The Vauxhall Astra has been on sale for a while now, and unlike its predecessors, it’s a bit of a rare beast. The once-popular family hatchback finds itself a victim of changing fashions. So, whereas previously, cars like this would have been all drivers wanted, today they crave small SUVs. That’s a shame because this one is a proper head-turner.

What’s more, it comes with a generous amount of standard equipment, a decent range of engines and build quality good enough to put some premium rivals in the shade. All of this is important stuff, because the Astra is fighting in a hotly contested market, dominated by the likes of the Ford Focus, Kia Ceed, Hyundai i30, SEAT Leon, Volkswagen Golf and the Parkers Car of The Year 2023-winning Honda Civic.

It helps that the eighth-generation Astra is closely related to the Peugeot 308 – a car that we rate very highly. However, before you dismiss the Astra as nothing more than a badge-engineered Peugeot, you should know that it’s been re-engineered with unique suspension and steering settings, fitted with a different (and arguably better) interior and wrapped in a sharp-looking body.

You have the choice of two 1.2-litre petrol engines, one 1.5-litre diesel engine and a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, there’s also a Sports Tourer estate variant and a pure-electric version available, making this a big range of cars from a firm keen on remaining a big player in its ‘home’ market.

Vauxhall has simplified the Astra’s range, too. Now, you have just three specifications to choose from. The cheapest Design model comes as standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and climate control. You also get a 10.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.0-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

GS-Line models get a contrasting black roof and black 17-inch alloy wheels, as well as a blacked-out Vizor panel and Vauxhall badge. On top of Design models, you get Forward Collision Alert, a 360-degree parking camera, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats.

Ultimate spec comes at the top of the Astra tree and includes a whole suite of tech and driver assistance features, most notably blind spot alert and Lane Positioning Assist. There’s also the sporting Astra GSe model, but that’s covered by its own review.

Over the next few pages we’ll be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the Vauxhall Astra and rating them in our verdict. Our scores will take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.

If you’d like to learn more about how we reached our verdict on the Vauxhall Astra, check out our how we test cars explainer page. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to watch our opinions on the Astra rather than read them, scroll down for our detailed video review of the car.

Watch our Vauxhall Astra video review