Skip advert
Advertisement

Vauxhall Astra (2015-2021) review - Interior, design and technology

Astra has a premium looking and feeling interior with a dashboard dominated by a seven- or eight-inch touchscreen

Interior, design and technology rating

4.6

How we review cars
RRP
£25,245 £34,980
Avg. savings
£4,656 off RRP*
Find your Vauxhall Astra
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Compared with some of its conservatively styled rivals, the latest Astra looks sharp. From the neatly sculpted front bumper and grille to the swept-back headlamps and sharp creases running down the sides, it packs plenty of visual punch. In SRi guise, the Vauxhall looks surprisingly sporty, and this is enhanced by standard-fit 17-inch alloy wheels.

Advertisement - Article continues below

A rising window line follows the ridge running through the door handles, culminating in a flick that almost meets the roof at the top of the bootlid. This design flourish does reduce rear visibility, but the upshot is that it gives the Astra an athletic stance in profile. Narrow tail-lights mounted high up continue the sporty theme, while a boot spoiler and narrow rear window make the car look more compact.

Inside, the Astra is feeling its age slightly despite a mild freshen-up in 2019. It’s functional, ergonomically sound and feels built to last, but it simply can’t match the quality of a Volkswagen Golf, the style of a Mazda 3 nor the great infotaiment of a Ford Focus or Kia Ceed. Still, it’s not terrible by any means and remains a comfortable place to spend time – particularly in higher-spec versions.

Vauxhall interior design has been impressive of late, with a stylish, easy to use dash and good-quality materials used, too. The Astra takes that a step further with strong tech on board as well – all operated through an intuitive seven- or eight-inch touchscreen.

That screen sits neatly in a classy piano black surround that stretches across the width of the dashboard and is underlined by a stylish piece of chrome-effect trim. The main instruments also have an information screen between them and the graphics are nice and clear.

Navigate the range and you’ll find all manner of goodies either standard fit or as optional extras. 360-degree parking sensors and self-parking system feature, along with LED headlights – which strangely are standard on the smaller Corsa, but not here. Heated and ventilated seats, dual-zone climate control and a premium Bose stereo are also available.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

All Astra models get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, while models further up the range get a larger eight-inch touchscreen. While the graphics don’t look quite as crisp as you'll find in a Kia Ceed or Ford Focus, the unit is incredibly functional and works well, with a logical layout.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    1.2 Turbo 130 Griffin 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • RRP
    £25,245
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    1.2 Turbo 130 Design 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • RRP
    £28,020
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    1.2 Turbo 130 Design 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • RRP
    £28,020
Select car

New & used car deals

Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra

RRP £25,465Avg. savings £4,656 off RRP*Used from £14,188
KIA Ceed

KIA Ceed

RRP £19,965Avg. savings £2,098 off RRP*Used from £8,900
Seat Leon

Seat Leon

RRP £24,125Avg. savings £5,279 off RRP*Used from £10,395
Mazda 3

Mazda 3

RRP £22,065Avg. savings £2,429 off RRP*Used from £8,290
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025