Should you buy one?

Yes. We reckon the new Vauxhall Astra is a fine addition to the family hatchback class. It’s surprisingly good fun to drive, well damped, tightly screwed together, impressively quiet at speed and reasonably priced – especially when you consider the amount of standard equipment you get.

Vauxhall is on a roll with its latest models and the Astra continues the upward trend. It’s a strong contender for the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, offering a good blend of performance and comfort. Vauxhall has also seriously improved its build quality – now, the Astra is better than the Golf.

What we like

The interior is great. It’s well-designed, well-made and fitted with lots of clever technology. Those AGR-seats are a must for anyone spending time on the motorway, as is the acoustic side window glass to block out unwanted road and wind noise.

We really like the 130hp petrol engine, too. It offers a good blend of performance and economy – and if you pair it with the six-speed manual gearbox (which we think you should) it’s quite fun to drive. The automatic is also more expensive and slightly less fuel efficient, so shift the gears yourself if you can.

The PHEV model is also good for its own reasons, chief of which is its low BiK rates for company car drivers. But, because it’s only available with Vauxhall’s mid-range GS-Line specification and up, it’s quite expensive for cash buyers.

So, if you aren’t hobbled by London’s congestion charge zone, we’re not sure we can recommend spending an extra £8,000 for the powertrain over the 130hp petrol model, especially if you also need to fork out for a home wallbox to charge it up. Just buy the petrol and drive a little more carefully.

What we don’t like

The rear seats are a little more cramped than some rivals – but the boot is bigger, so it’s all about whether you value people or luggage space more. The PHEV model will also struggle to meet Vauxhall’s claims of 200mpg (especially if you forget to plug it in) and we’re still waiting for the pure-electric model…