Vauxhall Astra review

Prices start at £26,810 for the petrol, and £37,785 and £41,050 for the base and range-topping PHEVs respectively. Monthly payments start at around £330, £535 and £575 respectively, on a four-year agreement, 10,000-mile yearly limit and £5k down payment.

Rivals? An entry-level VW Golf will set you back around the same figure, the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, DS 4, Ford Focus and Peugeot 308 slightly more expensive around £27-28k, and the Mercedes A-Class the premium pick at around the £30k mark. 

What's the kit like?

The entry-level Design trim is reasonably well kitted out, featuring LED headlights, high beam assistance, front and rear parking sensors, smart cruise control, those 10-inch screens, a DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, climate control, a leather covered steering wheel, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, rain-sensing wipers and keyless start.

However, if it was our money we'd move up to the middle GS Line, around an extra £45 a month on PCP over the base car and scoring 17s, the slimming black roof, adaptive cruise, sports seats, heated seats and steering wheel, plus ambient lighting. A nice mix of utility and aesthetics.

Vauxhall reckons the one-up Ultimate is only another £40 per month leap on PCP, which adds clever matrix LEDs, an eight-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control, Alcantara-trimmed seats, a panoramic sunroof and wireless smartphone charging.

The top-spec GSe gets tweaked bumpers, unique 18in alloy wheels and sportier Alcantara-trimmed seats up front, but that’s about it. Optional extras include a 7kW on-board charger (£500, PHEV only), metallic paint (£600), premium metallic paint (£700), a tow bar (£605), 18in bi-colour alloys (£300) and a £2,100 pack that adds a Nappa leather interior, from sports seats with massage, cooling and ventilation functionality, plus rears that are heated.

What's the best spec?

Frankly, unless you've got a wallbox at home, or pay BIK tax, it's a no-brainer to go for the 1.2 130bhp petrol manual starting at £26,810 or £330 a month. In our favoured GS Line trim, you’re looking at £29,705, or £375 a month.

However, if you’re feeling eco-conscious, the PHEV is an interesting financial story. Although it lists almost around £8,000 more than the 1.2 auto in like-for-like guise trim (and has a higher monthly PCP) Vauxhall says the gap in PCP would be matched by the fuel saving provided you plug in for your regular mileage.

Meanwhile, if you do pay BiK, the PHEV (taxed at eight per cent on account of emissions rated at 24g/km) would save you £5,000 in tax over three years. Tempted? for comparison, the diesel emits 121g/km and gets a BiK rating of 28 per cent...