Vauxhall’s cars have always sold well in Scotland. Indeed, the previous generation Astra won the prestigious Scottish Car of the Year title in 2015 – and I was one of the journalists that voted for it.
Since then, Vauxhall has been taken over by the vast Stellantis group, which also owns Peugeot, Citroen, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and several other brands.
It is under their ownership that the eighth generation Astra has been produced. It shares a chassis, engines and other components with cars from sister brands including the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4.
Vauxhall’s designers have given the Astra its own style, though. With a sharp front end, stylish side creases, subtly flared wheel arches and nice proportions, it’s a good looking car.
Most models come with a black roof and the contrast between the roof and body colour helps make the car look lower and wider. It’s the automotive equivalent of vertical stripes being slimming.
Under the bonnet
Prices start at a little under £26,000 and can run to more than £40,000 for top spec plug-in hybrid models.
Under the bonnet you can choose from a 1.5 litre diesel, a three cylinder 1.2 litre petrol with either 108bhp or 128bhp, and a 1.6 litre petrol/electric hybrid. A fully electric Vauxhall Astra with a 258 mile range is due later in the summer and will be priced from £40,000.
I spent a week with the higher powered 1.2 petrol Astra in high spec Ultimate trim level with eight-speed automatic transmission.
What struck me about the driving experience is how refined it is. Engine, wind and tyre noise are all very muted and the suspension is adept at soaking up bumps.
Show it a country road and the Astra reveals itself to be good in the corners
The eight-speed automatic gearbox is excellent, sliding through the gears seamlessly. I drove down the east coast to Edinburgh and back in my Astra.
Set the cruise control for 70mph on the motorway and you can enjoy nice relaxing drive. And you can expect an average of around 48-50mpg.
Show it a country road and the Astra reveals itself to be good in the corners as well. The steering is light and responsive, grip is strong, and it handles tidily and feels agile.
It isn’t quite as dynamic as the Ford Focus, the best driver’s car in the family hatchback sector, but the gap between the two isn’t great any more.
In the cabin
Inside, there’s a neat dashboard arrangement with a central touchscreen and buttons for the heating, fan and volume controls.
The Astra has smartphone connectivity so you can choose whether to have your phone’s display on the touchscreen or Vauxhall’s own software system. I’m no great fan of touchscreens in cars – give me buttons and dials every time – but this one is fairly responsive and intuitive.
I came away very impressed with the Vauxhall Astra
The Astra is well equipped too. All models have climate control, a 10in touchscreen and 10in digital driver’s display. GS-Line models add heated seats, heated steering wheel and 360 degree parking camera, and are probably the best balance of cost and kit.
The Ultimate model I drove adds a heads-up display, wireless phone charger and a panoramic sunroof.
Spacious
Build quality is good as well, with solid switchgear and soft-touch materials.
There’s plenty of room up front. Space in the back is fine for smaller adults, however the Ford Focus offers a little more room in the rear and the Skoda Octavia a lot more.
Boot space is good, though, at 422 litres with the seats up and 1,389 with them folded.
I came away very impressed with the Vauxhall Astra. The latest model is more refined, more fun to drive and better equipped than ever before.
Who knows, perhaps it won’t be long before Vauxhall lifts another Scottish Car of the Year trophy.
The facts
Model: Vauxhall Astra
Price: £34,365
0-62mph: 9.7 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Economy: 50.4mpg
CO2 emissions: 125g/km
Gallery
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