Vauxhall is keenly aware it needs to get this one right. The Vauxhall Astra has long been one of the company's best-selling models, and arguably its most recognisable over the years, too. Some have been pretty good cars for their eras, others absolute donkeys. So past form is no guide to future performance. Besides, this is the first Astra to have been developed in Honest John Overall Rating Although it can't match the Ford Focus in terms of driver appeal, or the Volkswagen Golf in terms of comfort and quality, the Vauxhall Astra deserves more than to be labelled an also-ran. Solid all-rounder that's good in all areas, cheap to run, excellent value as a used car and loads around, five star Euro NCAP rating. It's the first Astra developed under the watch of Vauxhall's new owners Stellantis, which means it's based on the same architecture as the Peugeot 308, DS 4 and Citroen C5 Aircross. In order to differentiate the Vauxhall from its French siblings, the new Astra takes a more value-led approach. The Astra is an important car for Vauxhall. It's the first all-new model the brand has launched since it was absorbed into the Stellantis supergroup - and it's wading into a very Kf7W8UE.

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