New 2022 Vauxhall Astra plug-in hybrid: prices, specs and on-sale date

This is the all-new Vauxhall Astra, on sale now in the UK in plug-in hybrid form from £32,200. The latest version of Vauxhall’s compact family car gets fresh interior and exterior styling, adopting several elements from the Vauxhall Mokka and Vauxhall Grandland SUVs. It's the first Astra to be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, sharing technology with its sister model the Peugeot 308.

Vauxhall has confirmed two performance levels of plug-in hybrid Astra, with the top-of-the-range HYBRID-e 225 version producing 222bhp and 360Nm of torque. The car can return as much as 256mpg fuel economy, emits just over 25g/km of CO2 and will do 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 146mph. That model will join the range at some point in 2022, while a fully electric version is earmarked for 2023.

At the moment, only the less powerful 178bhp HYBRID-e 180 option is offered. Here, you get the same torque, economy and emissions figures as the 222bhp car, but the 0-62mph time is slower, at 9.3 seconds, as is the 140mph top speed. Both plug-in Astra versions also feature an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, and thanks to their 12.4kWh batteries, can cover over 40 miles on electric power.

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Design, interior and technology

The new Astra’s styling has been brought in line with other models in Vauxhall’s range. It now includes the ‘Vizor’ front grille we first saw on the Mokka and more recently on the facelifted Crossland and Grandland. The car also gets adaptive IntelliLux LED headlights, comprising 168 LED elements, which were first seen on the latest Vauxhall Insignia saloon.

Inside, the Astra features the Pure Panel digital cockpit from the Mokka and Grandland. This comprises a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, as well as a 10-inch digital driver’s display. All models also get voice controls for the car’s functions, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The new Astra also gets semi-autonomous driving and assistance systems, including semi-automatic lane changes and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The four camera and five radar sensors located around the car, as well as ultrasonic sensors at the front and rear, provide data for the systems.

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Prices, trim levels and equipment

Vauxhall is debuting a new, simplified trim-level structure for the latest Astra. The brand's previous trims could be quite confusing, with numerous variants to choose from and some cheaper models getting more kit than ostensibly 'higher-spec' versions. The new Astra, however, gets a simple three-trim hierarchy consisting of entry-level Design, mid-range GS Line and range-topping Ultimate.

Design starts at £23,275 with the basic 1.2-litre petrol engine, but isn't available with plug-in hybrid power. So the cheapest electrified Astra is the £32,200 GS Line, with the next step up being the £35,315 Ultimate. In both cases, these prices are for the 178bhp plug-in setup; prices for the more powerful 222bhp hybrid haven't been confirmed yet.

Standard kit on GS Line includes 17-inch alloys, LED headlights and rear lights, a two-tone roof, privacy glass, a heated driver's seat, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, traffic-sign recognition and a 360-degree camera.

Stepping up to Ultimate ups the wheel size to 18 inches and adds Pixel LED headlights, a sunroof, an extended head-up display, Alcantara seat trim, a heated windscreen, rear cross-traffic alerts, semi-autonomous lane-changing, curve speed adaptation, wireless smartphone charging and Vauxhall’s 'Intelli-Air' connectivity, which allows users to control various in-car features through their smartphone.