Vauxhall Astra Electric review

The Vauxhall Astra Electric is the latest addition to the Astra range, and means you can now take your pick from a petrol, a diesel, a plug-in hybrid or – as in this case – a fully electric car.

The Astra Electric is based on the eighth-generation Vauxhall Astra and looks identical to other versions from outside, but as you'd expect there's one big difference – you won't find an engine under the bonnet.

Instead, it gets its power from a 115kW electric motor and a 54kWh battery, giving it enough juice for an official range of up to 258 miles. Vauxhall has simplified the range too, cutting your options down to just three trims levels, including a new entry-level one that aims to keep the cost competitive with the likes of the Tesla Model 3.

As well as a hatchback, you can have the electric Astra in estate car form. To read about that, see our Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer review.

So is the Vauxhall Astra Electric a better choice than the closely related Peugeot e-308, as fun to drive as the Cupra Born or as strong on value as the MG4 EV? Read on through this review to find out...

Unlike the regular Astra – which has a range of engines – the Astra Electric is available only with a 54kWh battery (with a 50.8kWh usable capacity) paired with a 153bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels. That might not sound like much power, but because you get access to instant acceleration, it can sprint from 0-62mph in a reasonable 9.2 seconds. 

That’s more than quick enough when you need a sudden burst of power or want to accelerate up to motorway speeds, but it still looks a tad slow next to its rivals. Indeed, both the Cupra Born 58kWh and the entry-level MG4 EV will manage the same sprint in less than 8.0 seconds, and the Tesla Model 3 cuts it to 5.8 seconds. 

You could say, then, that the Astra Electric is more spritely than sporty, and that’s something that continues when it comes to how the model drives.

It feels slightly firmer than the regular version and manages to keep body roll in check, but isn’t what you’d call dynamic or engaging. That’s largely due to the numb steering, which gives you little idea of what the front end is up to. The Born is more enjoyable to drive on a winding road.

If comfort is more of a priority, the Astra Electric is worth your time. Despite being on the firmer side, it rides well over most road surfaces and soaks up bumps and imperfections well. Better still, the firmness means it doesn’t pitch and roll over undulations, and has better body control than softer-riding electric cars including the BYD Dolphin. 

Wind and road noise are well contained, and there’s no engine noise to disturb the peace, all of which adds to comfort on a long drive.

According to official figures, that drive can last up to 258 miles between charges, which is more than the entry-level MG4 and most versions of the Peugeot e-308 but slightly less than the Born 58kWh 204PS or 230PS. The Model 3, meanwhile, will travel up to 344 miles (on 18in wheels) between charges and has always proved to have incredible efficiency in our Real World Range Test.

Driving overview

Strengths Controlled and comfortable ride; not much wind and road noise 

Weaknesses Numb steering; some similarly priced rivals have longer ranges

As with the exterior, the interior of the Vauxhall Astra Electric is very similar to the standard Astra's.

That’s not particularly a bad thing, because it means you get comfortable and supportive front seats that offer plenty of adjustment. With a steering wheel that has plenty of movement up, down, in and out, you shouldn’t struggle to find your perfect seating position.

Visibility out of the front is generally good, but it’s slightly annoying that the slim front pillars are angled in such a way that they can sometimes get in the way of your view at junctions.

Rear visibility and the view over your shoulder, meanwhile, is hampered by wide rear pillars. Luckily, parking should be easy enough, thanks to front and rear parking sensors coming as standard and all but entry-level Design trim getting a 360-degree parking camera.

Sitting behind the steering wheel and extending out towards the middle of the centre console are two conjoined 10in screens with sharp graphics. Each has a different job, with the one sitting behind the steering wheel taking the place of traditional dials. Thankfully, unlike in the related Peugeot e-308, you look through the steering wheel at the display not over the top.

The central display is a touchscreen and takes care of infotainment. Its responses could be quicker, and while the home screen uses a simple grid layout to help you find the function you want quickly, the fonts used by the sub-menus are tiny.

All Astra Electrics have wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, but it’s best to stick with the standard-fit built-in sat-nav if you want to see instructions on the driver display.

You control the majority of the system through touch or using the hit-and-miss voice control system. We’d prefer that there was a physical control too (like the rotary controller in the Mazda MX-30) because that would be far less distracting to use on the move.

At least the Astra Electric gets physical shortcut buttons for some features and proper buttons to control the climate control, rather than the fairly rubbish touch-sensitive ones you find in the Cupra Born.

As a whole, though, the Born’s interior feels classier. In the Astra Electric, it doesn’t take long before you notice how dark everything is. There are plenty of soft-touch plastics within easy reach and a lot of them are finished in a variety of textures, but they’re almost hidden in various shades of black. 

You do get some coloured trim finishers on the doors and dash, but they don't really lift the sombre mood.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable driving position; physical air-con controls; Crisp digital driver display

Weaknesses Rivals have classier interiors

Even if you or your front seat passenger are six feet tall, neither of you will find you have to squeeze yourself into the Vauxhall Astra Electric. There’s generous head room and plenty of leg room, and the width of the interior ensures that, unless you’re both particularly broad, you won’t be rubbing shoulders.

Rear space isn’t quite as generous, and while leg room will be acceptable for six-footers, head room is particularly tight, even without the panoramic roof that comes as standard with the Ultimate trim. The MG4 is more accommodating in the back, and the Tesla Model 3 is much bigger than both, giving you space on a par with the BMW 3 Series. 

Likewise, if you plan to carry three passengers in the rear, there are better options out there, including the Cupra Born. In the Astra Electric, head room is reduced further by the slightly raised middle seat, while foot space is hampered by a decent-sized raise in the floor, where the transmission would usually be housed in the non-electric versions.

With a boot that offers more than 350 litres of space, it should easily swallow your weekly shopping, a buggy or luggage for a modest family holiday. The boot in the Born is slightly larger, but the square shape of the Astra’s is more useful (if you think an estate will suit you better, see our Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer review).

If you need to carry more luggage, you can drop the rear seats. They split in a 60/40 configuration, which isn’t anything special, but you do get a useful ski hatch between the rear seats, meaning you can carry two rear passengers and longer loads like, well, skis.

Practicality overview

Strengths Plenty of front space; big boot

Weaknesses Less rear space than rivals

Initially, the Vauxhall Astra Electric looked quite expensive next to its rivals, but the introduction of the entry-level Design trim has helped to change that.

Indeed, while it will still cost you far more than the MG4 (a problem its rivals face too), it will now cost you around the same to buy outright as the Cupra Born and is slightly cheaper than the Tesla Model 3.

When it comes to depreciation, the Astra Electric is predicted to lose its value a fair bit more quickly over three years than any of those rivals, and that’s something that can have an effect on PCP finance rates or if you intend to sell the car after three years. However, Vauxhall often has competitive finance offers, so make sure you check for the best prices using our New Car Deals pages.

No matter which trim you go for, you get plenty of standard equipment, with even Design getting 18in alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights with high-beam assist, cruise control, keyless start, and electrically adjusted and heated wing mirrors.

Upgrading to mid-spec GS adds even more equipment, including keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and the upgraded parking assist. The problem is that it’ll cost you more than the Model 3, which is even better equipped and will go further between charges.

If you want all of the bells and whistles, you’ll want to go for top-spec Ultimate. That version comes with matrix LED headlights, a heated windscreen, wireless phone-charging, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof and a few styling tweaks inside and out.

Regardless of which version you go for, the maximum charging speed is 100kW, meaning that a rapid public charger will take the Astra Electric from 20-80% in around 26 minutes. An 11kW charger will get it from 0-100% in five hours, 45 minutes and a 7kW home charger will need eight hours. The Born and the Model 3 charge more quickly.

The Astra Electric is too new to have featured in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey but Vauxhall did – and it didn’t fare well at all. It finished way down in 30th place out of 32 car makers, putting it above Alfa Romeo and Cupra but below most other brands.

Like all Vauxhalls, it comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. That's in keeping with cover from most other manufacturers, but can’t beat Hyundai's five-year warranty, Kia's seven-year cover or Toyota’s 10-year warranty. 

Safety wise, the Astra was awarded a slightly disappointing four out of five stars when it was tested in 2022 by the experts at Euro NCAP. The Born and the MG4 both got five stars, while the Model 3 also scored five stars but in 2019, when the tests were less stringent.

At least the Astra has plenty of safety equipment fitted as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist and speed-limit sign recognition. You’ll need to opt for Ultimate trim or above if you want lane-change assistance and rear cross-traffic alert, though.

Costs overview

Strengths Plenty of standard kit; competitive list price

Weaknesses Poor reliability score; safety rating could be better; depreciates faster than rivals

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