Should you buy one?

This Sports Tourer is certainly the most rounded Astra estate we’ve experienced, while the inclusion of a plug-in hybrid and upcoming electric version broadens its appeal. It looks good too, although it’s reassuring to know there’s substance behind the style.

If the size of the boot is not the be all and end all, then you should consider the Astra Sports Tourer, especially if you’re after a plug-in hybrid estate with low BIK.

If boot size is the most important thing we recommend the Skoda Octavia Estate, while the Ford Focus and SEAT Leon are more entertaining to drive.

What we like

Opt for the Intelli-Space boot floor on petrol models and you get a very practical load area, whilst the PHEV’s underfloor cable storage means you don’t have a bulky bag of wires eating into boot space.

With so many manufacturers adding more and more fiddly touch-sensitive controls, we’re glad to see Vauxhall sensibly keeping many physical buttons and dials that are much easier to use on the move. It’s also good to drive while the PHEV is in a low tax bracket even for plug-ins.

What we don’t like

The Golf, Octavia and Leon estates have bigger boots and more space for rear seat passengers. The 18-inch wheels harm the ride. But this is a decent effort from Vauxhall.