Vauxhall Astra review

Talk about having it tough. The Vauxhall Astra has been ubiquitous on UK roads since 1979, but has always had to fight for its success, lining up against rivals as diverse and talented as the Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf.

Year after year, the Astra has been up there, fighting among the top spots in the best-sellers’ lists, earning plaudits and customers for its blend of affordability, decent running costs, practicality and standard tech kit, while delivering everyday driving enjoyment.

So much so, in fact, that it scooped the European Car of the Year title after it was launched in 2016, and it has picked up What Car? Car of the Year wins for the lower price point in our Family Car category, where it proved itself something of a bargain.

Despite the onslaught of new rivals being launched, the Astra has continued to sit high in both the sales charts and our estimation. In many regards it is a flagship for all of the strong values that make a modern Vauxhall stand out from the crowd. What’s more, its qualities are greatly enhanced by the way Vauxhall has to offer some of the most tempting discounts on the market in order to secure sales in this competitive market place. Push hard in the showroom and double digit discounts are often possible.

With value brands such as Dacia offering desirable SUVs such as the Duster for less money, and premium brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes taking advantage of strong residual values on cars like the A3, 1 Series and A-Class, Vauxhall really is having to fight hard for every sale – especially to buyers through a PCP or lease.

The Astra looks like an impressive car at an impressive price then. So should you buy one, and, if so, which one should you buy?

Read on to find out, and don’t forget you we can get you an Astra at our Target Price (rather than full RRP) if you take a look at our new car deals section.