Vauxhall Astra (2015-2022) Review

If you want to get the neighbours’ curtains twitching, the Vauxhall Astra won't do the job - you’ll need something like a Volkswagen Golf or Renault Megane. Chances are, they probably won’t even notice you’ve bought a new car if you go for the Astra, such is its bland and forgettable styling. From a company that gave us pretty cars such as the latest Insignia and Corsa, this is curious.

It doesn’t fall short in terms of practicality, though. Indeed, if you’re tired of buying ever-larger cars to get the same amount of interior space, you might find its approach rather refreshing. You’ll be able to park it more easily, and it’ll be more straightforward to pop in and out of a tight garage.

Sheer value for money is another positive, both new and used. Vauxhall is not a premium brand, so it makes up for this with a lot of equipment on new models. And the popularity of the Astra means there are plenty on the used market, which keeps prices competitive. You’ll get a lot of car for your money with an Astra.

We’ve driven lots of diesel-engined Vauxhall Astras and really rate them. The earlier 1.6-litre CDTi engine is competitive, and the more recent 1.5-litre Turbo D is better still. All diesels return excellent fuel economy figures and they’re generally refined, responsive engines.

The little 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine was perhaps a bit small for the Astra – Vauxhall didn’t enjoy the same magic of engine design as Ford and Volkswagen. But the more recent 1.2-litre turbo is very good, as are the earlier 1.4-litre Ecotec engines.

Because of its popularity amongst company car fleets, there are several Astras that combine sensible exterior styling with decent interior equipment. Our favourite is SRi grade, which blends slightly sportier looks and equipment with still-decent value for money. It makes models such as the fancy Elite versions seem rather overpriced.

Although the Vauxhall Astra doesn’t sell in the numbers it once did, it’s still a popular car – and so too are those other family hatch favourites, the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Away from these mainstays, the array of options is enormous: Peugeot 308, Renault Megane, SEAT Leon, Toyota Auris, Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed, Mazda 3… even brands such as Nissan attempted to get in on the family hatchback act with the dreary Pulsar – a car long since forgotten.

Premium family hatchbacks tend to sell better in the UK. Lots of people, it seems, would rather have a basic Mercedes A-Class, Audi A3 or BMW 1 Series than a more well-stocked Vauxhall Astra. Of course, many buyers have flocked to family SUVs such as the Nissan Qashqai instead. 

The Vauxhall Astra isn’t a showy car, but it is a nicely built one, given its mainstream origins. The dashboard top has a soft, shine-free surface, and while plastics further down lack much in the way of soft-touch luxury, they generally feel robust and built to last. As you move up the Astra range, you can get some parts of the dashboard covered in stitched material, while the piano black finish that inlays the facia is very rich and BMW-like.

It also looks nice at night, with a soft red glow from the buttons and ambient lighting on some versions. The dials are clear to read and impart a premium, classy feel.

You won’t confuse it for something like an Audi or BMW, and the Astra also lacks that last touch of upmarket refinement that so characterises the Volkswagen Golf. But it is a nicely finished car, one that’s well put together and feels like it will stay that way for a long time to come.

All Vauxhall Astras have at least a 7.0-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. Not all cars have sat-nav, so its basic functionality is limited, but that does mean no Astra looks particularly lacking in terms of infotainment. The IntelliLux audio provided USB connectivity, Bluetooth streaming and a more basic aux-in socket.

Models with Navi 900 sat-nav feature an enlarged 8.0-inch touchscreen, and some cars also came with the Vauxhall OnStar ‘online concierge’ service. This has since been phased out in the UK when Vauxhall’s parent company, America’s General Motors, sold the company to PSA of France.

Facelifted 2019 Astras have entirely new multimedia systems using more modern technology. Most models are fitted with an upscale Multimedia Navi Pro system, with 8.0-inch touchscreen and voice control. All systems have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity (even earlier 2015 Astras had it), while range-topping models add wireless smartphone technology.

On all models, we like how responsive the touchscreen is. The ‘black panel’ glass cover it’s located beneath has a premium appearance, too.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the Vauxhall Astra is 4,370mm long, 1,809mm wide and 1,485mm tall. That's about average for the class: slightly shorter than the Ford Focus and a bit longer than the Volkswagen Golf.

Inside, the Vauxhall Astra has a sound driving position with well-positioned pedals and plenty of adjustment for the seats and steering wheel. It feels like a larger car from behind the wheel and is extremely comfortable even over long distances. It may be a little smaller than its direct rivals, but it doesn’t feel particularly squeezed from behind the wheel.

Rear-seat space is similarly impressive. Vauxhall has worked hard to create a very practical rear seat, with maximum use of space through neat touches like cut-away seat backrests and well-shaped door panels. There’s a good amount of space for feet beneath the front seats, and it’s only in terms of headroom that some may find it a little tight. Smaller children might also find it a bit hard to see out of, due to the rising window line, although a booster seat will easily sort this – and Isofix is fitted to both outer rear seats as standard.

With the seats up, the boot measures 370 litres, just a few litres shy of a Volkswagen Golf and appreciably bigger than a Ford Focus. It’s a particularly well-shaped load bay, with very square and flat sides, making it easy to make full use of the space. The boot is deep, although this does mean the load lip is a little high, so you might find it awkward taking heavy loads in and out. 

There’s no adjustable boot floor, but the rings mounted into it are quite helpful, going some way to stopping loads sliding about in there. The Astra has useful tie-down hooks fitted either side of the boot walls as well. The rear seats have a standard split-fold function, opening up 1,210 litres of space with them down.

Where the Vauxhall Astra could be improved is in terms of cabin stowage space. The door bins are only so-so and there’s not actually much useful space elsewhere. For years, the Astra had a completely pointless panel in the dashboard, which was a waste of prime real estate. This was later turned into a small cubby on facelifted versions – but it’s not big enough to be remotely useful, sadly. You’ll be chucking your smartphone into the centre console instead.

If there’s one thing the Vauxhall Astra has for decades been famed for, it’s excellent engines. Astras of the 1980s punched well above their weight, and while others have caught up, today’s model still offers a strong line-up of motors. 

At launch, these comprised a 105PS 1.0-litre turbo that’s more eager than you might expect, plus the core 1.4-litre Ecotec turbo with 125PS or 150PS. We particularly like the 150PS version, even preferring it to the 200PS 1.6-litre, which doesn’t seem to deliver all that much extra.

The diesel range focused on the 1.6-litre CDTi, which you’ll find in all power outputs from 110PS to 160PS (badged Bi-Turbo: yes, it has two turbochargers). This is the best engine if you’re planning to use your Astra to cover high miles at low effort on the motorway.

Following the facelift, an all-new range of engines was introduced. There’s a sweet 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo (110PS, 130PS or 145PS), which we really like – and has nothing to do with the 1.2-litre three-cylinder engines offered in new owner PSA’s Peugeot and Citroen models. There also another three-cylinder turbo of 1.4-litre capacity, paired solely with a CVT automatic gearbox.

Diesel engines are good, too: the 1.5-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder is available with 105PS or 122PS. Naturally, we’d take the latter, preferably with the six-speed manual gearbox rather than the rather indecisive nine-speed automatic also available.

Low noise levels are a feature of the Vauxhall Astra. Even the earlier cars have well-isolated suspension, which keeps road noise, bumps and thumps at bay. The engines are not too harsh, and they all settle down really well at speed, helped by tall gearing that keeps engine revs low. Wind noise is not excessive either.

The facelifted cars are even better. Vauxhall undertook an extensive wind tunnel development programme, which saw the car’s Cd (aerodynamic drag factor) drop from 0.29 to just 0.26 – one of the best in its class. This not only made the Astra more slippery through the air (good for fuel economy), it also further reduced wind rustle and whistle. As the car passes more smoothly through the air, there's less opportunity for the wind to hang around and bounce against the door mirrors and glass, causing disturbance. 

Small details such as acoustic windscreens help here as well – and, in top-spec Astras, you can make the most of it with fancy Bose premium sound systems.

In 2015, the Astra scored a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with a solid set of all-round scores. Adult occupant protection was rated at 86%, with 84% for child occupant protection, 83% for pedestrian safety and 75% for available safety assist features.

Front and side airbags are standard, as are seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters front and rear, while side head airbags extend from front to rear. It’s a pity the side chest airbag only covers front-seat occupants though, and neither person in the front of an Astra benefits from a knee airbag.

Something that’s rare in this sector is Vauxhall’s inclusion of a standard Isofix child car seat mount on the front passenger seat, backing up the rear two, and it has a standard front passenger airbag cut-off switch. All five seats have a seatbelt reminder and stability control is optional, with autonomous emergency braking an option.

The Astra’s impressive pedestrian safety score was achieved despite the lack of an active (pop-up) bonnet, while a lane-keep assist system is available, but only as an option. Facelifted 2019-on cars benefit from an improved digital front camera, for enhanced autonomous emergency braking, and there’s an e-call function that automatically calls the emergency services if it detects an accident.

A small everyday safety feature in facelifted Astras is the option of a heated windscreen, to quickly give a crystal-clear view out on winter mornings.

The Vauxhall Astra is a cost-effective car in terms of insurance. The cheapest models start from group 11 (out of 50), with 1.4-litre turbo versions from group 14 (expect a two-group jump between 125PS and 150PS versions). The 1.6-litre CDTi turbodiesel is a group 13 car, with the 160PS BiTurbo in group 18.

A 1.5-litre Turbo D in 122PS SRi guise looks affordable at group 17, matching the 145PS 1.2-ltire turbo petrol. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive Astra to insure is the 1.6-litre turbo with 200PS, although even this isn’t excessive, at group 20.

Unfortunately, Vauxhall put on a pretty poor showing in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index. Although a reasonable 84% of those surveyed were satisfied with their car, that still placed them second from bottom in the manufacturer list.

Having said that, the sheer number of Astras on the road means problems are more likely to be known about. A few niggly faults have been reported over its life, but because the Astra has been on sale since 2015 and was updated a few years back, Vauxhall has had chances to rectify these. 

The low CO2 emissions of the 2015-on Vauxhall Astra have real benefits in terms of VED (road tax). Even some 1.0-litre petrol versions benefit from free tax, along with most of the 110PS and 136PS 1.6-litre diesels, while you’ll pay only £30 for a 1.4 turbo.

Things changed for the latest cars, which are subject to the new 2017-on VED regime. Saying that, no Astra is liable for the expensive (£40,000+) tax premium, so they all cost a flat-rate £150 a year. Free would be better still, of course, but at least there will be no nasty surprises.

The Vauxhall Astra's trim levels have changed a little over the years. At launch, Design was the opening grade, with 16-inch alloys, LED running lights, air-con, cruise control and all-round electric windows. 

Tech Line included a larger touchscreen with sat-nav, plus a nice leather steering wheel. Energy boosted the wheels to 17 inches and added heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, while SRi gave sportier looks and a comprehensive safety pack including front-collision alert and lane-keep assist. We particularly like its sports seats and steering wheel. 

Elite is the posh Astra, with ergonomic leather seats, climate control, folding door mirrors and even heated seats in the rear.

With the facelift, the line-up was renamed SE, Business Edition Nav, SRi, Elite Nav and Ultimate. Equipment levels were broadly similar, though – in short, every current-shape Astra is a pretty well-equipped car.