Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

Family favourite returns with greater practicality and the option of plug-in hybrid power On sale Now Price from £25,515

- Max Adams

IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE that your parents had an Astra estate, and maybe a few cousins too. But generational brand loyalty isn't the only reason to choose what is now called the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer.

As ever, variety is the Astra's watchword. Not only does its engine line-up include 99bhp and 128bhp 1.2-litre petrols and a 128bhp 1.5-litre diesel, but there's also a 1.6-litre plugin hybrid that promises low CO₂ emissions, bringing lower tax bills for company car users. Plus, in 2023, an all-electric version will arrive a rare thing in the estate class.

It's a shame, then, that none of the Astra's regular petrol and diesel engines stand out; all are beaten by equivalents in the Skoda Octavia for both performance and efficiency. Refinement isn't brilliant, either; the diesel transmits too many vibrations to the interior, while the petrol's six-speed manual gearbox has an unpleasant rubbery feel to it.