• Economical petrol and diesel engines
• Low-priced servicing
• Plug-in hybrids are the cheapest to run… on paper
  

What are the running costs?

The Astra promises to be a cheap car to run. Vauxhall says the 130hp 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol model can return around 50mpg on the WLTP cycle. These estimations can sometimes be way off the mark but, if you’ve got a light foot, you should see figures in the high-40mpg range.

The 130hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel offers the lowest overall running costs. It has low CO2 figures and offers an easy 60mpg in real-world driving. We wouldn’t recommend it if you’re confined to the city, though.

View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the Vauxhall Astra specs pages

If you’re a company car driver, go for the plug-in hybrid. It has the lowest BiK rate of all models – just 8% compared to 30% for the equivalent petrol-powered model. But, like all PHEVs, the mpg you can extract from it depends on how often you plug it in.

Vauxhall says the Astra Hybrid-e can travel 43 miles on electric power alone. However, during an extended testing period with the plug-in hybrid, we’ve struggled to better 20 miles – admittedly during winter testing. We’ll update this as the test continues.

Recharging at home with a 7kW wallbox takes up to four hours, but more typically about two and a half. This relatively quick recharge time is a boon as you’ll want to keep it topped up regularly to make the most of its hybrid system.

Servicing and warranty

What you see is what you get with Vauxhall servicing and warranty. There are lots of dealers; parts and labour costs are competitive and there are a number of service packages to help you spread the cost of maintenance over several months.

Vauxhall offers a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard on the Astra, which you can extend to four or five years for an additional fee. However, compared to the seven-year packages offered by Kia and MG, or the 10-year scheme available with Toyotas, Vauxhall’s warranty looks a little meagre.

Reliability

• It’s a recent car, but features proven running gear
• Vauxhall’s reliability record is improving
• Engines and transmissions are sturdy
  

There’s not much to say at this point. We’re not too concerned, though, because the Astra is built using proven mechanicals shared with fellow Stellantis brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS.

Its three-cylinder petrol and four-cylinder diesel engines have been around for ages now – and we haven’t heard any horror stories yet. The plug-in hybrid is much younger, though, so we have less data about its reliability. We’ll keep you posted.

You can also keep an eye on how buyers are finding the Astra’s reliability (and offer some insight on your own experience with the car if you have one) in our owner reviews section.

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