New Vauxhall Astra plug-in hybrid gets longer range for £36k
A bigger battery and price reduction for the Vauxhall Astra PHEV aims to make it more competitive against rivals...
On sale November 2025 Price from £36,145
An update to the plug-in hybrid Vauxhall Astra hatchback and its Sports Tourer estate version has brought a longer range and a boost in power.
The new setup combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a larger 17.2kWh battery (compared with the outgoing model's 12.4kWh unit), for a maximum official electric-only range of 52 miles. It’s still not quite as far as the Seat Leon e-Hybrid (82 miles) or the class-leading Volkswagen Golf eHybrid (89 miles), though.
Thanks to the new set-up, company car drivers will have to pay less in benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax than before on Astra GS models. While it used to qualify for the 13% bracket, it has now dropped down to 9%.
It’s not just range that gets a boost, though, because the Astra and its estate version now pump out 192bhp – around 14bhp more than the previous model. That translates to a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec (with the Sports Tourer 0.1sec slower) and a top speed of 140mph. For reference, that’s quicker than all versions of the Golf eHybrid (except the sporty GTE version), but the Leon e-Hybrid is about 0.2sec faster to motorway speeds.
Instead of the old six-speed automatic gearbox, the Astra PHEV now comes matched to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic, as well as the option to choose between three different driving modes.
The sporty Astra GSE and Astra Sports Tourer GSE have also been given similar treatment, with the addition of the larger battery and 123bhp electric motor. Partnered with its 178bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, they still pump out a relatively pedestrian 222bhp and the hatchback can accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.6sec (7.7sec for the Sports Tourer GSE).
Range, though, has been improved to a maximum 50 miles, instead of the old 40-mile figure. For reference, both the Cupra Leon and Golf GTE can officially travel up to 81 miles on petrol-free power.
GSE models also get the new seven-speed automatic gearbox that the regular models receive, instead of the old eight-speed auto.
The new plug-in hybrid power option will only be available on high-spec GS and Ultimate trims. With those, you get a 10in infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, full LED lighting, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera, a heated steering wheel and heated seats, among other features. Ultimate trim adds 18in wheels, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display and a 10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.
The new Vauxhall Astra PHEV will be available from November. Prices now undercut the outgoing models, with the Astra PHEV starting at £36,145 while the the Sports Tourer starts at £37,365. That means the hatchback is still pricier than both the Seat Leon e-Hybrid and Volkswagen Golf eHybrid.
Meanwhile, the Astra GSE is priced from £38,795, with the Sports Tourer GSE starting at £39,995. That puts the hatchback in the same ballpark as the Cupra Leon, and it's now cheaper than the Golf GTE.
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