Vaux pop

VAUXHALL ASTRA PLUG-IN HYBRID-E

- Paul Horrell

An Astra comes to us all. If you don't buy one, someone in your family might. Or you'll be given one for work or take a holiday renter. Midsize hatchbacks are a staple part of wheeled life, the Astra one of the most prevalent. It's just... there. Even so, this review isn't a foregone conclusion. This is the eighth Astra generation. Some of the previous seven have been fine for their eras, others absolute donkeys. Besides, this is the first Astra to have been developed in Vauxhall/Opel's post-GM era.

Under the skin it has a lot in common with the new Peugeot 308 and the DS 4. But it doesn't look like them. That dark visor front is distinctive, and there's some attractive creasework: a sharp bone down the middle of the bonnet, and horizontal lines to mark the wheelarch bulges. Most versions have a black roof, which visually lowers the car. It's truthfully lower than before anyway, and wider too. But only a bit. It isn't needlessly bulky.

It's motored along by entirely familiar and relatively low power née-Peugeot pure combustion engines. Or a 180bhp plug-in hybrid. A 225bhp version of this PHEV follows, which we gather will get a bit of a warm hatch identity. Next year there's a full battery one.

The PHEV is an interesting financial story. Although it lists at exactly £4,000 more than the 1.2 auto, Vauxhall says its higher monthly PCP would be fully offset by the fuel saving provided you plug in for your regular mileage. Meanwhile, if you do pay BIK tax, the PHEV would save you £5,000 of tax over three years.