German carmaker Opel unveiled the next generation Astra almost two years ago, in July 2021. At first glance, the angular and relatively simple retro-design caught the attention of many a fan of the brand back then, and after the introduction of a relatively affordable base price, it was clear that it would be a very interesting choice in this segment.
For the test, we got the second most powerful 180k variant, which, like the 45hp more powerful and most powerful alternative, can’t do without electrification. It’s not a hot-hatch, nor is it meant to be, but it will certainly offer dynamics to match the looks, and maybe even surprise or amuse a bit in the corners. Let’s take a look…
First a bit of history: although the Astra name was first used by the carmaker in 1991 when it introduced the Astra F, the compact hatchback was already a follow-up to the Kadett, whose history stretched back deep into the post-war years. In total, the model has sold up to 15 million units, with the Astra F accounting for around 4 million sales, making it the German brand’s best-selling model to date. So the sixth generation is doing its best to at least catch up.
The new Astra is a very modern designed car and it’s almost hard to believe that it’s a direct successor to the last generation. Such big design leaps aren’t exactly common, but I can only commend them here. The GS trim tested with the Ultimate pack adds a bit of sporty predation, making the Astra look even more confident.
The front is dominated by really sharply cut lines. The lights have subtle LED daylight graphics and are visually connected by a thin black grille. The lower part of the bumper is visually distorted by the black accessories and together the whole looks very cohesive and confident. The front logo cleverly hides the 360-degree camera and the rear one will embarrass you if you don’t know how to get into the trunk 🙂
Side profile-wise, the Astra is a classic hatchback, but hides some very interesting features. The first are the really distinctive and nice wheel rims and the second is the strong contrast between the black roof and the white body of the car. The C-pillar, which is profiled against the direction of travel, also stands out and makes the new Astra GS look extremely dynamic from the side.
The rear features simple taillight graphics, a black spoiler with integrated F1-style brake lights, and aerodynamic rear window trim. As a whole, it works, and after a long time, here’s an Opel I like again (salute to the outgoing Insignia).
The wheelbase of the new Astra is a respectable 2,675mm, up 13mm between generations, while the car has grown just 4mm in length, to 4,374mm. The height of 1860 mm has been reduced by 44 mm generation-on-generation and the width of 1860 mm means a loss of 11 mm generation-on-generation.
While the exterior design is striking and unmissable, the interior design takes more of a minimalist route, and from my point of view, perhaps easily bordering on austere. The carmaker refers to it, quite simply, as a “detox”. However, the equipment is already quite varied from the ground up, just a first glance inside doesn’t give any clue that there could be so many luxury features hiding here. Some may like it, however, and those who like to dust off piano black paintwork will find it…
As part of the base trim, you get what’s called a Pure Panel, which is actually a pair of 10-inch screens in bezels facing the driver. The screen in front of the driver, of course, acts as a digital instrument cluster, while the middle of the dashboard is a conventional touchscreen infotainment system. In the test vehicle, then, this display line-up was complemented by the optional Head-Up Display, which is perhaps the best I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in this segment in terms of display quality and amount of information.
All displays have simple graphics and hence relative snappiness. For the digital dashboard, it’s worth noting the ability to customize content and the crispness of the display. Personally, I struggled a bit with the menus and infotainment logic but it’s possible that I’m the only one who doesn’t understand. However, the standard support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity and also especially the retention of physical buttons for quick access to infotainment menus or ventilation controls are worth praising.
The boot of the Astra petrol hatchback has simple shapes, a double bottom and offers 422 litres as standard. You get 1,339 litres with the 60:40 split rear seatbacks folded down. They also have a ski compartment and an armrest. However, those interested in plug-in hybrid motoring will have to make do with 352 litres, or 1,268 litres when the seats are folded down.
But not to waste any space, there’s more seating than in the Peugeot 308, and the second-row seats are nice, too, with the crew having quite a bit of legroom. At 186 centimetres, I had no problem sitting behind myself with a decent margin.
Great ergonomics are underlined by the front seats, which already boast AGR (orthopaedic certification) from the second Elegance trim level onwards. The seats also offer a wealth of adjustment and seat cushion extension options and, thanks to the pleasing sporty shape of the tested equipment and the stiffness of the padding, they are absolutely back-ache-free even after hundreds of kilometres. What’s more, they also provide solid lateral guidance, so sweeping county roads will be a joy. Drive permitting…
We’re also already familiar with the tech from the new Peugeot 308, which we recently tested. So it’s a plug-in hybrid with the option of running purely on electric power. You can charge the Astra at home from a plug socket and thus drive around town almost for free, and that’s pretty cool in this day and age, knowing what the energy situation is today. Due to the desire for the lowest emissions, the vehicle is always switched on in pure electric mode, otherwise it is only when the battery is completely empty. The switching between the combustion engine and the electric motor, which is completely smooth and almost inaudible, is excellently handled.
The classic hybrid mode doesn’t much prefer the internal combustion engine either, and for this type of driving you need to hunt deep into the infotainment menu for the “E-save” mode. The latter comes in handy, for example, for longer highway transfers when the battery can be recharged before I take the car into town. Consumption isn’t a problem either, it can be kept at 7 litres/100km when cruising in the 130 even with battery charging. Of course in hybrid mode, with a charged battery you can drive well under the claimed 1.1 litres/100km. But only as long as the battery doesn’t run down. Better to leave the car in automatic mode and then the consumption hovers around 4-6 litres /100km.
At the heart of this powertrain is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which offers a peak output of 110kW (150kW) at 6,000rpm. Maximum torque is 250 Nm at 1,750 rpm. An electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission then offers a peak power output of 81.2 kW and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. The result is a combined system output of up to 133 kW (180 hp) and 360 Nm of torque.
A pure electric range of up to 60 kilometres is quite optimistic and with a little effort and with the right outside temperature, it should be no problem to cover around 45 to 50 electric kilometres on a single battery charge. However, it always depends primarily on driving style and the use of recuperation. When the battery is low, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode, but still engages the electric motor quite often. Even when driving at a steady speed on the motorway, it can happen that the numbers showing the speed turn blue, which means driving purely on electricity. But when it needs to accelerate, the control unit starts the combustion engine again very quickly.
The new Astra also boasts a unique chassis setup that includes specific adjustments to the shock absorbers, rear axle stabilizer bar with torsion bar, wheel suspension, springs, steering and stops. The car was designed, developed and above all built in Germany, so it has a completely different characteristic to the twin Peugeot 308. In practice, the Opel Astra is indeed a very pleasant companion on any surface and offers a balance between sportiness and comfort.
The chassis feels a little stiffer, but even on worse roads it doesn’t bounce or thump. A nice stiffness creates a really sporty feel and the body doesn’t lean too much in corners. It is, after all, the PHEV version that has the battery in front of the rear axle and a low centre of gravity.
The Astra PHEV currently starts at €34 490 for the base Edition trim, which is itself packed with everything you need. You’ll pay €3,000 more for the mid-range Elegance trim, and the top-tested GS trim comes in at €38,590. In it you’ll already find everything you really need and even if you don’t, there’s always the option to pay extra for things like the ULTIMATE Kit, which for 3200€ adds things like IntelliLux LED Pixel headlights, panoramic sunroof, Opel Connect Navi Pro & HiFi system & HeadUp display, 10″ navigation system & 10″ instrument cluster, Pure Panel glass surface display, 6 speakers & 1 subwoofer & 1 centre speaker, amplifier, wireless induction charger, Drive Assist 1 kit.0 (MT/AT) and heated windscreen. That’s quite a bit of equipment…
In any case, for the prospective buyer, the Astra PHEV is a very pleasant car with intuitive controls and the ability to save money if you have somewhere to charge. Whether at home or at work, for example. So if you’re looking for a hatchback in this category, the Astra is a very good choice for decent money.
German carmaker Opel unveiled the next-generation Astra almost two years ago, in July 2021. At first glance, the angular and relatively simple retro-design caught the eye of many a fan of the brand back then, and after the introduction of a relatively favourable base price, it was clear that this would be a very interesting choice in the segment.
For the test, we got the second most powerful 180k variant, which, like the 45hp more powerful and most powerful alternative, can’t do without electrification. It’s not a hot-hatch, nor is it meant to be, but it will certainly offer dynamics to match the looks, and maybe even surprise or amuse a bit in the corners. Let’s take a look…
First a bit of history: although the Astra name was first used by the carmaker in 1991 when it introduced the Astra F, the compact hatchback was already a follow-up to the Kadett, whose history stretched back deep into the post-war years. In total, the model has sold up to 15 million units, with the Astra F accounting for around 4 million sales, making it the German brand’s best-selling model to date. So the sixth generation is doing its best to at least catch up.
The new Astra is a very modern designed car and it’s almost hard to believe that it’s a direct successor to the last generation. Such big design leaps aren’t exactly common, but I can only commend them here. The GS trim tested with the Ultimate pack adds a bit of sporty predation, making the Astra look even more confident.
The front is dominated by really sharply cut lines. The lights have subtle LED daylight graphics and are visually connected by a thin black grille. The lower part of the bumper is visually distorted by black accessories and together the whole thing looks very cohesive and confident. The front logo cleverly hides the 360-degree camera and the rear one will embarrass you if you don’t know how to get into the trunk 🙂
Side profile-wise, the Astra is a classic hatchback, but hides some very interesting features. The first are the really distinctive and nice wheel rims and the second is the strong contrast between the black roof and the white body of the car. The C-pillar, which is profiled against the direction of travel, also stands out and makes the new Astra GS look extremely dynamic from the side.
The rear features simple taillight graphics, a black spoiler with integrated F1-style brake lights, and aerodynamic rear window trim. As a whole, it works, and after a long time, here’s an Opel I like again (salute to the outgoing Insignia).
The wheelbase of the new Astra is a respectable 2,675mm, up 13mm between generations, while the car has grown just 4mm in length, to 4,374mm. The height of 1860 mm has been reduced by 44 mm generation-on-generation and the width of 1860 mm means a loss of 11 mm generation-on-generation.
While the exterior design is striking and unmissable, the interior design takes more of a minimalist route, and from my point of view, perhaps easily bordering on austere. The carmaker refers to it, quite simply, as a “detox”. However, the equipment is already quite varied from the ground up, just a first glance inside doesn’t give any clue that there could be so many luxury features hiding here. Some may like it, however, and those who like to dust off piano black paintwork will find it…
As part of the base trim, you get what’s called a Pure Panel, which is actually a pair of 10-inch screens in bezels facing the driver. The screen in front of the driver, of course, acts as a digital instrument cluster, while the middle of the dashboard is a conventional touchscreen infotainment system. In the test vehicle, then, this display line-up was complemented by the optional Head-Up Display, which is perhaps the best I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in this segment in terms of display quality and amount of information.
All displays have simple graphics and hence relative snappiness. For the digital dashboard, it’s worth noting the ability to customize content and the crispness of the display. Personally, I struggled a bit with the menus and infotainment logic but it’s possible that I’m the only one who doesn’t understand. However, the standard support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity and also especially the retention of physical buttons for quick access to infotainment menus or ventilation controls are worth praising.
The boot of the Astra petrol hatchback has simple shapes, a double bottom and offers 422 litres as standard. You get 1,339 litres with the 60:40 split rear seatbacks folded down. They also have a ski compartment and an armrest. However, those interested in plug-in hybrid motoring will have to make do with 352 litres, or 1,268 litres when the seats are folded down.
But not to waste any space, there’s more seating than in the Peugeot 308, and the second-row seats are nice, too, with the crew having quite a bit of legroom. At 186 centimetres, I had no problem sitting behind myself with a decent margin.
Great ergonomics are underlined by the front seats, which already boast AGR (orthopaedic certification) from the second Elegance trim level onwards. The seats also offer a wealth of adjustment and seat cushion extension options and, thanks to the pleasing sporty shape of the tested equipment and the stiffness of the padding, they are absolutely back-ache-free even after hundreds of kilometres. What’s more, they also provide solid lateral guidance, so sweeping county roads will be a joy. Drive permitting…
We’re also already familiar with the tech from the new Peugeot 308, which we recently tested. So it’s a plug-in hybrid with the option of running purely on electric power. You can charge the Astra at home from a plug socket and thus drive around town almost for free, and that’s pretty cool in this day and age, knowing what the energy situation is today. Due to the desire for the lowest emissions, the vehicle is always switched on in pure electric mode, otherwise it is only when the battery is completely empty. The switching between the combustion engine and the electric motor, which is completely smooth and almost inaudible, is excellently handled.
The classic hybrid mode doesn’t much prefer the internal combustion engine either, and for this type of driving you need to hunt deep into the infotainment menu for the “E-save” mode. The latter comes in handy, for example, for longer highway transfers when the battery can be recharged before I take the car into town. Consumption isn’t a problem either, it can be kept at 7 litres/100km when cruising in the 130 even with battery charging. Of course in hybrid mode, with a charged battery you can drive well under the claimed 1.1 litres/100km. But only as long as the battery doesn’t run down. Better to leave the car in automatic mode and then the consumption hovers around 4-6 liters /100km.
At the heart of this powertrain is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which offers a peak output of 110kW (150kW) at 6,000rpm. Maximum torque is 250 Nm at 1,750 rpm. An electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission then offers a peak power output of 81.2 kW and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. The result is a combined system output of up to 133 kW (180 hp) and 360 Nm of torque.
A pure electric range of up to 60 kilometres is quite optimistic and with a little effort and with the right outside temperature, it should be no problem to cover around 45 to 50 electric kilometres on a single battery charge. However, it always depends primarily on driving style and the use of recuperation. When the battery is low, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode, but still engages the electric motor quite often. Even when driving at a steady speed on the motorway, it can happen that the numbers showing the speed turn blue, which means driving purely on electricity. But when it needs to accelerate, the control unit starts the combustion engine again very quickly.
The new Astra also boasts a unique chassis setup that includes specific adjustments to the shock absorbers, rear axle stabilizer bar with torsion bar, wheel suspension, springs, steering and stops. The car was designed, developed and above all built in Germany, so it has a completely different characteristic to the twin Peugeot 308. In practice, the Opel Astra is indeed a very pleasant companion on any surface and offers a balance between sportiness and comfort.
The chassis feels a little stiffer, but even on worse roads it doesn’t bounce or thump. A nice stiffness creates a really sporty feel and the body doesn’t lean too much in corners. It is, after all, the PHEV version that has the battery in front of the rear axle and a low centre of gravity.
The Astra PHEV currently starts at €34 490 for the base Edition trim, which is itself packed with everything you need. You’ll pay €3,000 more for the mid-range Elegance trim, and the top-tested GS trim comes in at €38,590. In it you’ll already find everything you really need and even if you don’t, there’s always the option to pay extra for things like the ULTIMATE Kit, which for 3200€ adds things like IntelliLux LED Pixel headlights, panoramic sunroof, Opel Connect Navi Pro & HiFi system & HeadUp display, 10″ navigation system & 10″ instrument cluster, Pure Panel glass surface display, 6 speakers & 1 subwoofer & 1 centre speaker, amplifier, wireless induction charger, Drive Assist 1 kit.0 (MT/AT) and heated windscreen. That’s quite a bit of equipment…
In any case, for the prospective buyer, the Astra PHEV is a very pleasant car with intuitive controls and the ability to save money if you have somewhere to charge. Whether at home or at work, for example. So if you’re looking for a hatchback in this category, the Astra is a very good choice for decent money.
