Photo: Stellantis
Stellantis has quite a challenge ahead: how to give cars built on the same platforms unique characters? Volkswagen has done that well with its brands, but it does not have 14 of them to care for like Stellantis. Should the sixth-generation Opel Astra/ eighth-generation Vauxhall Astra help to clarify that in any way, it will point to design as the company’s primary weapon.
It will take driving the new hatchback to feel if it has other elements to set it apart from its siblings, such as the Peugeot 308, but Stellantis did a good job setting it apart when it comes to looks. The new Astra is 4.37 meters long, 1.86 m wide, 1.47 m tall, and has a 2.68 m wheelbase, making it longer, wider, and lower than the previous generation. The 422-liter cargo compartment is also more generous than before.
The most significant change for the new C-segment hatchback is the offering of two plug-in hybrid derivatives. Just like in the other vehicles based on the EMP2 platform, it comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that can offer 110 kW (150 ps) or 132 kW (180 ps). The 81 kW (110 ps) electric motor is the same for both versions, and it is part of the eight-speed automatic transmission of the vehicle.
Combining the engine with the motor delivers a total of 132 kW (180 ps) and 165 kW (225 ps). It is not a simple sum due to losses in the integration. Charging the 12.4 kWh battery pack takes around two hours and offers 50 kilometers (31 miles) of pure electric range. The onboard charger has a 7.4 kW capability.
Apart from the PHEV versions, the Astra can also have a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gas engine or a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel mill mated with a six-speed manual transmission or the eight-speed gearbox we already mentioned (without the integrated electric motor).
The styling brings the Astra to share the same front grille we can already see in the Mokka and the Grandland, but the main difference will be noted inside the car, with a massive digital dashboard that is curved around the driver. Make sure you check the pictures to check all details. Curiously, the images and information were released solely by a few magazines and websites so far: they are not available on any of Stellantis’ media websites.
The most significant change for the new C-segment hatchback is the offering of two plug-in hybrid derivatives. Just like in the other vehicles based on the EMP2 platform, it comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that can offer 110 kW (150 ps) or 132 kW (180 ps). The 81 kW (110 ps) electric motor is the same for both versions, and it is part of the eight-speed automatic transmission of the vehicle.
Combining the engine with the motor delivers a total of 132 kW (180 ps) and 165 kW (225 ps). It is not a simple sum due to losses in the integration. Charging the 12.4 kWh battery pack takes around two hours and offers 50 kilometers (31 miles) of pure electric range. The onboard charger has a 7.4 kW capability.
Apart from the PHEV versions, the Astra can also have a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gas engine or a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel mill mated with a six-speed manual transmission or the eight-speed gearbox we already mentioned (without the integrated electric motor).
The styling brings the Astra to share the same front grille we can already see in the Mokka and the Grandland, but the main difference will be noted inside the car, with a massive digital dashboard that is curved around the driver. Make sure you check the pictures to check all details. Curiously, the images and information were released solely by a few magazines and websites so far: they are not available on any of Stellantis’ media websites.
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