Vauxhall aims to cast off the ‘van with windows’ stigma that characterised previous Astra wagons by producing the more stylish Sports Tourer. However, lower medium estate cars remain essentially practical vehicles.
Thankfully, form is not dominant over function, particularly in our ST’s loading bay. Folding the rear seats on a 60/40 basis involves handy, quick-release push buttons set into the side panels under the tailgate, or more conventional levers mounted beside the headrests.
Access to luggage, equipment or work samples is rendered easier by touching a panel on the Astra hatch cover’s trailing edge to raise the canopy, even if you need to remember to pull it back down to avoid limited rear view vision when driving off.
Having disappointed on consumption, our 1.7-litre Ecoflex-engined Astra flattered to deceive as we approached 1800 miles. Some
240 miles of mixed A-roads and motorways were completed at an encouraging 50mpg, but the most recent 432 miles saw the figure slump back to 45mpg. It’s strange because at the motorway limit the engine turns over at a leisurely 2000rpm.
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