Spotlight: Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
John Challen explore the new Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and its main attractions for fleets.
Plug and away
The Astra Sports Tourer will offer PHEV technology from launch. Details are limited, but the hybrid system produces a combined 225hp and is sure to be a big attraction for fleets in the absence of an all-electric model.
Elsewhere, there’s the choice of petrol- of diesel-engined models with outputs between 108 and 128hp. The ICE cars come with a six-speed ‘box, while the PHEV model gets an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Sitting pretty
Passengers travelling in the front of the Astra Tourer don’t sit on any old seats. These ones have been specially designed in-house and certified by Germany’s Campaign for Healthier Backs. This centre of excellence for ergonomics has deemed the Tourer’s seats to be perfect for long journeys, while Vauxhall claim that they offer “unrivalled comfort for drivers”.
The ergonomic seats are said to offer the best that the compact class has to offer.
Design revolution
The Astra Sports Tourer is the first estate model from Vauxhall to adopt the OEM’s latest exterior design. The result is a cleaner front-end and more prominent front headlights.
Inside there’s a 10-inch driver display and an additional 10-inch infotainment touchscreen. For those not comfortable with going ‘full button’ there are physical switches for a number of key functions such as climate control.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard across all models.
On the move
One of the Astra Sports Tourer’s options is the ‘Intelli-Space’ moveable floor, which is available on petrol and diesel models. It can be adjusted with one hand to high and low positions and tilted at a 45° angle.
In other ‘boot’ news, the petrol and diesel cars offers up to 608 litres of storage space with the seats upright and 1,634 litres when they are folded down. The numbers for the PHEV are 548 and 1,574 litres respectively.
Verdict
It’s a new look for the Astra Sports Tourer and, with a shorter body but a longer wheelbase, it appears Vauxhall is taking the ‘Sports’ bit seriously. The interior upgrade will be welcome to many, as the British brand goes toe-to-toe with some strong contenders in the segment.
Specific details about the engines are yet to be confirmed, but the presence of a PHEV in the range is a big plus. It’s also the first electrified estate from the manufacturer.
The lowdown on the Astra Sport Tourer:
What is it? New Astra with a boot
When is it available? Mid-2022
Biggest changes? Exterior design, HMI and a moveable floor
Fleet appeal? PHEV version from launch
John Challen
John previously edited International Fleet World magazine, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, having been in automotive journalism for more than 20 years. Over those two decades, he has researched and written about a vast range of automotive topics, including fleet, EVs, engineering, design, retail and the aftermarket.
