Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric long-term test
Can a longstanding model from an established brand successfully go green and take on a host of new pure electric rivals?...
The car Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric Ultimate | Run by Claire Evans, consumer editor
Why it's here To see if Vauxhall’s family-sized estate is a good alternative to the similar Peugeot e-308 and German estate rivals.
Needs to Enable me to rack up the miles in comfort, and be as practical and easy to live with as a petrol alternative
Mileage 8632 List price new £39,820 Target Price £39,820 Price as tested £40,520 Official range 256 miles Test range 184 miles
Options Crimson Red metallic paint £700
25 March 2025 – Is top spec worth the extra?
The keyless entry system on my Astra Sports Tourer Electric stopped working completely soon after my last report, so the car went in for it to be fixed. While it was gone, I was given an Astra Electric hatchback in GS trim to keep me mobile. This is the next level down from my Ultimate version, and it was fascinating to see the difference in equipment levels.
GS comes with a fair amount of the same kit as my Ultimate spec car, including a heated steering wheel, a 10in touchscreen infotainment system and a 360deg parking camera. However, my car also has some additional comfort and practical features, such as heated front seats, hands-free tailgate opening and a second windscreen demisting button that lets me unfog the screen using the quickclear system rather than having to blast it with the aircon, which depletes the car’s battery quicker.
It also has an opening panoramic sunroof – quite a rarity on an electric vehicle, and it’s something I appreciate for the additional light it lets into the black trimmed interior.
Do these items justify the £2255 price difference between the two models? Maybe not when you consider the overall additional cost, but my Ultimate spec car costs just £27 a month more than a GS on a three-year PCP finance deal, so it seems like good value to me. Remember, finance is the way the vast majority of us buy our cars, so it's the more pertinent figure here.
Unfortunately, even though my car was away for a week, the issue with the keyless entry hasn’t been resolved completely yet. The car has two keyfobs, like most new cars, and they were reprogrammed and did work initially when the car was handed back, but they stopped locking and unlocking the doors less than a day later.
This may be because I was given both keys back together and this, I am told, may have caused them to disassociate themselves with the car and stop working. So, this is still an ongoing issue that will hopefully be resolved for good soon.
In better news, I’m pleased to see that Vauxhall has responded to the imminent change in expensive car tax (VED) rates for EVs costing £40,000 or more. From 1 April, these cars will be subject to an additional car tax fee of £425 a year from years two to six of their lives, adding £2125 to their ownership costs. To ensure buyers can avoid this, the Sport Tourer Ultimate’s list price has been dropped to £39,820.
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