Review: Vauxhall Astra Electric

Manufacturers are all working steadily towards the UK government’s 2035 ban on the sale of new liquid petroleum gas, petrol and diesel cars with Vauxhall one of those pledging to get there sooner.

All Vauxhall cars and vans are now available with a fully electric version and by 2028 it will be an all-electric brand.

We recently drove the Astra Electric, which is a good all-rounder and may go some way to convincing those yet to warm towards electric cars.

Others think so and it has won several awards including ‘Medium Electric Car of the Year’ at the 2024 Company Car & Van Awards.

From the outside, the Astra Electric is indistinguishable from the other versions - the green bar on the number plate is the only giveaway. It’s smart and stylish and is one of the better-looking small family cars around at the moment.

But, instead of an engine, Astra Electric is powered by a 115KW motor and a 54KWh battery. The official range is 252-260 miles per full charge.

It’s not particularly fast for an electric car with the 0-62mph dash taking 9.2 seconds and with a maximum speed of 105mph.

There is just one powertrain but three levels of trim: Design, GS and Ultimate.

We tested the Astra Griffin Edition, a new entry-point model with an enhanced specification and a saving of £2,800 over Design trim.

Astra Electric - whichever model you opt for - has the capacity to support up to 100kW DC rapid charging - although as yet, the chargers are few and far between. If you do happen upon them - usually at motorway service stations - an 80 per cent charge will take in the region of 30 minutes.

In comparison, a 7kW home charger will take eight hours to get to 100 per cent.

Astra Electric handles well and it sticks to the road with very little body roll around corners.

Rear visibility is not the best and it’s a good job all models come with front and rear parking sensors. The top trims also get a rearview 180-degree parking camera.

Many of the onboard functions are controlled through the infotainment screen which can be accessed via touch or voice. Some functions have actual buttons which is helpful. You can also connect your smartphone to access your own apps.

All models have speed sign recognition - not always accurate - and cruise control. The latter is active in the entry-level Design and adaptive in the higher-spec models.

There is plenty of safety equipment including forward collision alert, drowsiness alert, eight airbags and lane-keeping assist.

Griffin also gets keyless start and a wireless phone charger.

The boot offers up 360 litres or 1268 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

Space for five adults is adequate but those in the rear may find rear headroom a problem. Our Griffin came with heated front seats and steering wheel. However, using them drains the battery at an alarming rate.

Motorway driving does likewise and you need to keep a close eye on your available range and plan in plenty of stops along the way. Driving around town using regenerative braking is a much more efficient way to go.

Vauxhall Astra Electric,

Price: £34,995 (£35,595 as tested)

Engine: 115kW motor and 54kWh battery

Power: 123bhp

Transmission: single speed automatic

Top speed: 105mph

0-62mph: 9.2 seconds

EV range: 252-260 miles