Vauxhall Astra review - MPG, running costs & CO2
No Astra will be expensive to run, but electrified versions are welcome additions
Fuel efficiency is always a key consideration for a family hatchback, and the new Vauxhall Astra looks set to continue the low running costs that characterised the last version. But the last Astra’s problem was its heavy depreciation, as it lost a lot of its original value quite quickly.
It seems the new Astra will perform much better in this regard and, as a result, Vauxhall’s reasonable PCP finance prices look competitive with rivals, with incentives popping up on quite a regular basis.
Vauxhall has broadened the Astra engine range to offer more economical choices. New for this car is a plug-in hybrid model that’s capable of 39 miles of pure-electric driving, plus there’s the first-ever Astra Electric, with a range of over 250 miles.
Vauxhall Astra MPG & CO2
Despite lacking any kind of mild-hybrid assistance, the 1.2-litre petrol offerings are decently economical; be gentle on the accelerator, and you can expect to return over 50mpg with the six-speed manual transmission. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is also available for a more relaxing drive and only a slight hindrance to fuel economy.
The plug-in hybrid offers the lowest BiK rates in the current line-up, at around half the BiK cost of a petrol model. Vauxhall says the total cost of ownership is the same for the Hybrid as it is for petrol versions.
It’s quite an expensive proposition for private buyers, but over time it could save you money depending on how and where you drive. Keep the battery charged and drive predominantly on electric power, and you’ll get close to Vauxhall’s figure of over 200mpg. Despite being the sportiest version of the Astra, the GSe also comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, albeit with extra power. Despite this it can still travel for up to 40 miles using electricity alone, giving it official figures of 256mpg and 24g/km of CO2.
Recharging from a 7kW home wallbox takes under four hours, or you’ll need around seven hours to charge from a standard three-pin socket. This may prove the best option, because installing a 7.4kW wallbox charger to your home will cost around £500 to £1,000.
Diesel was originally offered for the Astra, but it was discontinued in 2023. Find a nearly-new example and its promise of up to 65.7mpg should save high-mileage drivers money on fuel. It was more expensive to buy than petrol versions, though, and less well-suited to short, local trips.
You’ll also be needing a wallbox if you go for the Vauxhall Astra Electric, which previously had an even higher starting price of close to £40,000, but has now dropped to £35,000 in Griffin trim. Despite this hefty sum, very few people are likely to buy this model with cash, and Vauxhall is already offering some finance deals to bring the monthly costs down. It will also offer free VED (until 2025), and major savings for company car choosers, thanks to its low BiK band.
The Astra Electric has a 54kWh battery capable of getting it up to 258 miles between charges, and it can be topped up from 20-80% in 26 minutes thanks to 100kW peak charging speeds. These are fairly competitive figures, and during our test drive of the Astra Electric during the summer months, its range figure seemed realistic. However, with no heat pump to boost efficiency in cold winter weather, we expect range to take a hit when the temperature drops.
Insurance groups
The cheapest petrol engine occupies group 17 out of 50, while the majority of 128bhp petrol and diesel engines occupy groups 18 to 19. The plug-in hybrid in GS trim sits in group 24. It’s broadly similar to the Ford Focus, which sits in groups 13-27.
Warranty
Vauxhall offers a pretty standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which matches the cover you get from Ford, Skoda and Volkswagen. High-mileage drivers may be better off with a Kia Ceed or Hyundai i30, which come with longer warranties with higher mileage limits.
Plug-in hybrid Astras get an eight-year/100,000-mile battery coverage in addition to the standard warranty, which covers the pack if it drops below 70% capacity in that time.
Servicing
Petrol engines need servicing every 12,500 miles or every year, whichever comes first. Diesels and hybrids can go 20,000 miles or a year between services; you may need to top up the AdBlue in diesel engines between visits to the garage.
Taking out a Vauxhall Care plan includes three services and two years of roadside assistance. Your dealer will be able to advise on prices.
