Can the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric be better than the regular Astra Electric
Exterior – Front
So, let’s start with the styling at the front. There is no surprise that the front of the Astra Sports Tourer Electric is identical to the regular ICE powered car. This means you get the usual Vauxhall Visor which has the grill and the headlights all in one unit. These lights are LED but on the top of the range trim level you can have their Intellilux Pixel Light technology. Moving lower down we get this sporty looking central air vent and connected to it is a pair of side vents that look quite sporty for this type of car.
Exterior – Side
Along the side we get some sharp creases that are visible is you have the right colour. We do get a black roof and we do still sort of have the floating rear roof effect. We also get the same wheel designs as the Corsa Electric but this time they are 18-inch wheels with a 5-stud design to fit on the Astra. They come in black for GS model and bi colour on the Design and Ultimate model.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round the back you can easily tell it looks like an astra sports tourer. We get a similar design to the regular astra, but it is boxier with the registration on the boot opening rather than the bumper We have these wing taillights like every other Vauxhall and the new lettering in the centre. We also have this sporty bumper which I quite like, and the decals are all in black on this GS and Ultimate models and chrome on the Design model.
Car and engine specs and price
So, for the Astra Electric you only get one battery and motor option. This is a 154 bhp motor mounted to the front of the car to drive the front wheels. Connected to it is a 54-kWh battery pack giving this car 256 miles of range. 0-62 time is done in 8.3 seconds which is decent. The Price of the Astra Electric Sports Tourer Electric starts at £39,995. Now if you go and watch the normal Astra Electric Review and see that the price is the same, this is because that was based on the old pricing structure where there was no Design Trim level. Vauxhall have only just added this which has reduced the price of the hatchback and estate. Let’s have a look on the inside
Interior – Design
So, getting inside the new Astra Electric and it has the same updates as the recent Astra Electric. The biggest and only difference is that the Vauxhall Pure Panel is all one glass panel. This means that you cannot see the screens when the system is off. This looks much more futuristic. The screens are both 10 inches just like the regular display, but it looks and feels much more modern and less cheap. The software that is running on it is very good and is much better than what you would find on the Mokka and Corsa. The dashboard design is very modern and sporty looking, as too is the steering wheel. The centre console is simple and clean looking. The only thing I would want to change is that the cubby covers are not this rubber material and the same piano black material. This will make it look more premium although this piano black material does scratch quite easily which is a shame. We do get this split arm rest though like what you would find on a Mercedes and these seats are very supportive and comfortable and are certified AGR seats. AGR is a campaign for healthier backs. Let’s have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, getting in the back and the Astra is not as practical as it used to be. Legroom is not as good as the previous gen Astra and headroom is better than the regular hatchback though as we don’t get a sloping roof. You can fit 6-foot people behind another 6-foot person. You also get 1 USB C port, rear heated seats on the Ultimate model and some air vents as well as an arm rest. Let’s have a look at the boot.
Boot Size
Boot size for the astra is at 516 litres with the seats up which is less than the regular hatch but the same as the plug-in hybrid, with the seats down it is 1,553 litres
Summary
So, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric. Who would have known that the same car can have 2 different end results. The Hatchback for the price isn’t the best car out there but for the estate it is the best option out there. Now, if you want an electric estate car there are only 4 options. The Porsche Tycan Sport Turismo, MG5 EV, Peugeot E-308SW and this. The Porsche Tycan is too expensive. The MG5 EV is excellent but not as practical as the astra. The Peugeot may be identical, but it has the i-Cockpit which may not be for everyone. This make the astra the perfect all rounder electric Estate car. It also makes more sense than a electric SUV as it is more aerodynamic which means better range.
Exterior 4/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 4/5
Total 12/15
Model | Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric Ultimate |
Engine | 54kWh Battery Pack, Single Motor, 154bhp, 0-62 = 8.3 Seconds 256 Mile Range |
Trnasmission | Single Speed |
Price | £45,110 |
On Sale | Now |
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