Find your perfect new car<\/span> <\/p>\nAt 100kW, charging speeds are decent, but again, not class leading. The one advantage of a slightly smaller-than-average battery is that charging it up doesn\u2019t take very long, with a 20-80 per cent top-up taking 26 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vauxhall argues that all of this manages to help efficiency. A smaller battery means less weight, and the fact that the Astra\u2019s roofline is also fairly low – at 1,441mm tall, it\u2019s 123mm lower than a VW ID.3 – it means that it's fairly slippery though the air. This all adds up to a claimed 4.2 miles per kilowatt hour, enabling even the modestly sized battery to carry the Astra 258 miles between recharges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Our time behind the wheel showed that figure to be not a pure flight of fancy, either. We didn\u2019t quite match those claims, but with an estimated range of around 240 miles, we weren\u2019t far off, and unlike the previous generation of Stellantis EV powertrains found in the earlier Corsa-e, the range doesn\u2019t seem to nosedive once you edge towards motorway speeds. A standard heat pump should ensure that range isn\u2019t compromised too severely when the weather turns chilly, either.<\/p>\n
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Indeed, the whole Astra driving experience is quite pleasant. In terms of ride and handling, it sits between the agile Megane and the smooth-riding ID.3, but runs both close enough that it\u2019s the best compromise of the three. Throw in the fact that it\u2019s better than either at muffling suspension knocks and road noise – sounds that become all the more obvious alongside an EV powertrain – and it\u2019s a relaxing car to live with every day.<\/p>\n
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Compared to current EV standards, the Astra isn\u2019t especially quick. But as a family car that\u2019s designed to get from A to B, a 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds is more than adequate. Indeed, the thing that has a greater bearing on the Astra\u2019s lack of enthusiasm compared to its rivals is the amount of delay between pressing the throttle and getting any response. It\u2019s surprisingly laggy for an electric car.<\/p>\n
The brakes give enough power when they\u2019re called upon, but the calibration needs a little more work. The first part of travel, which deals with motor regeneration, feels a little soft and mushy under foot, but the pedal then stiffens up appreciably when the mechanical brakes kick in. The level of maximum regen – accessed through the B mode on the drive selector – doesn\u2019t offer anywhere near the one-pedal driving levels that many rivals provide. When just the traditional brake discs are used at low speeds, the response can feel a little grabby, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vauxhall has learned lessons from the Corsa Electric\u2019s high prices and steep depreciation, and is trying to mitigate costs for buyers this time around. Among the myriad methods to trim the monthly payments are lower APR interest rates on the brand\u2019s electric models, the option to extend any PCP deals to five years, and by offering the electric Astra in a base Design trim to make the entry point lower. Currently, a \u00a32,750 deposit contribution sweetens that deal further.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The net result of that is that the Astra becomes reasonably competitive on monthly payments. Place a \u00a35,000 deposit on a three-year PCP finance agreement on that Design model, and the range kicks off from \u00a3495 per month. That still can\u2019t match the Renault, though – the base Megane model, which has more power and range, plus slicker in-car tech, undercuts that figure by \u00a339 per month on matching terms. Like the Astra, the ID.3 also comes with a strong deposit contribution just now (\u00a33,000, in this case) and as such it also undercuts the Astra at \u00a3475 per month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\nModel:<\/td>\n Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPrice:<\/td>\n \u00a343,260<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPowertrain:<\/td>\n 54kWh battery\/1x e-motor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPower\/torque:<\/td>\n 154bhp\/270Nm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTransmission:<\/td>\n Single-speed automatic, front-wheel drive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n0-62mph:<\/td>\n 9.2 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTop speed:<\/td>\n 105 mph<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nRange:<\/td>\n 258 miles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCharging:<\/td>\n 100kW (20-80% in 26 mins)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nDimensions (L\/W\/H):<\/td>\n 4,374\/1,860\/1,441mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOn sale:<\/td>\n Now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nSource: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There's much to like about the new Vauxhall Astra Electric, but it's hefty price tag means it has to compete<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":247514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
New Vauxhall Astra Electric 2023 review: smooth and quiet, but expensive - AutoMotoBuzz.com<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n