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New Vauxhall Astra now on sale

Vauxhall has started taking orders for the eighth-generation Astra, but an electric version is still more than a year away

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Vauxhall has started taking orders for the eighth-generation Astra, featuring a number of exterior styling updates and on-board tech additons, set to challenge the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models are available to order now, and will arrive on UK roads in Spring 2022. However, you’ll have to wait at least another year before an all-electric model joins the range sometime in 2023.

Overall, the new Astra is of similar size to its predecessor but with a slightly longer wheelbase to improve interior space. It follows the new Vauxhall Mokka in applying the company’s new family styling treatment, which is gradualy being applied across the entire range.

A major change to the Astra’s interior sees the use of fully digital instrumentation across all versions, replacing conventional analigue die. Dubbed ‘Pure Panel’, this includes a ten-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver and another ten-inch colour touchscreen atop the centre console.

The Vauxhall Astra (2015 – 2021) vs. The Vauxhall Astra (2022 onwards)

Also new is the Astra model structure, simplified to three trim levels dubbed Design, GS Line and Ultimate, and set to be applied across all Vauxhall’s cars by the middle of 2022.

Prices for this new range of Astra models starts at £23,275. From launch, powertrain options range across petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models. The 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine will be available in 110hp and 130hp outputs, the 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with 130hp.

The plug-in hybrid, which costs from £32,200, combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 12.4kWh electric drivetrain for combined power of 180hp. A more powerful 225hp version will join the range next year – both models quote all-electric ranges of up to 35 miles and CO2 emissions of 24-27g/km.

Six-speed manual gearboxes will be standard on petrol and diesel models, though the 130hp petrol and the diesel will also be available with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Vauxhall is heavily emphasising the safety specification of the new Astra. All cars are fitted as standard with a suite of active safety tech, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure and lane-keeping systems and driver drowsiness alerts.

Safety tech available includes ‘Intelli-Drive’ – working with four body cameras and five radar sensors installed on the car, this can offer semi-autonomous driving including adapting speed in curves and performing lane changes, as well as recommending suitable speeds for the road ahead.

Latest news from the car industry at The Car Expert

Andrew Charman
Andrew Charman
Andrew is a road test editor for The Car Expert. He is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and has been testing and writing about new cars for more than 20 years. Today he is well known to senior personnel at the major car manufacturers and attends many new model launches each year.