New Vauxhall Astra Hybrid available as family hatch and Sport Tourer estate
48V hybrid technology offers improved fuel economy and CO2 emissions compared to pure-petrol Astras, with prices starting from £30,025
The eighth-generation Vauxhall Astra is already available with pure-petrol, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains – and as either a hatchback or estate car – but there’s even more choice now thanks to the introduction of a new mild-hybrid version.
The new Astra Hybrid bridges the gap between the base pure-petrol engines and plug-in hybrid models, and uses the same mild-hybrid setup recently added to the Grandland SUV and Corsa supermini.
It consists of a new turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which alone produces 134bhp and 230Nm of torque, and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated electric motor that provides an extra 28bhp and 55Nm of torque.
The e-motor is powered by a small 0.89kWh lithium-ion battery, which allows the Astra Hybrid to cover short distances on electric power, like when manoeuvring in a car park or creeping along in city traffic. It also assists the petrol engine when accelerating, and shaves a few tenths of a second off the pure-petrol Astra’s 0-62mph time.
The other benefits are improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions compared to the pure-petrol models. Vauxhall says the Astra Hybrid can return up to 60.1mpg and emits as little as 106g/km of CO2, while automatic petrol models manage 50.4mpg and 125g/km at best.
You needn’t worry about charging the Astra Hybrid’s battery, as that’s all done when you slow down, with the e-motor acting as a generator to top-up the battery and the regenerative braking system also recuperating energy.
The Vauxhall Astra Hybrid is available to order now in either hatchback and Sport Tourer estate forms and in Design, GS or Ultimate trim. Prices start from £30,025 – less than £1,000 more than the equivalent automatic petrol model.
Standard kit on every model includes LED headlights, a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, plus driving assistance systems like lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. Higher-spec models get sportier styling, larger alloy wheels, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree parking camera and Vauxhall’s IntelliLux adaptive LED Pixel headlights.
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