That means it should not come as a surprise the German marque will be selling the Astra estate with a choice between two plug-in hybrid powertrains to mirror the 308. At launch, only the base PHEV setup will be available, combining a turbocharged, four-cylinder 1.6-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor to extract a healthy 180 horsepower and 266 pound-feet (360 Newton-meters) of torque. Later on, a more potent electrified powertrain will unlock 225 hp while retaining the same amount of torque.

Opel is remaining tight-lipped about the rest of the specifications concerning the plug-in hybrid, but we are expecting the Astra Sports Tourer to use the same 12.4-kWh battery pack and eight-speed automatic transmission as the equivalent Peugeot model. The purely electric range should revolve around 37 miles (60 kilometers) based on the WLTP cycle.

Alternatively, the Rüsselsheim-based company will sell the new Astra with a gasoline 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine in different states of tune, joined by a 1.5-liter turbodiesel mill. It will effectively be the last Astra ever to offer combustion engines in Europe since Opel has announced it will become an EV brand on the Old Continent by 2028.

Meanwhile, it’s worth pointing out that either of the two PHEV versions of the new Astra Sports Tourer will lose some of the cargo capacity compared to a conventionally powered model. Specifically, the luggage volume with the rear seats in place will drop from 608 to 548 liters. Fold the rear bench and the capacity grows to 1,574 liters, which is lower than the 1,634 liters available for a gasoline-only wagon.

One of the 14 brands of Stellantis, Opel will have the Astra with a long roof on sale in 2022 with the same wide array of goodies available for the hatchback. We include here the firm’s latest head-up display and matrix LED headlights, plus some wagon-only goodies like the adjustable load floor and a retractable cover you can alternatively store behind the floor for a greater load height.

Source: Opel

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Compared to its predecessor, the 2022 Astra is now a little bit longer to accommodate a stretched wheelbase for greater rear legroom. It’s now 4374 mm long, 1860 mm wide, and measures 2675 mm between the axles while the cargo area can swallow up to 422 liters. The hatchback’s smart looks are matched by its technology including matrix LED headlights sourced from Opel’s range-topping car, the Insignia.

Speaking of technology, you’ll find more of it inside the cabin where the minimalist dashboard accommodates a pair of 10-inch digital screens. Thankfully, Opel was smart enough to retain physical controls for some of the functions you will be using the most, which is something all automakers should do. Instead of integrating everything in the infotainment, drivers should still have quick access to climate settings by using old-fashioned switchgear.

Opel – which will be switching to a purely electric lineup in Europe by 2028 – will still offer the Astra for the time being with a choice of gasoline and diesel engines. The absolute novelty is the availability of a plug-in hybrid setup in two different versions. Technical specs have yet to be revealed, but the PHEV system is likely inherited from the electrified Peugeot 308.

In the French hatchback, a gasoline engine works with an eight-speed automatic transmission, an 81-kilowatt electric motor, and a 12.4-kWh battery to deliver a total output of 180 hp or 225 hp. Both PHEV setups promise to deliver an electric range of 60 kilometers (37 miles) in the WLTP cycle. Expect the new Astra to deliver similar figures since the cars have roughly the same size and weight while sharing the architecture.

The five-door hatch should be followed in the months to come by an already confirmed wagon. Opel won’t be attending this year’s IAA show in Munich set for September but will begin accepting orders this fall ahead of starting deliveries at the beginning of next year. With the arrival of the Astra L, the production of the popular model will return to Rüsselsheim, Germany. Customers will be able to order the car with a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, and cruise control with stop & go functionality, not to mention AGR-certified massaging seats wrapped in Alcantara or leather.

It remains to be seen whether an all-electric Astra will follow seeing as how Stellantis – the parent company of Peugeot and Opel – has plans for a 308 EV later this decade to take on the Volkswagen ID.3

Source: Opel

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Meanwhile, teaser images show the next-gen model will represent a huge departure from the aging design of its predecessor. Whether we’re talking about the exterior or interior design, the revamped Astra looks thoroughly more modern, adopting Opel’s latest design language and a dual-screen layout in the cabin.

Since we’ll have to wait a bit longer to discover all the juicy technical specifications, Opel isn’t going into any details about the PHEV setup. However, we strongly believe it will be related to the one developed for the new Peugeot 308. That’s because the two cars ride on the same EMP2 platform, therefore the Astra should have a similar (if not identical) electrified powertrain.

Peugeot will be selling the new 308 with two plug-in hybrid powertrains, both of which will share a 12.4-kWh battery and an 81-kilowatt electric motor. The French automaker has promised 60 kilometers (37 miles) of WLTP-certified range for both PHEVs, one with a 150-horsepower gasoline engine and another with a stronger 180-hp version.

Speaking of power, the Peugeot 308 in the lesser plug-in hybrid configuration will deliver a combined output of 180 hp while the range-topping version will produce a healthy 225 hp. Both are going to feature a front-wheel-drive layout, but we’re hearing Stellantis could be working on a dual-motor PHEV system with AWD for compact hot hatchbacks with nearly 300 hp.

In regards to styling, the overhauled Astra appears to be much sharper than the model it’s about to replace. The overall appearance resembles the latest-generation Mokka but obviously in a hatchback format without the extra ground clearance. Inside, the side-by-side displays also seem to be derived from those of the crossover.

The next-gen Astra will once again be built in Rüsselsheim at Opel’s main plant in Germany and is programmed to go on sale late this year or early 2022 depending on the market.

Source: Opel

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Riding on the same EMP2 platform as the all-new Peugeot 308, the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Astra will be launched in early 2022 with gasoline, diesel, and PHEV powertrains. While its French cousin has already been confirmed to spawn a purely electric derivative in 2023 to take on the VW ID.3, Lohscheller refused to comment about whether the Astra would also get an EV variant.

If an Astra sans combustion engine is on the agenda, logic tells us it will be based on the eVMP platform Stellantis is developing for dedicated EVs. The architecture will be inaugurated in 2023 with the next 3008 compact crossover, and we know the hardware is being developed for FWD and AWD models with a single electric motor and a dual-motor setup, respectively.

Details about the all-electric 308 and a potential Astra are shrouded in mystery at this point, but we do know eVMP is being engineered for vehicles with up to 650 kilometers (404 miles) of range per WLTP. The most powerful models are going to pack 335 hp (250 kW) and will share the battery packs from one car to the other to efficiently spread out the costs.

Meanwhile, the revamped Astra will enter production later this year when it will return to the Rüsselsheim factory in Germany whereas the outgoing model is built in Poland and UK. Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller also confirmed the hatchback will be joined by a more practical wagon, which is hardly a surprise considering the new 308 is also getting the long-roof treatment.

We’re expecting the plug-in hybrid drivetrains to mirror those of the equivalent Peugeot model, so a gasoline engine will work with an electric motor to develop a combined 180 hp in the base PHEV and 225 hp in the higher-specification setup. In the 308, both setups offer 37 miles (60 kilometers) of electric range (WLTP) thanks to a 12.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The overhauled Opel/Vauxhall Astra could debut in the second half of the year, with the IAA show in Munich scheduled for September being an appropriate venue for an official premiere.

Source: Automotive News Europe

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