Opel Astra Debuts In Europe With Two Plug-In Hybrid Powertrains

Opel is a proudly German automaker, so it has tried to make the all-new Astra feel very different from the Peugeot 308 with which it shares its platform. And the manufacturer has certainly succeeded, giving the new Astra a very bold and distinctive face and an interior that has its own unique look and feel.

This is especially important for vehicles built on shared platform, because the rest of the new Astra package is the same as the 308. This also applies to all the powertrains, including the plug-in hybrids. They both have a 109 horsepower electric motor paired with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

Power outputs are 178 horsepower and 222 horsepower respectively and both get the same claimed WLTP electric-only range of 31 miles (50 km) thanks to the 12.4 kWh on-board battery pack. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic as standard on both versions.

Gallery: Opel Astra (2021)

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The EMP2 platform also supports fully-electric vehicles, albeit in a modified variant. The EV-specific version of EMP2 is called e-VMP and it will surely be used to not only underpin the Peugeot 308 BEV, but also the battery-powered version of the new Astra.

Design and brand loyalty will still be the biggest deciding factor for Europeans looking to buy an electrified hatchback in this class. Inside, the Astra comes with a pair of 10-inch screens (digital gauge cluster and infotainment), it has a head-up display and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel.

The exterior look is a major departure compared to the outgoing model. The new one has a bold, upright front fascia, which is in-line with other new Opel (and Vauxhall) models and it also has bulging, blistered wheel arches to make it look extra sporty - the Peugeot 308 has something similar, but the Astra’s flanks seem more prominent.

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