Vauxhall Astra Electric Review & Prices

The Vauxhall Astra Electric is a zero-emission family hatchback with great styling and plenty of practicality.

The Astra Electric has alternatives like the Renault Megane E-Tech, Volkswagen ID3 and MG4 – though none of those options have petrol or hybrid versions to choose from. It’s like picking licorice from a pick ‘n’ mix – you have lots of options but it might just be to your taste.

It looks as good as the standard Astra’s design and Vauxhall hasn’t messed with it for the electric version, with the addition of streamlined alloy wheels. That means sharp creases, a sleek face and a cool silhouette, all of which make it one of the best-looking ‘normal’ cars on sale.

But while we’re fans of the exterior looks, the cabin is less inspiring. The lines are fairly tidy, but there are a lot of grey and black materials that make it rather unexciting. There are thin light strips on the doors, but it doesn’t make much of a difference.

You get two 10.0-inch displays mounted that are clear, but the software isn’t the best – fortunately you can use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto instead. You do get other good equipment as standard to make the experience more worthwhile.

Even though it’s spacious in the front, the seat adjustment isn’t the best and it’s difficult to get in the right position. The Astra Electric also has the same issue as the standard car, as the rear seats aren’t particularly roomy for adults.

The 352-litre boot is a good shape, but is smaller than alternatives like the Volkswagen ID3 and MG4.

There’s only one battery and motor option with the Astra Electric. There’s a front-mounted electric motor that develops 156hp, and on a full charge, the Astra Electric can do up to 258 miles. That doesn’t compare well to the Volkswagen ID3 or MG4, though, which both have versions that can go over 300 miles on a charge.

In town, the Astra is very easy to use. It has light steering that makes manoeuvres simple, while the visibility out of the rear window is the only real let down. The electric motor means it’s pretty quiet and chilled in the cabin, but you will hear a thump from the suspension over harsher bumps.

When you take it on the motorway, the Astra Electric loses range in chunks, which can give you a fair amount of range anxiety. It’s definitely more efficient in town. Beyond that though, it’s comfortable and composed on higher speed roads.

As with the standard Astra, this electric version feels stable and composed on a twisty road, but it’s more cumbersome than a Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3.

While the Vauxhall Astra Electric does well in town and is more than comfortable enough for most, the rear seats aren’t very roomy and alternatives can go further on a charge.

If you want to get the best deal on a new Vauxhall Astra Electric, check out carwow, where you can also get offers on used Vauxhall Astras. You can look at other used Vauxhall models too and if you want to change your car, you can sell your car with the help of our trusted dealers who will get you the best price.

Electric cars aren’t the cheapest, and when you compare the Electric version to the other Astras, it’s starting price is a lot higher. But even more surprising is that the MG4 XPower, the performance version of the excellent electric hatchback, costs less than the entry price of the Astra Electric, which makes the Vauxhall look pretty expensive.

On top of that, the Cupra Born, Renault Megane E-Tech and Volkswagen ID3 are also more affordable. It’s difficult to make a case for the Vauxhall Astra Electric, as there are multiple options that are more practical and desirable.

Composed around town, the Vauxhall Astra is pretty comfortable, but you’ll notice wind and road noise a fair amount at motorway speeds

In town

Being an EV, the Astra Electric is at its best in town. It has instant power from the electric motor that gets you away from the lights and junctions smoothly, while you don’t have to worry about the standard Astra’s laggy gearbox.

The steering is light and that allows you to make turns and manoeuvres very simple. The 10.5-metre turning circle is on par with alternatives, while you have fairly decent visibility around you. The rear window is a bit narrow though.

Riding over bumps in town is pretty comfortable, but you may find some sharper potholes will unsettle the suspension a bit.

Using the ‘B’ brake regeneration setting increases the severity of the energy recovery when you lift off the accelerator. You don’t get a one-pedal drive, so you will still have to brake to come to a stop, but it will help with lowering your energy usage and upping your efficiency.

On the motorway

It’s typical for an electric car to lose range more quickly at motorway speeds, when it can’t take advantage of regenerative braking as often to keep the batteries topped up. This certainly applies to the Astra Electric, which is noticeably less efficient at higher speeds than it is around town.

When you’re getting up to speed, the Astra Electric does a good job of accelerating briskly enough – 0-60mph takes 9.2 seconds.

With adaptive cruise control as standard, you can drive long distances without much issue, with the radars keeping you a safe distance from the car in front.

You will, however, notice a fair amount of wind noise, while the tyres on the 18-inch alloy wheels do emit a fair amount of sound into the cabin too.

On a twisty road

Much like the standard car, the Astra Electric is well balanced when you’re driving on a twistier road. The weight of the batteries makes it less agile than the regular car, but the electric motor gives you plenty of punch out of the corners.

Putting the car in ‘Sport’ mode doesn’t change too much, but you will notice more responsiveness from the throttle, which helps it feel more sprightly when accelerating out of corners.

You have as much space up front as in the standard Astra, but the rear seats are pretty small

While the cabin of the Astra Electric isn’t the most exciting, the front part of the cabin is reasonably spacious with plenty of pockets. The door bins are a fairly good size, but they aren’t felt-lined so things will rattle around when you’re driving.

The split cover to the armrest is useful, but there’s not a lot of space underneath it. You’ll also find two cupholders that can be covered, a place to put the key fob and a pocket under the centre console where you can plug in your smartphone. There are two USB-Cs to charge devices with, while the top-end version gets a wireless charger.

While you have good storage, getting in the right seating position is trickier. You don’t get separate horizontal and vertical seat adjustment. Instead, you move diagonally, so you need to compromise with your seating position and then the steering wheel changes can help you get more comfortable.

Space in the back seats

While other electric hatchbacks have lots of interior space for all, the Astra Electric doesn’t offer that. As it’s built on the same underpinnings as the petrol and hybrid versions, the Astra lacks a flat floor to allow for more foot space and your thighs don’t get as much support with the batteries installed under the floor – meaning your legs are higher.

You’ll also find that, like the standard Astra, while the stylish roofline looks excellent from the outside, you don’t get a lot of headroom inside. Sitting three adults across the back is a bit of a squeeze too.

Other electric options like the Volkswagen ID3, Polestar 2 and MG4 are definitely more competent in this regard.

You’ll find storage nets on the back of the front seats, while the door bins are a bit on the small side.

Boot space

By adding batteries under the floor and boot, the space on offer is smaller than in the petrol-powered version of the Astra. You get 352 litres to work with, which isn’t terrible, but other EVs do provide a bit more practicality.

Options like the Volkswagen ID3 (385 litres), MG4 (363 litres), Renault Megane E-Tech (440 litres) and Polestar 2 (405 litres) all have more room to offer, while most have some underfloor storage for cables too – something the Astra doesn’t provide.

When you fold the seats down, you do get a flat load floor so you can easily slide larger items to the front, while there isn’t much of a load lip for you to lift things over either. The 1,268-litre space is on par with alternatives in terms of size.

While the cabin is simple and functional, other EVs feel more special and aren’t as dark as the Astra

There’s little to truly complain about with the design of the Astra’s cabin – apart from a fair amount of easy-to-scratch-and-smudge piano black plastic. You’ll find that the air conditioning has physical buttons to adjust easily on the move, while the rest of the settings and main system are only navigable in the touchscreen. Configurable tiles on the main menu make for quick access to regularly used features.

Despite this, the system can be a little tricky to use, and with the main controls for the 10.0-inch driver’s display on the end of the indicator and windscreen wiper stalks, that’s not much easier. But if you spend some time setting the screens up how you want them, the system works smoothly enough.

With the rest of the cabin’s design, you’ll find that other EVs are more pleasing to be in than the Astra. It’s not bad per se, but with lots of black and grey surfaces paired to fairly slim windows, the cabin of a Volkswagen ID3 feels more spacious and welcoming than the Astra’s.

You get two 10.0-inch displays, the infotainment touchscreen and the driver’s display, and both are clear. The software isn’t very smooth, though, as it can be a bit laggy when you’re swiping through menus or altering the driver’s display view.

If you’re not happy with that software, you can use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly, which takes most of your smartphone apps and makes them compatible with the touchscreen.

You can’t add any sparkle to the cabin from the options list, and the only thing you can spec is whether you want a black roof or not.

On a full charge, the Vauxhall Astra Electric can go up to 258 miles. That’s thanks to a 54kWh battery pack that’s teamed to a front-mounted electric motor that develops 156hp and 270Nm of torque.

It can go from 0-60mph in a fairly pedestrian 9.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 105mph.

During our tests, the Astra Electric returned efficiency figures of 4.1mi/kWh across a series of conditions, which is rather promising. That means it could do 221 miles on a full battery, which is a bit behind alternatives, though it’s worthy noting that the efficiency figure is impressive.

You can top-up the battery at speeds of up to 100kW on a DC fast charger, allowing for a 20-80% charge to take just 26 minutes. Using an AC charger at up to 11kW, you can do a full charge from near-flat in just under six hours, while a 7kW wallbox can do the same top-up in eight hours.

Being an electric vehicle, you won’t have to worry about taxing the Astra Electric. That also benefits those looking for a company car, as EVs have a much lower Benefit in Kind rate than petrol or even plug-in hybrid models.

Based on the Euro NCAP crash tests, the Astra received four stars, which is good but not quite as accomplished as many alternatives. It scores well in occupant protection ratings, but is let down on safety assist and pedestrian scores.

As standard, the Astra Electric comes with an impressive amount of safety equipment. That includes forward collision alert, lane departure assistance, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and traffic sign recognition.

Going for the Ultimate version of the Astra Electric adds adaptive LED headlights, lane change assist with blind spot recognition and rear cross traffic alert.

All versions also get all-round airbags, ISOFIX points on the outer rear seats, in-crash braking and an ultrasonic alarm system.

With the Astra Electric new to market, it’s yet to get any recalls or any major issues. Vauxhall has also been improving in the last few years with its reliability, so it’s reasonable to expect you won’t get much trouble during ownership.

Each new Vauxhall comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, while the Astra Electric gets an additional eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery pack. This can also be used if the battery drops below 70% of its original capacity.