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The Vauxhall Astra's third electrified powertrain option, showcased by this Hybrid e-DCT6 variant, is probably the best all-round pick if you've decided you really want the Griffin brand's much improved take on its eighth generation family hatch. But there's tough competition in this segment.
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Background
The Vauxhall Astra has one of the widest selections of electrified powertrains in the family hatch segment. You might be familiar with this car in its Plug-in Hybrid and full-electric forms, but possibly not in this more affordable non-plug-in Hybrid e-DCT6 guise. Like all eighth generation Astras, this variant's been considerably improved in recent times.
The e-DCT6 part of this car's moniker designates the core element of this Vauxhall's self-charging Hybrid powertrain, an e-DCT6 six-speed transmission that has an integrated electric motor built into it. It's the same 48V powertrain you can also get in the brand's Corsa and Grandland models, as well as in assorted Peugeots, Citroens and the Jeep Avenger. How well does it suit the Astra? Let's see.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 29995 | 34995 |
| Insurance group 1-50 | 20 | 22 |
| CO2 (g/km) | 108 | 108 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 130 | 130 |
| Combined Mpg | 58.9 | 58.9 |
| Min | Max |
| Length (mm) | 4374 | 4374 |
| Width (mm) | 1860 | 1860 |
| Height (mm) | 1441 | 1441 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 422 | 608 |
| Power (hp) | 145 | 145 |
| Torque (lb ft) | 230 | 230 |
Driving experience
For this Astra, Vauxhall hasn't bothered offering the lesser 100hp version of this Hybrid engine you can get in the smaller Corsa. So the Turbo Hybrid e-DCT6 model comes only in a single 145PS state of tune. The 48V system is based around the Astra's familiar 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol engine mated to a bespoke 6-speed e-DCT6 dual clutch auto transmission. Bespoke because that gearbox's casing houses the DC inverter, the Engine Control Unit and a little 28hp electric motor powered by a tiny battery secreted beneath the front passenger seat.
On the move, the petrol engine and the electric motor can operate together - or separately. And, unlike with a mild hybrid system like that fitted to say, a Golf eTSI, here the car can be driven for short urban distances (under 18mph) on electric power alone. The motor also assists the engine under acceleration - such as from standstill to 62mph, which (helped by 230Nm of torque) takes 9.0s en route to 130mph. Mind you, those figures are only 0.7s faster than the equivalent un-electrified auto derivative. During deceleration, the petrol engine stops and the e-motor acts as a generator to recharge the Hybrid system's 48V battery. The battery also stores the energy recuperated by the regenerative braking system.
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Design and build
There are no visual clues at all to this Astra's 48V Hybrid status, unless you closely examine the badgework. Like the other available electrified Astras, this one comes in a choice of two body styles, either this five-door hatch or the usual Sports Tourer estate.
As for the changes made to this updated model, well there's a smarter, more purposeful look for the Vauxhall 'Vizor' front face, while the brand badge is now illuminated, with lighting strips either side, flowing into redesigned headlamps now featuring the brand's anti-glare 'Intelli-Lux' technology. The front bumpers have also been redesigned - as have the wheels, available in 17 or 18-inch sizes. Plus there are additional colour choices.
Inside, the main change is the installation of the brand's more supportive 'Intelli-Seats'. These are characterised by a recessed channel running up the middle of the front seat bases, which - inspired by the saddle design on road bicycles - reduces pressure on the tailbone (coccyx). Further up the line-up, the car now comes with multi-adjustable, AGR-certified seats for driver and front passenger with covers made of an eco fabric called 'ReNewKnit'. This mono-material, with a high-quality suede appearance, is 100% recycled and, unlike composite materials, does not have to be laboriously separated, reducing the CO2 footprint and helping to avoid waste. These chairs include multi-stage seat heating, electro-pneumatic lumbar support, and massage and memory functions.
The dashboard's 'Multimedia Pure Panel Pro Navigation' design is much as before, with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch central colour touchscreen. But Vauxhall says that central monitor's user interfaces have been made clearer and more intuitive, in line with those on the Grandland Electric SUV.
Everything else is as before. Which means that in the rear seat, you get 680mm of leg space, 10mm more than in the Peugeot 308, but it still feels a touch more cramped than the class norm. A third central passenger could be accommodated but, as with most cars in this class, it'd be a bit of a squash.
Out back, boot space is rated at 422-litres in the hatch version, 70-litres more than you'd get in any kind of plug-in Astra. With the Hybrid version of the Sports Tourer estate, you get a 608-litre boot (60-litres more than the plug-in models). But as in any Astra Sports Tourer, there's 600mm of load height, along with a 40:20:40 rear seatback split.
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Market and model
In an interesting approach to pricing, Vauxhall has recided that all electrified versions of this model - Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric - should be priced at exactly the same level. And that there should be no price premium to graduate from the hatch body shape to this Sports Tourer estate. Which is a huge change from the approach taken with the pre-facelift version of this model, where the price difference between the Hybrid and the Plug-in Hybrid variants was vast; and there was a premium of at least £1,250 (and sometimes much more) if you wanted the estate version rather than the hatch.
All of this means that prices start from around £30,000 with base 'Griffin' trim for either hatch or Sports Tourer versions of the Astra Hybrid e-DCT6, the Astra Electric or the Astra Plug-in Hybrid e-DCT7. There are two other mainstream trim levels, also featuring electrified engine price parity - mid-level 'GS' (from around £31,500) and top 'Ultimate' (from around £34,000). Bear in mind that if you were to choose the Astra Electric rather than this Astra Hybrid, you'd be able to deduct a £1,500 government grant from these quoted figures.
As with all Astra derivatives, you can expect plenty of equipment for the money, with standard features like full-LED headlights, digital instrument dials, a head-up display and standard wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring for the centre dash screen. Plus heat for the front seats and steering wheel, a wireless charging mat and a 180-degree reversing camera. You'll be able to specify your Astra with large wheels - up to 18-inches in diameter - and above base trim, you get a 2-tone paint finish.
The top 'Ultimate' variant gets the brand's 'Intelli-Drive 2.0' technology, which includes Advanced Intelligent Speed Adaptation (which monitors both road signs and weather conditions to adjust the vehicle speed) and Semi Automated Lane Change (which works at speeds between 45mph and 70mph, with the driver able to instruct the vehicle to change lanes). conditions permitting. The 'Intelli-Drive 2.0' package also includes Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which uses radars on the rear bumpers to detect moving objects to the rear sides of the vehicle, such as cars or motorcycles manoeuvring in a car park, alerting the driver when reversing.
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Cost of ownership
This Astra Hybrid manages up to 58.9mpg on the combined cycle and 108g/km of CO2 - which is only fractionally less than the equivalent Hybrid Corsa. In Sports Tourer form, the Astra Hybrid can return up to 58.9mpg on the combined cycle and up to 108g/km of CO2. To give you some perspective, an ordinary non-electrified Astra 1.2 Turbo auto hatch manages up to 50.4mpg and up to 127g/km. But that variant's BiK-rated much higher than this Hybrid (which for 26/27 is rated at 28% - compare against 10% for the PHEV or 4% for the EV). Insurance for the Hybrid is in the group 20-22 bracket.
This Astra's Hybrid petrol engine has been optimised for efficiency and operates in the Miller combustion cycle. This thermodynamic cycle is enabled by the variable geometry turbocharger, which enhances performance at low rpm, and variable valve timing. A belt-driven starter combines with the e-motor to start the petrol engine from cold. The belt-starter also restarts the engine quickly and seamlessly while driving. As for peace of mind, well there's the usual unremarkable Vauxhall three year 60,000 mile warranty.
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Summary
Should you be set on a Vauxhall Astra, we'd be inclined to point you towards this e-DCT6 Hybrid version first. It offers decent efficiency benefits over the base pure petrol versions, mainly because around town it can run on battery power for so much of the time. Yet is vastly less expensive than the more electrified Plug-in Hybrid and full-EV Astra variants further up the range.
Whether you should choose this Astra over similarly engineered Stellantis Group models already in this market space is more difficult to say. It'll probably come down to the deal you're offered and whether you like this current L-series Astra model's sharky sense of style. But if the answer to both issues is yes, then you might find plenty that's appealing here.
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