Vauxhall Astra GTC hatchback (2011-2016) - MPG, running costs & CO2

Thanks to a range of small-capacity turbocharged petrol engines and efficient diesels, each fitted with fuel-saving stop-start technology, the Vauxhall Astra GTC is reasonably cheap to run. There are plenty of Vauxhall dealers offering inexpensive fixed-price servicing, too.

However, depreciation is where the Astra GTC really falls down. As with any car, this is the largest single ongoing cost of ownership, but the Astra GTC suffers more than many coupes due to its bland image and the large number of used examples on the market. Warranty cover is an unexceptional three years or 60,000 miles.

Vauxhall Astra MPG and CO2

Sporty coupes are not necessarily bought for their fuel economy, but the Astra GTC makes a reasonable stab at being clean and frugal nonetheless. For this reason, it suits both private buyers looking to save at the pumps and company-car who want to keep their tax bill down. Even the 194bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine manages 42.8mpg and has an annual road-tax bill of just £180. That’s the same as the much less powerful 136bhp 1.4-litre petrol automatic. Naturally, the most economical petrol model is also the least powerful. The 116bhp 1.4-litre returns 47.9mpg and costs £130 a year to tax.

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The least powerful diesel can beat that, with the 107bhp 1.6-litre CDTi achieving an impressive 72.4mpg and an annual road tax rate of just £20. However, the SEAT Leon SC 1.6-litre TDI Ecomotive SE trumps that with a scarcely believable 85.6mpg and zero road tax. At the other extreme, the most powerful Astra GTC diesel, the 189bhp 1.6-litre BiTurbo, returns 57.7mpg and costs £129 a year to tax. However, even that’s not as good as the 65.7mpg and £20-a-year tax of the fastest Leon SC, the 179bhp 2.0-litre TDI FR.

Regardless of which Astra GTC engine you choose, you need to be careful what trim level you go for. The extra body trim on the Limited Edition versions makes them marginally less efficient than the Sport and SRi models.

Vauxhall Astra insurance group

With such a range of power outputs on offer, it’s not surprising that Astra GTC insurance rates vary widely. The model spans group 13 (for the 107bhp 1.6-litre CDTi Sport) to group 27 (for the 194bhp 1.6-litre petrol). Vauxhall sells new-car insurance and it might be worth seeing if the premium can be negotiated as part of the vehicle purchase.

Vauxhall Astra warranty

The Astra GTC comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. This is fairly standard across the motor industry and, according to Vauxhall, reflects most owners’ needs. However, the Hyundai Veloster and Kia Pro_cee’d have five-year/unlimited-mileage and seven-year/100,000-mile warranties respectively.

Vauxhall Astra servicing

Vauxhall charges around £130 for a fixed-price interim service on the Astra GTC, compared with £150 for the Insignia. That looks like good value, but it’s also possible to spread the cost of routine servicing over three years with monthly payments.