous generation’s five stars, but the tests have become even tougher, and the newer model is inevitably safer than the old one rated five stars.

The Peugeot 308 and DS 4, which share many parts with the Astra, also got four stars, but some hatchbacks like the Ford Focus and SEAT Leon are considered five-star cars for safety.

Fuel economy

Astras with the 1.2-litre petrol engine should return around 40mpg in most driving scenarios, or up to 50mpg from the mild hybrid.

The diesel offers greater fuel economy, but consider the extra cost of the car when deciding if it’s worth it.

The same is true of the plug-in hybrid models, but if you have access to a home charger with cheap off-peak rates and often make journeys fewer than 30 miles, you could seriously cut the costs of motoring.

If this is feasible, though, then you might want to take the plunge and go all electric with the Vauxhall Astra Electric, which does more than 250 miles on a full charge.

Reliability

Vauxhall tends to perform pretty average in consumer satisfaction surveys, but the company has changed a lot in recent years.

Under the guidance of parent company Stellantis, it can borrow tried-and-tested parts from other manufacturers, helping to cut development costs and boost reliability.

Insurance groups

The standard fossil-fuel and hybrid Vauxhall Astra sits in insurance groups 16-28, which is in line with its rivals.