New Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric arrives at £39,995
Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric loses no performance and only two miles of range, compared with hatchback
Electric estate brings larger boot capacity and 256 miles of range
The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer has gained the same electric powertrain as its hatchback sibling, offering a range of 256 miles between charges.
The estate is significantly more capacious than the regular Astra Electric hatchback, increasing luggage space from 352 to 516 litres. This increases to 1553 litres with the rear seats folded down.
Under the skin, the two EVs are all but identical, with a 54kWh battery and a single motor sending 153bhp and 199lb ft of torque through the front axle.
Vauxhall said the focus for the set-up was efficiency, claiming an impressive 4.2mpkWh.
Recharging is possible at rates up to 100kW, with 20-80% taking 26 minutes.
Other than a two-mile hit to the range, the performance of the estate is identical to that of the hatchback, dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in 9.2sec.
Inside, each car receives a 10.0in infotainment touchscreen and an equally sized digital instrument display.
The Sports Tourer Electric is slightly more expensive than the hatch: entry-level Design trim costs £39,995, a premium of £2550. GS trim adds black exterior accents, a 360deg camera and adaptive cruise control and costs £42,445. Range-topping Ultimate brings adaptive headlights and a panoramic sunroof for £45,505.
The Sports Tourer is faced with scant competition: the MG 5 SW EV (£30,995) was for a long time the only mainstream electric estate, but it has now been joined by the Peugeot E-308 SW – a close relation of the Astra.
However, it's the hatchback that's expected to dominate Astra Electric sales and, along with the facelifted Corsa Electric supermini, draw in new customers, according to Vauxhall UK MD James Taylor.
“It’s really important for us to have an electric Astra in the line-up,” he said. “We’ve dominated and won in the segments we’ve launched the pure-electric vehicles in, whether that’s the B- or B-SUV segment. [And the Astra Electric] really gives us a big springboard into that more sizable opportunity of the C-segment EVs. So it’s going to unlock quite a lot of openings for us.”
Offering one of its best sellers with an on-trend electric powertrain is key to Vauxhall’s strategy for remaining competitive, explained Taylor.
“We want to be the leading EV manufacturer,” he said. “We’re now very much electric-first.
"Electric has given all brands the chance to reset, and we wanted to take that opportunity as well.”