Vauxhall has taken the wraps off the estate version of the new Astra, which is due to make its debut at next week’s Frankfurt motor show.
The new car is smaller than its predecessor but offers more space inside, along with a dramatic drop in weight of up to 200kg, which should slash emissions and boost performance. The Sports Tourer shares engines with its hatchback sibling, offering petrol and diesel motors with between 100hp to 200hp, including a range of frugal 1.6-litre diesels and new turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol units.
The British built estate, which will arrive in Vauxhall showrooms in 2016, offers a new seat setup and a tailgate that can be opened “via a kick” to allow users to open the boot while their hands are full. Additionally, owners can use another ‘kick’ to get the boot to close.
Measuring in at a substantial 4702mm long the Astra estate offers up to 1630 litres of space with the rear seats folded – more than its predecessor despite sharing the same dimensions – and 40:20:40 folding rear seats. Room for passengers has also grown, with an additional 28mm for those in the rear seats.
As with the Astra hatchback, the Sports Tourer is available with Vauxhall’s OnStar system, which provides a Europe-wide 4G connection, emergency response notification and stolen vehicle recovery alert. It also comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, allowing easy smartphone integration through the media system.
