► Astra now ICE, PHEV or full EV
► 258 mile range from a 54kWh battery
► A fiver short of £40k…
Car names don’t get much more Ronseal than the Vauxhall Astra Electric. Although it looks like any other eighth-gen Astra at first glance, it hides an all-electric powertrain that claims to get an impressive range from a smaller than usual battery.
The easiest tell is the ‘e’ badge on the back, although the exceptionally geeky will notice the 54kWh battery pack bringing the underside of the car closer to the Tarmac. Despite the relatively small capacity of the battery, a standard heat pump and other efficiency aids give a WLTP-certified range of 258 miles. That’s a bold efficiency claim right there.
Propulsion is provided by a front mounted 154bhp electric motor that predictably powers the front wheels. You’ll get from 0-62mph in a relatively sedate 9.2 seconds before it runs out of puff at 106mph. Not fast, but perfectly acceptable for a family hatchback.
Do you lose anything by going electric?
That’ll be the boot. At 352-litres it’s exactly the same as a PHEV Astra, but significantly down on a petrol or diesel thanks to a higher boot floor. Space for passengers is unchanged. If you do need more space, a wagon version of the Astra Electric will be along later.
Vauxhall claims a new rear suspension setup improves stability, but it’s the Astra Electric’s firmness that you notice within a few hundred yards. Admittedly, this tester’s village isn’t the best surfaced, but urban potholes, ridges and broken Asphalt is dealt with in quite an abrupt manner that’ll leave any flabby bits jiggling uncomfortably.
And on the open road?
The ride does improve as speeds increase, although there’s always an underlying firmness to proceedings. Sadly, this doesn’t translate to improved handling despite the battery boosting torsional rigidity by 31%. The steering is fine for precision and has some reassuring heft, but the nose-led balance and copious body lean don’t encourage you to push on.
Performance in most scenarios is more than acceptable, the Astra Electric feeling punchier than its 0-62mph time would suggest. Low-speed acceleration is pleasingly punchy with the expected tail off in in urgency as you approach the national speed limit. Noise from the motor barely registers, highlighting just how much road noise there is especially on coarser surfaces.
At least the Astra seems to be efficient, albeit in our mostly gentle hands. A figure of 4.2 miles per kWh on a mix of urban, A road and dual carriageway roads suggests a range in excess of 200 miles is possible, although expect the figure to drop lower if you’re a regular motorway dweller.
Charge!
As for charging, all Astra Electrics can take advantage of up to 11kW AC and 100kW of DC. That means a 30 minute 10-80% time on a powerful enough rapid charger and five- and three-quarter hours on a three-phase AC. A typical 7.4kW home wallbox takes eight hours.
While the Astra’s interior lacks the flash of the Peugeot 308 and therefore its upcoming electric version, we commend how easy it is to use. With the 308, ID.3, Tesla Model 3 and countless others relying too heavily on touch sensitive nonsense, the Astra’s physical controls for major functions such as the heating are a welcome relief.
The screens are sharp and responsive enough most of the time, and the interior looks and feels decently screwed together. Space in the rear isn’t particularly great; a six-footer will fit behind a similarly tall front occupant, but headroom is merely adequate and kneeroom is tight.
Vauxhall Astra review: verdict
If you’re detecting some ‘meh’ from this review, you’d be absolutely right. The biggest issue here is the Astra Electric’s price. With entry-level GS costing a fiver shy of £40k and Ultimate topping out at over £43k, it’s pricier than the more spacious, better to drive and longer-range VW ID.3, let alone the sub-£30k MG4 Long Range.