Refreshed Vauxhall Astra gets new engines and eco-friendly updates

The Vauxhall Astra has been given a mid-life refresh, with a raft of new engines, styling tweaks and eco-focused changes.

Having been around since 2015, the Astra is long due an update, which has now been granted by Vauxhall’s French owners, PSA Group. Many of the changes transition the popular hatchback away from old GM parts.

The French firm hasn’t been able to swap its own engines directly into the Astra, so it gets its own bespoke range of petrol and diesel powerplants.

A 1.2-litre petrol engine is available with 108, 128 or 143bhp, each with a six-speed manual gearbox and expected to achieve between 51.4 and 54.3mpg. A 143bhp 1.4-litre with a CVT automatic is also offered, promising 47.9 to 49.6mpg.

A 1.5-litre diesel is also available with 104 and 120bhp. Both get a six-speed manual, while the more powerful version also gets a nine-speed automatic option. The manuals is said to return 60.1 to 64.2mpg, while the automatic is able to achieve 53.3 to 57.6mpg.

The new engines have combined with extensive work to reduce the amount of drag created by the Astra to see fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced by 19 per cent compared with the outgoing model.

On-board technology has also been upgraded with a higher resolution front and rear camera, a new infotainment system and a connected navigation system that can update with real-time traffic information.

The new model is going on sale next month, with the first customers receiving their cars in November. Prices haven’t been revealed but expect a small increase on the current car’s £18,905 starting price to account for the new equipment.