The new Vauxhall Astra hatchback has been an undeniable success since its launch in late 2015. It has massively improved in pretty much every department – from its drive to its interior – and the effort really shows.

Like the previous-generation, Vauxhall has launched a slightly more practical estate version of the Astra, the Sports Tourer, which aims to emulate the hatchbacks winning characteristics with some extra practicality to boot.

There are plenty of hatchbacks-turned-estates already in the market though, including the Volkswagen Golf Estate, Honda Civic Tourer and Peugeot 308 SW.

Performance

There are eight engines to choose from – five petrol (1.0-litre and 1.4-litre units) and three diesel (all 1.6-litre units). The highlights on the petrol front include the 104bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo and the 148bhp 1.4-litre turbo.

For us, the three-cylinder turbo mated to a five-speed manual is your best bet. Once you feel the pull from the small three-pot engine, it makes the 1.4-litre turbo feel a little redundant. Its sprint time on paper says 11 seconds, but it feels much quicker.

On the diesel front, you can either choose between the uber-efficient 1.6-litre whisper diesel or the punchy 1.6-litre BiTurbo option. The whisper diesel is a great engine with enough power for most, but the BiTurbo is particularly potent, hitting the 62mph mark in just 8.4 seconds.

Ride and Handling

If you desire you can click the Sport mode button which weights the steering up slightly, giving you the best of both worlds.

Telling the hatchback and the Sports Tourer apart in terms of composure on the road is incredibly tricky – which is a good thing. Just like the hatchback, the Astra estate has sharp steering, plenty of grip and genuinely feels quite fun to drive. Again, just like the hatch, the ride is slightly firmer than something like the Golf. The Sports Tourer model does absorb bumps slightly better than the Astra hatchback model though. The steering in the Astra could do with a bit more weight, but that doesn’t really become an issue until you start to throw it into corners – which you are unlikely to do with a family estate. If you desire you can click the Sport mode button which weights the steering up slightly, giving you the best of both worlds.

Interior and Equipment

The Vauxhall Astra is built in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – a stone’s throw away from Liverpool.

The Astra’s interior is not only the best it’s ever been – it is one of the best on the small estate market. It may not have as many push soft-touch materials as something like a VW Golf or Audi A3, but the Astra’s smart layout makes it look very up-market. The layout of buttons and switches is incredibly easy to understand and user-friendly. Kit is impressive, too. Every Astra gets air-con, DAB radio, Bluetooth, LED daytime running lights, cruise control and a seven-inch IntelliLink infotainment system. Add sat-nav to the Astra and it appropriately gets a ‘Nav’ denotation. Go for a higher trim like SRi and you get sportier front seats, a forward-facing camera, lane-keeping assistant and Vauxhall’s OnStar system. The OnStar system has a series of different benefits. If you wish you can phone the OnStar call centre and request a destination to be remotely programmed into your sat-nav. You can also ask them about any of the features of the car, or simply have a chat with them if you are on a long journey home. Space in the rear of the Sports Tourer is brilliant. Leg and head room is ample plus you get some decent-sized door bins, big enough for an average-sized water bottle. The boot is even more impressive as it manages to avoid the niggles of the hatchback model as it has a low loading lip – making loading heavy objects much easier – and the rear seats lay completely flat allowing for maximum storage space. With all seats in place the Sports Tourer offers 540 litres. Fold the rear seats down and you get 1,630 litres – not class-leading but still very practical.

Cost

Fuel economy across the range is pretty impressive as well

Chances are, you won’t go for the entry-level 1.4-litre petrol – but if you do, you are looking at around £16,500, which is extremely competitive when compared with basic models in the Peugeot 308 SW, Volkswagen Golf Estate and Honda Civic Tourer. Fuel economy across the range is pretty impressive as well, even if you go for one of the punchier engines like the 1.6-litre 158bhp Bi-Turbo petrol (112g/km of CO2/average of around 65mpg). The most efficient option however is the 1.6-litre 108bhp diesel, emitting 89g/km of CO2 and claiming an average return of 83mpg.

Our Verdict

Thankfully the Astra Sports Tourer retains all the character traits critics and pundits alike have recently fell in love with. Add that to its enhanced practicality and you have got an even more competent, versatile Astra. The one down side of the Sports Tourer is its slightly leftfield looks, which is a common sight with hatchback-derived estates. The fact still remains however, the combination of the Astra’s brilliant interior and balanced drive makes it one of the best hatchbacks currently on sale.