Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric review: Hugely impressive estate

Introduction

One of the most interesting additions to Vauxhall’s increasingly electrified range, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric makes a lot of sense if you’re in the market for moving things around. It’s one of just a few electric estate cars, as opposed to endless SUVs, and one I think is both fantastic looking and great to drive.

Like the eighth-generation Astra electric hatchback, the Sports Tourer has an e-motor powertrain that delivers up to 199lb-ft of torque. It’s paired to a 54kWh battery which means it’s good for an official range of 256 miles, just two less than the smaller hatch.

There’s simplicity in the minimalist but stylish design, and also when it comes to range options, with Design, GS and Ultimate grades to choose from. The car sits on cool 18in black alloys, which deliver another touch of class to the overall look. Also striking are the LED Pixel headlights, which when lit up after dark give the estate and very distinguished air.

The styling

There’s a good level of design continuity going on at Vauxhall currently, and the Astra Sports Tourer Electric continues the theme. Naturally it’s longer than the hatchback, but the extended length really works – most notably thanks to the combination of lively colours like the red example seen here and contrasting gloss black trim. This works particularly well around the grille area, but the roofline, black alloys and complimentary black badges all come together to create a very cool look.

You’ll find a similarly impressive interior too. The Astra Sports Tourer Electric has everything found in the hatchback, but with the added bonus of more space. Most of that comes in the area behind the seats, but combined, the whole cockpit area feels very roomy indeed.

On a practical note, there’s the obligatory infotainment screen, but it’s also complimented by an array of physical buttons, which offer up quick and easy control of frequently used functions. There’s a proliferation of Alcantara upholstery for the seating, which is always a good thing and the quality feel is lifted with the benefit of a panoramic sunroof for good measure.

Down on the centre console you’ll find the usual drive mode switches, as seen in several other Stellantis group EVs. In some ways, the familiarity of it all makes the Astra seem even more user-friendly. Even if you’re new to the arrangement though, this is an easy car to get your head around, with everything laid out in a sensible way. There’s also a lot of practical storage up front too, with cubby holes and concealable bins allowing you to stash everything away and out of sight if need be.

While you get all the best bits of hatchback-style motoring, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric is, of course, ideal if you want boot space. With the seats up, there’s 516 litres, but flip down the rear row and that is boosted to a whopping 1,553 litres. I think the Vauxhall designers have done a great job with the way the tailgate is so wide (1.03 metres no less) and low, which means that even big stuff like items of furniture can be easily slid into the back.

The drive

I’ve been really impressed with the way the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric drives and a lot of that is down to the way you’re positioned in the car. This might be an estate, but it really doesn’t feel like that. A lot of this sensation is down to the stance of the car, which looks quite low and edgy, which is an effect that’s even more apparent when you climb into the driver’s seat. I love the all black interior too, which is comfortable, practical and engaging.

There are three drive modes to choose from with Normal fitting the bill and Eco being just that. However, you can squeeze a little more fun from the powertrain by switching to Sport, which does give the drive a little more urgency although thankfully not to any major detriment of the battery life. In fact, I during my time with it I think the Astra was pretty efficient, handling longish runs without leaving you fretting about the range. Press the ‘B’ button and one-pedal driving is possible in most driving scenarios too.

Vauxhall’s own stats reckon it’s possible to eke out 4.2 miles per kWh, which seems entirely possible based on my own drive of this car. The 54kWh battery might not be the biggest, but that near 256-mile range is more than adequate too. I’m also more than happy with the torque on tap from this powertrain – it’s not crazy fast, but who really needs that in most real life scenarios? Best of all though is the way this car rides, which is possibly down to what Vauxhall reckons is a 31% improvement in torsional rigidity compared to an ICE version of the Astra and a revised rear axle.

The technology

Things have come along way from the original Astra on the interior side of things, which is also a big part of the Sports Tourer Electric’s appeal compared to its rivals. The dashboard is dominated by the Pure Panel Pro infotainment system, which features a full edge-to-edge display comprised of a 10in touchscreen mid-dash and a 10in digital instrument cluster. You get all of the usual options, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The ‘Hey Vauxhall’ voice recognition is passable too.

If you’re driving the Ultimate grade car you’ll get some solid ADAS driving aids, with semi-autonomous lane change to try as part of the package. The head-up display is welcome in this grade too, while even the lower grade models get the likes of automatic LED headlights, front and back parking sensors and traffic sign recognition. Even by beefing up the spec to the GS model you’ll benefit from a 360-degree parking camera, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel and front seats. So, it’s a firm thumbs-up on the tech front.

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric verdict

I’m finding it quite hard to think of anything I don’t really like about the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric. It’s a great looking car, is more than capable in all sorts of everyday driving scenarios and ticks all of the boxes if you’re after a space-carrying solution.

If you just want a decent electric hatchback then the standard Astra electric will suffice, but to me it’s the Tourer that somehow feels a little more interesting, certainly from a driving perspective. I’m still not sure why, but it comes recommended despite the reasonably high asking price.

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric technical specifications

Powertrain	Permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
Battery	54kWh
Power	154bhp
Torque	199lb-ft
0-60mph	9.2sec
Top speed	105mph
Range	256 miles
Charge rate	100kWh
Cargo volume	516 litres