Vauxhall offers full Hybrid power in its Astra family hatch to make certain it stays relevant to buyers in this crowded market. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

The Vauxhall Astra's third electrified powertrain option, this Hybrid e-DCT6 variant, is probably the best all-round pick if you've decided you really want the Griffin brand's family hatch. But there's tough competition in this segment.

Background

The Vauxhall Astra's march towards electrification continues. We've already had Plug-in Hybrid and full-electric Astras. Now here's an electrified variant you can't plug in, the Astra Hybrid - or to give it its full name, the Astra Turbo Hybrid e-DCT6. The last bit of that moniker designates the core element of this Vauxhall's self-charging Hybrid powertrain, an e-DCT6 six-speed transmission that has an integrated electric motor built into it. It's the same 48V powertrain you can also get in the brand's Corsa and Grandland models, as well as in assorted Peugeots, Citroens and the Jeep Avenger. How well does it suit the Astra? Let's see.

Driving Experience

For this Astra, Vauxhall hasn't bothered offering the lesser 100hp version of this Hybrid engine you can get in the smaller Corsa. So the Turbo Hybrid e-DCT6 model comes only in a single 136PS state of tune. The 48V system is based around the Astra's familiar 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol engine mated to a bespoke 6-speed e-DCT6 dual clutch auto transmission. Bespoke because that gearbox's casing houses the DC inverter, the Engine Control Unit and a little 28hp electric motor powered by a tiny battery secreted beneath the front passenger seat. On the move, the petrol engine and the electric motor can operate together - or separately. And, unlike with a mild hybrid system like that fitted to say, a Golf eTSI, here the car can be driven for short urban distances (under 18mph) on electric power alone. The motor also assists the engine under acceleration - such as from standstill to 62mph, which (helped by 230Nm of torque) takes 9.0s en route to 130mph. Mind you, those figures are only 0.7s faster than the equivalent un-electrified auto derivative. During deceleration, the petrol engine stops and the e-motor acts as a generator to recharge the Hybrid system's 48V battery. The battery also stores the energy recuperated by the regenerative braking system.

Design and Build

There are no visual clues at all to this Astra's 48V Hybrid status, unless you closely examine the badgework. Like the other available electrified Astras, the Hybrid and the Plug-in Hybrid, this one comes in a choice of two body styles, either this five-door hatch or the usual Sports Tourer estate. There are almost no changes inside to distinguish this Hybrid model either. As usual with an Astra, you're going to need to be a fan of shiny dark piano black plastic to like the futuristic cabin vibe and we're not completely convinced by some elements of material quality. But it's all been very well screwed together by the German Russelsheim factory and the dual 10-inch displays do a pretty good job of telling you what you need to know, the instrument screen configurable via the end of the steering wheel stalks. You sit lower down than in this model's Crossover class rivals, which makes it all feel a bit sportier. And we particularly like the seats; above base trim, the driver's chair posture has been designed for certification approval from the German 'Aktion Gesunder Rucken e.V' organisation, who campaign across Europe for aids to healthier backs. There's plenty of cabin storage too. In the rear, passenger space is at a bit of a premium by family hatch standards. But at least (unlike with PHEV and EV Astras), you're not penalised in terms of boot space. As with an ordinary pure petrol Astra, you get 422-litres of capacity (or 597-litres in the SportsTourer). With the seats down, the respective figures are 1,339-litres and 1,634-litres.

Market and Model

Pricing for this Turbo Hybrid e-DCT6 model in hatch form starts at around £30,000 - nearly £8,000 more than the base Corsa Hybrid but, more significantly, just under £1,000 more than a conventional Astra 1.2 130PS Turbo auto model. That price is for base 'Design' trim. Mid-range 'GS' spec needs just over £35,500. If you want top 'Ultimate' trim, you'll need around £38,000. The alternative Sports Tourer estate body style requires a significant £2,200 premium. For reference, a Plug-in Hybrid and full-Electric Astra hatch models start from around £38,000. Even base 'Design' spec gives you plenty of kit. This entry variant features 16-inch alloy wheels, while inside it benefits from a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch touchscreen, with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' included. 'GS' spec adds a sportier look and 17-inchg wheels. And the top 'Ultimate' version gets you 18-inchg wheels, alcantara upholstery, a panoramic roof, a powered driver's seat, a Head-up display and IntelliLux pixel LED headlamps. All models feature high beam assist and rear parking distance sensors, as well an array of driver-assistance tech, including lane departure warning with lane keep assist, speed sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert, cruise control and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

Cost of Ownership

This Astra Hybrid manages up to 60.1mpg on the combined cycle and 106g/km of CO2 - which is only fractionally less than the equivalent Hybrid Corsa. In Sports Tourer form, the Astra Hybrid can return up to 58.9mpg on the combined cycle and up to 108g/km of CO2. To give you some perspective, an ordinary non-electrified Astra 1.2 Turbo auto hatch manages up to 50.4mpg and up to 125g/km. But that variant's BiK-rated at 31% - compared with 26% for this Hybrid. Insurance is group 20. This Astra's Hybrid petrol engine has been optimised for efficiency and operates in the Miller combustion cycle. This thermodynamic cycle is enabled by the variable geometry turbocharger, which enhances performance at low rpm, and variable valve timing. A belt-driven starter combines with the e-motor to start the petrol engine from cold. The belt-starter also restarts the engine quickly and seamlessly while driving. As for peace of mind, well there's the usual unremarkable Vauxhall three year 60,000 mile warranty.

Summary

Should you be set on a Vauxhall Astra, we'd be inclined to point you towards this e-DCT6 Hybrid version first. It offers decent efficiency benefits over the base pure petrol versions, mainly because around town it can run on battery power for so much of the time. Yet is vastly less expensive than the more electrified Plug-in Hybrid and full-EV Astra variants further up the range. Whether you should choose this Astra over similarly engineered Stellantis Group models already in this market space is more difficult to say. It'll probably come down to the deal you're offered and whether you like this current L-series Astra model's sharky sense of style. But if the answer to both issues is yes, then you might find plenty that's appealing here.