Vauxhall has expanded its Astra hatchback and Astra Sports Tourer estate offering by introducing an additional mild-hybrid engine choice, which the brand says is more economical than the standard petrol Astra.
Paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox, this extra powertrain option is powered by the same turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine already available, but with an additional 48V of mild-hybrid assistance that Vauxhall says reduces fuel consumption by 19% (offering around 60mpg), as well as lowering emissions.
The mild-hybrid offers a slight performance boost too – an extra 6hp for a total of 136hp – which shaves half a second off the car’s 0-62mph sprint time of nine seconds.
This is not to be confused with the 1.6-litre Astra plug-in hybrid which is already on sale – that can cover up to 43 miles in electric-only mode. Instead, this mild-hybrid has a much smaller battery that assists start-up and can cover short distances on electric power at low speeds, like slow-moving city traffic.
Prices for the Astra mild-hybrid in hatchback form start at a smidge over £30k, while the equivalent Sports Tourer package costs £32k. This is a thousand more than the 130hp 1.2-litre petrol without this mild-hybrid boost, and £3k more than the lead-in 110hp petrol option.
The eighth-generation Vauxhall Astra currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 69% in our Expert Rating Index. It scores highly for its low running costs and low average CO2 emissions (both helped by having a plug-in hybrid model), while questionable reliability stops the Astra from scoring an A.
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