Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Review 2024

The Vauxhall Astra has forever been a dependable choice, and the Sports Tourer simply makes it more practical. It may not be the most exciting wagon, but it combines an appealing blend of technology, space and affordability.

Vauxhall has certainly made the new Astra Sports Tourer look more exciting inside and out. A Peugeot 308 SW has a fancier cabin, while a Ford Focus Estate will be more fun to drive. But the Vauxhall does enough things well to make it a worthwhile option.

Vauxhall has made every trim level in the Astra Sports Tourer range relatively well equipped, meaning there is no penalty for picking the entry-level Design version. However, the GS introduces much more equipment, such as adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree surround-view camera and heated front seats. It represents the sweet spot in the range, and is likely to be the most popular option.

Most buyers will be happy with the 130PS version of the 1.2 Turbo petrol engine, with the eight-speed automatic gearbox also worth having if your budget allows. The plug-in hybrid version is efficient, but perhaps too expensive for many private buyers – so best left to company car drivers.

The family estate market is a little smaller than it used to be, but the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer still has plenty of rivals. The Ford Focus Estate and SEAT Leon Estate are closest to the Astra in price and style, while you also have the Skoda Octavia Estate and Volkswagen Golf Estate to consider.

SUVs remain a popular alternative to a traditional estate car, with the Vauxhall Grandland offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain as well. Crossovers such as the Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Karoq are also likely to appeal to potential estate car buyers.

Vauxhall has not always had the greatest reputation for interior quality, but Stellantis ownership sees the Astra Sports Tourer moving in the right direction.

Throughout the cabin, you’ll find a mixture of soft-touch materials covering most of the surfaces that drivers come into contact with frequently. Search lower down and there are some cheaper plastics to be found. However, everything feels well put together, and able to withstand the rigours of family life.

Other than the entry-level Design version, all Astra Sports Tourers come with a heated leather steering wheel, adding to the overall ambience. Cloth upholstery is standard on lower trim levels, with GSe and Ultimate models benefitting from fancier Alcantara seats. Ambient lighting and alloy-effect pedals are fitted to all cars above Design specification, too.

The infotainment system for the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer is taken straight from the hatchback model. This means a pair of digital displays, with a 10.0-inch central touchscreen combined with a customisable 10.0-inch digital instrument screen. Vauxhall calls this Pure Panel, with GS, Ultimate and GSe versions benefiting from an edge-to-edge glass finish.

It gives the Astra Sports Tourer an impressive minimalist look inside, but Vauxhall has not completely ditched buttons. There are still physical controls for the air conditioning and other functions, meaning you don’t need to dive through endless menus to change the basic settings.

The touchscreen itself works well, being quick to respond to inputs and relatively intuitive to operate. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is included on all models, making it easy to use your smartphone’s operating system if preferred.

Satellite navigation is standard, along with a DAB radio and Bluetooth connection. A six-speaker sound system is fitted on Design and GS models, with Ultimate and GSe versions receiving an eight-speaker setup. Higher trim levels also benefit from wireless smartphone charging, along with a head-up display.

Interior space is the reason for choosing an estate car over an equivalent hatchback, or indeed SUV, and the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer does not disappoint here.

With the rear seats in place, the Astra Sports Tourer can accommodate 597 litres of luggage, which is comfortably more than the 422 litres found in the regular hatchback model. Keep in mind, however, that plug-in hybrid Astra Sports Tourers see this figure reduced to 516 litres on account of their battery pack.

Fold the rear seats flat and cargo space increases to a sizable 1634 litres (1553 litres for the plug-in hybrid), aided by a flexible boot floor and luggage restraining nets as standard. Also included are levers to fold the back seats flat from inside the tailgate, while Ultimate and GSe models come with powered boot opening and closing.

Space in the front of the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer is more than adequate, with plenty of seat adjustability even in the entry-level Design version. There is also lots of storage, including a mobile phone tray and cup holders.

For passengers in the rear, space is at a premium compared with rivals like the Skoda Octavia Estate or SEAT Leon Estate. Tall adults will feel limited on legroom, while the panoramic sunroof on Ultimate and GSe models eats into the available headroom.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to powertrain options for the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer. Petrol, diesel plug-in hybrid and fully electric can all be chosen.

For most buyers, a petrol engine will make sense, in this case a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder unit. This comes in two outputs, 110PS or 130PS, both with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.

Given the size of the Astra Sports Tourer, the 110PS version can feel a touch sluggish, and there is little penalty in terms of fuel economy for picking the 130PS engine instead. The latter can accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.0 seconds, or 9.9 seconds with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission. With the manual not being the best ’box to use, choosing the automatic seems the right call.

Vauxhall previously offered a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine for the Astra Sports Tourer. With 130PS and 300Nm of torque, it feels quicker than the petrol engines on the road, but is likely to be a niche option now.

There are two flavours of plug-in hybrid power for the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, both combining a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. The GS and Ultimate come with a combined 180PS output, with the sportier GSe producing a more substantial 225PS. Both feel quick, thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor, and both come with an eight-speed electrified automatic gearbox.

Electric estates are something of a rarity, but Vauxhall will add an EV version of the Astra Sports Tourer to the range soon. The car will use a 54kWh battery pack and a 156PS electric motor.

Typically, estate models produce greater road noise thanks to their large, open interior space. When it comes to the Astra Sports Tourer, Vauxhall has managed to keep tyre roar to a minimum. Wind noise is well suppressed, too.

Being three-cylinder engines, the petrol options for the Astra Sports Tourer make a neat burble when accelerating. Even the rare diesel manages to avoid sounding too uncouth.

Picking the plug-in hybrid version of the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer means the potential for cruising in silence when driving in electric mode. However, for maximum refinement, wait for the fully electric model.

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer comes fitted with a host of safety equipment as standard. All versions have autonomous emergency braking, cruise control with intelligent speed adaptation, and lane-keeping assist.

Moving up to GS specification sees the addition of a 360-degree surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control. Ultimate and GSe trim bring semi-autonomous Intelli-Drive 2.0 lane-changing assistance and blind-spot monitoring. 

When tested by the Euro NCAP safety organisation, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer was awarded four stars out of five. Its less-than-perfect score was due to the criticism of the autonomous emergency braking system. Adult occupant protection was rated as 80 percent, with child protection at 82 percent.

Vauxhall has not always performed well when it comes to reliability. In the latest Honest John Satisfaction Index, the brand finished dead last – in 29th place. However, this survey covered older Vauxhall models, rather than the new-generation cars created under Stellantis ownership.

As a relatively new model, there have yet to be any major issues reported with the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer. Used cars will still be inside the factory warranty, too.

With a mainstream badge on the bonnet and modest power outputs, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer should be relatively affordable to insure.

Design models with the 110PS 1.2-litre Turbo petrol engine start in group 16 (out of 50 groups in total), increasing to group 19 for the Ultimate version with a 130PS engine.

Plug-in hybrid versions will be more expensive to insure. The 180PS model starts from insurance group 27, with the range-topping 225PS version in insurance group 31.

Having been launched after 2017, most Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer models will be charged a flat rate of £180 a year for petrol or diesel cars.

However, with a list price in excess of £40,000, be careful when looking at plug-in hybrid versions of the Astra Sports Tourer. The higher starting price means an additional annual charge of £390 for the first five years after renewal.

Buy an all-electric Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and you will enjoy the benefit of free road tax.

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer comes with a choice of four trim levels, all of which are generous for the price charged.

As the entry-level model, the Astra Sports Tourer Design features LED headlights and tail lights, automatic lighting control, front and rear parking sensors, and 16-inch alloy wheels on petrol models. The Vauxhall ‘Vizor’ front grille is finished in black with a chrome-effect Griffin logo.

On the inside, the driver’s seat is six-way adjustable, with Jet Black Modene upholstery and Birdie Grey trim inserts on the front doors. The fascia panel comes with Modene trim, while the instrument panel is finished in Alexit Grey.

Electronic climate control, keyless start, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and a flat-bottomed steering wheel are all included. There is also a 10.0-inch digital instrument panel, 10.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, satellite navigation and wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  

Moving up to GS trim sees the Astra Sports Tourer gain 17-inch black alloy wheels, sportier-looking front and rear bumpers, tinted rear windows and a black roof. A black front grille badge is added, along with alloy-effect pedals.

The interior includes a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a surround-view parking camera and heated front seats. Adaptive cruise control and forward-collision alert are included as well.

Ultimate specification adds IntelliLux adaptive LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a power tailgate to the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer. A panoramic sunroof, sports seats and Alcantara interior trim are also part of the package.

The Astra Sports Tourer GSe adds a sportier touch, with unique front and rear bumpers, 18-inch gloss black diamond-cut alloy wheels and gloss black roof rails. Like the Ultimate, it comes with wireless smartphone charging and a head-up display.