Vauxhall’s Astra has been one of Scotland’s top selling cars for decades.
The popular family car is now available in fully electric format as well as in petrol and plug-in hybrid form.
There’s the standard hatchback and then there’s the estate version I spent a week with – called the Sports Tourer, or ST for short.
It’s 25cm longer than the hatchback and offers almost 50% more boot space.
The electric version I drove comes with a 54kWh battery and an official range of 256 miles. Its electric motor produces 154bhp and drives the front wheels.
Charging at home takes 6-8 hours. Hook it up to a 100kW public charger and it’ll go from 20-80% in under half an hour. Unfortunately 100kW is its maximum rate of charge so it can’t take advantage of the superfast 150kW or ultrafast 350kW charging stations that are slowly beginning to pop up.
The Astra ST is a handsome car, especially in the bold red colour my car came in.
Prices and specs
Prices for the electric Astra hatchback start at around £37,800, with the estate version coming in at £39,995.
There are three trim levels: Design, GS, and the top spec Ultimate version I drove.
At 516 litres (the hatchback has 352 litres) boot space is impressive. Drop the rear seats and there’s well over 1,500 litres.
The interior is excellent, with a smart layout that incorporates a twin-screen and (thankfully) buttons for the heating controls. The touchscreen is angled slightly towards the driver, making it easier to use on the move.
The front seats have been designed to prevent back pain and I can confirm I didn’t suffer from any creaks or groans even after a few hours behind the wheel.
Rear headroom is good and legroom is adequate, although taller people will find their knees pressing against the front seatbacks.
What’s it like to drive the electric Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer?
The Astra ST Electric is a very refined cruiser. There’s no engine sound (of course) and very little noise from tyres or the wind makes it into the cabin.
You get three different drive modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport. After experimenting with all three I found myself leaving the car in Normal.
Eco only adds a few miles of range and robs you of some power, while Sport makes the car a little more responsive at the expense of range.
With a 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds it feels brisk rather than properly fast. Power delivery is instantaneous, however, and it pulls strongly even when fully loaded.
It’s not a car that will satisfy your inner boy racer, but it’s perfectly fine for hauling the kids and a couple of dogs along.
Because its battery is quite modest, the Astra ST Electric isn’t as heavy as many electric cars and feels relatively agile. Again, it’s no hot hatch but it has plenty of grip and only a little body roll under hard cornering.
I drove several journeys along the A9, to Auchterarder and Dunkeld, and travelled to various destinations in Fife in my Astra ST. The car returned a little over four miles per kilowatt hour – the EV version of mpg – which makes it pretty efficient. With a full battery I was comfortably able to travel 200 miles before needing to plug in.
While there are no end of electric SUVs and crossovers, there are still very few electric estate cars. Which is a pity as their lower shape makes them more efficient.
Should I buy one?
The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric’s biggest flaw is its cost. A starting price of £40,000 makes in almost £10,000 more expensive than the electric MG5, which is a similar size.
The Astra is a better car – it’s more refined and has a nicer interior – but I’m not sure it’s £10,000 better. Most people get their cars on finance these days, however, so if you can find a good deal then the Astra will make sense.
It’s not the last word in range or performance. But it’s brisk enough and it’s one of the most efficient electric cars out there.
It’s easy to drive, has loads of cargo space, and all the kit you could need.
Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer review – facts:
Price: £45,460
0-62mph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed: 105mph
Range: 256 miles
CO2 emissions: 0g/km
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