Battery size: 55kWh
E-Rating™: A
Max charge rate: 100 kW
Range: 281 miles 
Real world range: 180 - 230 miles
Introduction - 2026 Vauxhall Astra Electric
The Vauxhall Astra Electric has been around since 2023, and it's always offered smart looks and an appealingly conventional hatchback or estate body shape. But it was also hugely expensive for quite a while, and it's struggled to persuade buyers away from other family EVs like the Kia EV3, Nissan Leaf, Skoda Elroq, Renault 4, Ford Puma Gen-E, Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born.
Although slightly longer than the ID.3 at 4.37m, the Astra offers less space in the rear and has the smaller boot at 352 litres - which is also slightly smaller than an MG4 or Leaf and quite a lot less than a Kia EV3 and Ford Puma Gen-E. Mind you, the Astra Electric Sports Tourer estate remedies that. It's a bit longer at 4.6m long, but it offers 500 litres of boot space. And I do love an estate, so I can see why you'd have this over one of the SUV alternatives.
For 2026, the Astra's had a mild facelift with a new grille including the illuminated 'compass motif' and new rear lights. Regardless, the looks were never a problem with the Astra so I'm not bothered that it's not changed much. This is still a great looking car.
What did need to change is the price! The Astra was way too expensive for a while, but now that Vauxhall has dropped the price to under £30,000 this suddenly looks a whole lot more recommendable. Especially as the estate and hatchback cost the same! Make mine an estate...
Range, battery and charging
Look at the spec sheet and the Astra's hand looks a little weak. The lithium-ion NMC battery is only 55.4Wh usable (or 58.3kWh total capacity) and you'll only be able to charge it at a maximum of 100kW. That gives the Astra Electric up to 281 miles of WLTP range (276 miles for the Sports Tourer) according to the official figures. Competitive with the smaller battery versions of rivals like the Kia EV3, but nowhere near the range you can get from the longer range variants - and there's no long range, big battery variant of the Astra. It's only offered with this one battery.
There are others that go further and charge faster, then, but it's worth pointing out that all of them cost a lot more than the Astra and the sort of range on offer here is more than enough for a lot of drivers.
With 100kW DC rapid charing potential, the Astra will see a 10- to 80% charge in around half an hour when you're plugged into one of the 150kW DC rapid chargers that you'll find in most UK motorway services these days. If you do want a longer range, then check out the Kia EV3, Nissan Leaf, MG4 or Cupra Born.
There's also now a standard heat pump to help with cold weather efficiency, so you should get improved real-world range in winter. There's also optional vehicle-to-load (V2L), so that you can charge your electrical devices from the car's high voltage battery.
Practicality and boot space
The Astra might not have the biggest interior - especially in the back - but the driver gets a treat. The seat has been changed for the 2026 facelift and is said to relieve pressure on your back, making those longer journeys more comfortable. Nicki didn't really like the seat when she drove it out on the launch, though, so make sure you feel comfortable in it before making any decisions. She did really like the massage function that you get on the top-spec Ultimate trim, which is only £34,000!
Talking of rear ends, the boot on the hatch (pictured here) isn’t massive at 352-litres, but there’s a twist here; you can get the electric Astra as the Sports Tourer estate, which gets a huge 500 litre boot. It really will be a great family car, and is ideal car for dog owners as the load lip is nice and low for the dogs to jump in easily.
Interior, design and technology
Most of the expected tech is there. Two 10-inch displays make up Vauxhall’s Pure Panel screens and there's a head-up display on the more expensive version. You get voice recognition, loads of driver assistance systems and the usual apps to control charging and pre-conditioning the car on particularly hot or cold days too. You even get ChatGPT built in, which helps the voice commands to learn how you speak and makes it all a bit more accurate and reliable. Which is useful, as the interface on the touchscreen is just... fine.
It does what you need it to do, but I do find it takes a while to respond and others have better graphics.
There's also wireless charging, front and rear parking sensors, voice-activated sat-nav… it’s pretty well-equipped, especially in the Ultimate grade.
I also like the fact that Vauxhall has got rid of the gloss black plastics for the 2026 facelift, and now has smooth, matte finishes that don't show up your fingerprints so clearly. Nice! There are loads of great recycled (and recyclable) materials around the Astra Electric, too, all of which feel nice and look good.
Fancy a used electric Vauxhall? Check out the classifieds on Electrifying.com
Motors, performance and handling
The drive is another area where the Astra manages to raise itself above what the figures would suggest. The electric motor drives the front wheels (there's no four-wheel drive option in the Astra Electric, I'm afraid) and it gets just 156hp. That’s quite a lot less than most of the rivals. The ID.3, Born and Renault Scenic all have over 200hp, for instance.
Do you know what? I don't mind. This is a family car, and it doesn't need to be hugely powerful, and on the road I found the 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds (9.5 seconds for the estate) felt absolutely fine. Sedate? Yes. But it doesn't feel wheezy or underpowered even if you need a burst of speed to merge onto the motorway.
It's comfortable, too, the electric Astra. You do notice bigger bumps and undulations in the road surface, but it's generally nicely settled and feels confident and calm. You should definitely check out the Cupra Born, MG4 or Renault Megane E-Tech if you want a sportier electric family hatchback, as the Astra certainly isn't an enthusiast's car. But it does the job well, and it'll soothe you through those tedious commutes and rushed school runs.
The new electric Astra gets improved brake regen for the 2026 update, which bring three levels of regen that you control on paddles on the steering wheel. There's no one-pedal mode, though, nor adaptive regen' like you get on the Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona.
Running costs and pricing
Price was the big problem with the Astra before this update, but with the 2026 facelift and the huge price drop that Vauxhall has introduced with it, it's now one of the best value family EVs that you can buy. Prices start from under £30,000 for the entry-level Astra Electric Griffin, which is still pretty well equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, black roof, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, keyless entry and climate control. That sounds like everything you need, if you ask me?!
Mind you, mid-spec GS adds sportier looks and a 180-degree parking camera, so I suspect that'll be the big seller. Top-spec Ultimate trim adds standard Intelli-Lux matrix LED headlights, wireless phone charger, head-up display, massage seats and blind spot warning. Which, for £34,000 is pretty amazing. Especially given that the Astra Electric hatchback and Sports Tourer estate are going to cost the same, making the estate seriously outrageous value.
Then factor in the Electric Car Grant that they'll both be eligible for, taking £1,500 off those prices, and you've got yourself a mid-sized family estate for the price of a high-spec Renault 5. Hmm...
Verdict
The Astra is not the longest range, the fastest charging or the most fun family EV. But it really is a smart, comfortable and weirdly charming car to live with, and it's got tonnes of equipment at an extraordinary price. Sure, the three year warranty is disappointing compared to the longer warranties from MG, Kia, Hyundai, Peugeot and Toyota. But if can find a great finance or lease deal then the Astra Electric will be a hard-working, easygoing family car at an unbeatable price.
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