Opel Astra: The Hard Choice of Which Powertrain to Choose

Opel has been a fixture in the compact car segment for a full 90 years. First, for decades, with the Opel Kadett, and then, starting in 1991, with its successor, the Opel Astra, which has long since become an icon in its own right. And yet, the stylish five-door model—and even the roomier Sports Tourer—have somewhat fallen off customers’ radar—unfairly so, as test drives of the latest generation and its diverse range of powertrains demonstrate.

Visually, the Germans have really refined the Astra with this facelift. The front end, featuring the brand’s signature black Opel Vizor—which has been made even narrower and more precise—gives both the five-door and the station wagon a modern touch and ensures a bold presence. Inside, the update gives the cabin a fresher look. The surfaces feel more upscale, the Intelli seats—now standard—are extremely comfortable, the steering wheel made of vegan synthetic leather offers a secure grip, and the redesigned gauges are also a nice touch. Cool: The Intelli-Lux HD lighting system, available for the first time to Astra drivers (included in the «GS» Tech Package for 1,600 francs; standard on the «Ultimate»). Its 51,200 LED elements already turn night into day in other Opel models and illuminate the road perfectly without blinding other road users.

Something for everyone

But the Opel isn’t just visually appealing; the Astra also offers an incredibly diverse range of powertrains—there’s even a pure internal combustion engine option. No, this has nothing to do with «not believing in the future of BEVs,» but rather with meeting a wide variety of mobility needs. Not everyone is happy with an electric car just yet. Yet the Astra Electric, for example, with a WLTP range of up to 454 km—35 km more than before the facelift thanks to aerodynamic refinements—has a lot to offer. With 115 kW/156 PS and 270 Nm, this electric car isn’t exactly a rocket (0 to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds, 170 km/h top speed), but it’s more than enough for everyday use.

Thanks to Vehicle to Load (V2L), you now even have the option—for the first time—to charge external devices, such as e-bikes. The electric Astra is available as a five-door model (L × W × H: 4.37 × 1.86 × 1.45 meters) and also as a practical station wagon. As a Sports Tourer, the electric Astra is 27 centimeters longer (L × W × H: 4.64 × 1.86 × 1.46 to 1.50 meters) and offers 516 to a whopping 1,553 liters of cargo space (five-door model: 352 to 1,268 liters).

There's even a diesel model

In addition to the all-electric version, the compact Opel is also available as a mild hybrid with a system output of 107 kW/145 PS—which primarily relies on the electric motor (15.6 kW/21 PS) in city traffic—and as a plug-in hybrid. In the latter configuration, the internal combustion engine and electric motor together deliver 144 kW/196 PS and 360 Nm. During the test drive, the plug-in hybrid took a bit too long to shift up to the next gear when accelerating with the new, electrified 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Using the steering wheel paddles makes the process faster. On the plus side: Thanks to a battery capacity that’s now 17 kWh instead of 12.4 kWh, the plug-in hybrid offers nearly 20 km more pure electric range (up to 84 km according to WLTP). Another highlight of the Opel was the efficient 1.5-liter diesel engine paired with the 8-speed automatic transmission (96 kW/130 PS and 300 Nm; though only available as a Sports Tourer)—for frequent drivers, this Astra variant remains a great option, especially thanks to fuel consumption of around 5.6 l/100 km.

With its wide range of powertrains, the refreshed Opel Astra is sure to have the right option for every purpose and taste. And with its reasonable prices (five-door model starting at 34,710 Swiss francs, Sports Tourer starting at 35,640 Swiss francs), it’s likely to once again capture the attention of Swiss customers—which is what we’d wish for this indestructible ’Lightning’ in its sleek, modern guise.