Vauxhall has announced full pricing and spec details of its all-new Astra hatchback, due on sale in showrooms this October. The Ford Focus challenger’s range will kick off from £15,295, with new engines including a 1.6-litre diesel capable of a claimed 91mpg and CO2 emissions of just 82g/km.
The new Cheshire-built Astra’s range has now been simplified, with five main trim levels and four powertrains offering varying outputs. Just over £15k will get you in the entry-level Design spec with a naturally-aspirated 98bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine.
That comes as standard with 16-inch alloys, LED running lights, aircon, cruise control, Bluetooth, electric windows all-round and Vauxhall’s 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with ‘Intellilink’ smartphone connection.
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For just £805 more you can have the 103bhp 1.0-litre three cylinder turbo petrol that debuted on the new Corsa, while a further £805 gets you Tech Line spec, which adds an eight-inch touchscreen with satnav and voice recognition, as well as a leather steering wheel and front armrest.
Energy spec kicks off from £17,285 and brings along 17-inch 10-spoke alloys, as well as a heated steering wheel and front seats. SRi adds £600, with a different wheel design, a Driving Assistance pack with front-view camera, auto headlamps and wipers and sports seats. It also gets new OnStar tech, a 24-hour concierge call system that also makes the car a 4G WiFi hotspot.
Top-spec Elite trim adds electric leather seats with the rear outer chairs heated, climate control, power-fold mirrors and two USB sockets for rear passengers. Both Elite and SRI spec can be further upgraded with a Nav pack featuring the eight-inch touchscreen sat-nav system.
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Vauxhall claims those prices offer better value than the previous Astra, being anywhere from £150 to £2,200 cheaper spec-for-spec than the old model. The only catch in that is that they don’t offer a more basic Expression trim any more, which previously meant you could pick up an Astra for just £12,995.
Other engine options at launch will include a 1.4-litre turbo petrol, a range-topping 197bhp 1.6-litre turbo, and a new 1.6-litre ‘Whisper’ diesel engine with power outputs ranging from 108bhp to 158bhp. The lowest-powered diesel in start/stop ecoFLEX spec (from £17,495) is capable of 91mpg combined and emits just 82g/km of CO2. That will put it level with the Peugeot 308 1.6 BlueHDI as the most efficient family hatchback on sale.
Check out our round-up of the best hatchbacks on sale now…
