Vauxhall Astra Electric Review 2024

Here we have irrefutable proof that electric cars have hit the mainstream: you can now buy an electric Vauxhall Astra.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric (to give it its official title) will cost you upwards of £40,000 and it can travel up to 258 miles between charges... but how does it compare with established competition, such as the Renault Megane E-Tech and Kia Niro EV?

One of the first things you'll notice about the new Vauxhall Astra Electric is it feels very 'normal'. There's a lot to be said for normal. If you're trading in your beloved petrol or diesel Vauxhall Astra and don't want to make a statement about going green, the Vauxhall Astra Electric is the obvious family car for you.

It's based on the same platform as the new Peugeot e-308 which is different to the underpinnings of other Stellantis electric cars (including the Citroen e-C4, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and Jeep Avenger, to name a few).

That platform houses a relatively small 54kWh battery pack, although the brand makes some bold efficiency claims which means it should be able to cover a decent distance in the real world.

You'll soon get into the hang of mooching along merrily, using up as little electricity as possible - not least because the Vauxhall Astra Electric is perhaps the least entertaining car we've driven so far in 2023. But what do you expect? It's a Vauxhall Astra Electric.

The stats are pretty humdrum: it'll accelerate from 0-62mph in a leisurely 9.2 seconds, while top speed is a modest 106mph. If you want an electric car with bragging rights, look at a Tesla Model 3 instead (which, incidentally, isn't a great deal more expensive).

There are limitations to electrifying a regular petrol or diesel car. The batteries eat into boot space, and the interior just doesn't feel as generally roomy as a Volkswagen ID.3's.

Fortunately, there are many electric family SUVs on the market if you need a spacious cabin, while Vauxhall's also set to launch an estate version of the Astra Electric. That's good news, as electric estate car buyers don't currently have much choice (aside from the MG 5 and the Astra's relation, the Peugeot e-308 SW).

Space aside, the Vauxhall Astra Electric's interior is user-friendly and well-equipped as standard. There are just two trim levels available: the GS and Ultimate.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric GS ticks most of the boxes... standard equipment includes a 10-inch infotainment display, 10-inch digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree parking camera.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate adds an array of semi-autonomous driving tech as well as a wireless phone charger, panoramic glass sunroof and Alcantara upholstery.

While the Vauxhall Astra Electric lacks any real wow factor (especially considering its £40,000 price tag), it's a very functional electric car. It won't overwhelm you with its technology, while its comfy seats and very useable range make it an easy car to live with day-to-day. Read our full 2023 Vauxhall Astra Electric review to find out if it's the electric car for you.

Space for passengers is much the same as in the regular Vauxhall Astra. That means the front feels roomy enough, although adults in the back might find things a little cramped. Dedicated electric vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.3 tend to feel roomier - that's an advantage of designing cars on a purpose-built electric car platform.

You'll face a compromise in terms of boot space, too. The overall luggage capacity is down to 352 litres - the same as a plug-in hybrid Astra, but 70 litres less than the petrol model.

Family buyers might want to consider an electric SUV alternative like the Kia Niro EV or Skoda Enyaq iV instead. There's also an estate version of the Vauxhall Astra Electric on its way, too.

Interior quality is so-so. There are some surprisingly plush finishes in the Astra Electric's cabin, but there are also some hard plastics. On the plus side, these ought to stand up well to family life. With its part-Alcantara seats, the top-spec Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate does feel a bit posher than the entry-level GS.

The twin-screen display is a real talking point in the new Vauxhall Astra Electric. It consists of a 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and another 10-inch central infotainment display.

Both look pretty smart and are easy to use. We found Vauxhall's navigation system to be user-friendly, but it's just as easy to connect your phone and use your favourite navigation app via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Vauxhall talks a lot about a 'digital detox' in the Astra - that means you get physical buttons for turning on the heated seats or adjusting the climate control. That's definitely a trend we can support.

Prices start from around £40,000 for a new Vauxhall Astra Electric in GS trim, while the Ultimate is priced at more than £43,000. That looks expensive compared to rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.3 and Renault Megane E-Tech - although Vauxhall's simplified range line-up means there isn't really an entry-level model. All Vauxhall Astra Electrics are very well equipped.

Vauxhall dealers are traditionally keen to offer savings on nearly-new or pre-registered models, too, and we've already seen savings of thousands of pounds off retail price. Give it a year or two and you might be able to pick up a used Vauxhall Astra Electric for a very tempting price.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric uses a 54kWh battery pack (51kWh usable) which provides an official WLTP range of up to 258 miles.

While that figure will change depending on factors like the weather conditions and the kind of driving you cover, we were surprised at how easy it was to see an efficiency figure of around 5.0 miles per kWh on our test drive. That equates to a range of 255 miles - very close to the official figure.

Charging at home will be the most cost-efficient way of topping up the Astra Electric's battery. Doing so using a 7kW home wallbox will take around eight hours, at a cost of around £17 (depending on your home electricity tariff).

The Astra Electric can be rapid charged at a rate of up to 100kW, which means a suitable public charger can top the battery up from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in around half an hour.

Like all pure-electric cars, the Vauxhall Astra Electric is currently exempt from road tax. That's set to change in April 2025, however, when all EVs registered since April 2017 will be taxed at £165/year.

The regular Vauxhall Astra feels a lot softer than its competitors. That means it soaks up bumpy road surfaces well, although this comes at the expense of eager handling.

This is true for the Vauxhall Astra Electric, too, although the weight of the batteries does come to light on uneven tarmac. The standard-fit 18-inch alloy wheels pass imperfections into the cabin, while also creating quite a lot of road noise in the process.

A big difference between the Vauxhall Astra Electric and rivals like the Cupra Born and MG 4 is the Astra is front-wheel drive. That means it doesn't feel particularly agile to drive, although it handles in a safe and reassuring manner. Essentially, if you're not bothered about driving a sporty electric car, the Vauxhall Astra goes about its business with minimal fuss.

There are lots of driver-assistance features fitted as standard too (see the safety section below for the full rundown), while decent visibility makes the Astra Electric easy to drive around town.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric uses a 54kWh battery pack which powers a single electric motor on the front axle. It produces a maximum of 156PS and 270Nm of torque, taking the Astra Electric to 62mph in 9.2 seconds. Top speed is 106mph.

As these figures suggest, the Vauxhall Astra Electric is far from the fastest electric car on the market. There's enough instant shove to make light work of day-to-day driving, though, and overtakes don't require excessive planning.

Like most electric cars, you can ramp up the regenerative braking so that it slows down more (using the electric motor) when you lift off the accelerator. This is done by selecting 'brake' mode on the centre console - although it's not quite strong enough for one-pedal driving.

Standard driver-assistance tech on the Vauxhall Astra Electric includes an automatic emergency braking system (with pedestrian detection), a lane departure warning system (with lane keep assist) and a 360-degree parking camera.

The top-spec Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate comes with Vauxhall's Intelli-Drive 2.0, which essentially adds semi-autonomous capability. This includes semi-autonomous lane changing, advanced intelligent speed adaption, lane change assist with blind spot alert, lane positioning assist and rear cross-traffic alert.

Although Euro NCAP hasn't crash-tested the Vauxhall Astra Electric specifically, the regular Astra was awarded four stars out of five in 2022.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric GS comes with 18-inch bi-colour black alloy wheels, black Vizor frame and detailing as well as a black roof and door mirrors. LED headlights with high beam assist are standard on GS models too. Inside, the GS features Pure Panel Pro infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and voice-activated navigation. Safety on board is improved via Intelli-Drive 2.0 featuring automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane change assist with blind side spot alert, forward collision alert and rear cross-traffic alert.

The Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate adds IntelliLux Pixel Matrix LED headlights with 168 individual LED lights. Ultimate models also come with Intelli-Air climate control, Intelli-HUD head-up display and bi-colour alloy wheels. A panoramic roof brightens up the interior, while a heated steering wheel and Alcantara-covered heated seats improve comfort. Wireless smartphone charging is included, as is Intelli-Drive 2.0, featuring lane change and positioning assist with blind side spot alert, and rear cross traffic alert.