Opel has revealed its new sixth generation Astra, the brand’s bestseller which first surfaced 30 years ago.
Dynamic as never before, with sheer, taut surfaces, and sporting the distinctive new Opel Vizor face, the Astra will be available in petrol, diesel and, for the very first time, as a plug-in hybrid.
Designed, developed and manufactured at Opel's headquarters in Germany, this new Astra will arrive in Ireland in early 2022, with prices and equipment levels to be revealed closer to launch. Order books open this autumn with first deliveries due to customers early next year.
Opel says it will be available from the start of sales with powerful plug-in hybrid electric drive, as well as highly efficient petrol and diesel engines, electrifying Opel's compact class model for the first time in the brand's history.
Power ranges from 110hp to 130hp with the petrol and diesel variants, and up to 225hp output with the plug-in hybrid variants. A six-speed gearbox is standard on the petrol and diesel power units, with an eight-speed automatic transmission (electrified on the plug-in hybrids ) optional on the more powerful engines.
Boasting a muscular, confident stance, the new Opel Astra will launch as a sporty five-door with a low-slung look, yet it gains more interior space than its predecessor. With a length of 4,374mm and width of 1,860mm, it hits the sweet spot of the compact sector.
Thanks to especially short front overhangs, the new Astra is only four millimetres longer than the previous model, despite the considerably increased wheelbase of 2,675mm (+13mm ). The new Astra's practical boot with adjustable floor still offers the driver and four passengers 422 litres of luggage volume.
After the Mokka, Crossland and Grandland SUVs, the new Astra is Opel's first hatchback to benefit from the brand's bold and pure design philosophy. The Opel Vizor, the new face of the brand first seen on the Mokka, with the Opel blitz emblem in the middle, stretches across the front, making the new Astra look even wider. Viewed from the side, the next-generation Astra looks especially dynamic, thanks to the pronounced forward rake of the C-pillar.
At the rear, the centrally mounted blitz emblem also doubles as the latch for the tailgate, which is made of state-of-the-art composite material.
Inside the absolute highlight is the next generation of the "Pure Panel" first introduced in the Mokka. This expansive, digital cockpit features two 10-inch seamlessly integrated horizontal displays. Thanks to a shutter-like layer that prevents upward reflections in the windscreen, the design dispenses with a hood over the displays, to further enhance the high-tech functionality and ambience. Opel claims its designers have taken great care to ensure the driver receives all the necessary information, but is not overloaded with data or functions.
Opel also points to its ergonomic AGR seats that enjoy an award-winning reputation, and the new Astra continues this long-standing tradition. Certified by "Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V." (Campaign for Healthy Backs ), the position of the front seats is 12mm lower than in the previous model, further enhancing the feeling of a sporty drive. The German brand says the steering and lateral stiffness of the chassis are designed for high control. Under braking, the new model delivers strong stopping power and remains highly stable in curves as well as in a straight line. The torsional rigidity of new Astra is 14 per cent higher than its predecessor model.
Like all its models, Opel says, the new Astra is "autobahnproof" - high-speed capability was a primary development objective. The new Astra's architecture also incorporates the latest automated driver assistance systems. Like its predecessor launched in 2015, the new Astra brings more innovations to the compact class. Turning night into day, the latest evolution of the adaptive Intelli-Lux LED® Pixel light comes straight from Opel's flagship Insignia and, with 168 LED elements, leads the way in the compact and midsize market sectors.
