2022 Vauxhall Astra price and specifications confirmed as all-new model goes on sale

Vauxhall’s new Astra is now on-sale in the UK, and it comes with a new, exciting, sharper-edged look. Prices for the Ford Focus and VW Golf rival start at £23,275. First deliveries of the eighth-generation hatchback are scheduled for early next year. The famous ‘British’ badge now sits under the Franco-Italian umbrella of Stellantis, which also includes Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat. No surprise then that the new Astra shares its platform with the impressive new Peugeot 308. Buyers have the choice from three trim levels: Design, GS Line and Ultimate; that basically translates to either the basic one, the sporty one or the upmarket one. There’s no denying that the new Astra looks different. I still think it might be something of a Marmite design — you either love it or hate it — but without question the sharp, futuristic lines of Vauxhall’s new Vizor design language will certainly turn heads. There are also welcome changes inside the cabin, which now takes on a very upmarket look thanks to the increased use of shiny piano black plastic. It’s also impossible to miss the huge screens across the driver’s side of the dash. And for those who opt for the auto ’box rather than the manual six-speed, they can look forward to twiddling the funny little gear selector switch found in the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4. There’s quite a choice, with the petrol engines focusing on the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder unit which is proving so popular across the Stellantis models. The entry-level is the 1.2 109bhp, but the engine is also available as a 128bhp version. Both units get six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but the latter has the option of the automatic gearbox. Both are also capable, according to Vauxhall, or achieving up to 52.3mpg. Elsewhere, for those who can’t shake off their diesel fix, there’s a 128bhp 1.5-litre oil burner. It returns a claimed 64.3mpg on the WLTP cycle. In complete contrast, there’s also a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid petrol. Delivering up to 178bhp, it also has the ability to reduce CO2 emissions to just 24g/km. And in addition to covering 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds, and carrying on to a max of 140mph, it’ll also let you cover up to 35 miles on electricity alone. Further down the line the range will be further supplemented by a 222bhp version of the plug-in hybrid, while a fully electric Astra is expected in 2023. There’s actually quite a bit of equipment, even with the starting specification. The entry-level Design includes rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, a push-button ignition, LED headlights and 16-inch alloys as standard. It also gets a healthy-sized 10-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument display. As you’d expect, there’s also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Step up to the GS Line and you add adaptive cruise control, heated front seats and heated steering wheel, plus a 360-degree camera and 17-inch alloys. There’s also a few black exterior features, including the roof, badge and wheels. The range-topping Ultimate includes everything from the GS Line, and adds Alcantara seat trim, wireless phone charging, a head-up display, 18-inch alloys plus some extra safety tech. The entry-level 109bhp 1.2-litre Design trim starts at £23,275, with the GS Line — which is most likely going to be the most popular spec — opening at £26,170. And while the Ultimate costs from just over £29,000, you’ll need to pay £32,200 if you’d like a hybrid.