Vauxhall Astra review

Your starting figure is £27,495. That’s for the 1.2-litre petrol with eight-speed auto gearbox.

Then it’s £28,495 for the EV (including its government discount), or £29,995 for the base hybrid and plug-in hybrid, as Vauxhall’s price parity drive continues. Those figures are identical whether you go hatch or estate – and £6k down on the old car. Blimey.

Step up GS trim and you’re looking at £28,995, while the top-spec Ultimate is £31,495. Add £2.5k in each case if it’s the hybrid or PHEV you want.

Rivals? An entry-level Mazda 3 or Kia K4 will set you back slightly less, a Peugeot 308, Skoda Octavia, VW Golf or Audi A3 around the same. That's some serious talent there. A Toyota Corolla, Mercedes A-Class, DS 4 or BMW 1 Series all tip over £30k.

What's the kit like?

The entry-level Griffin trim is reasonably well kitted out, featuring 17in alloys, illuminated visor, black roof, tinted rear windows, heated steering wheel and front seats, those dual 10in screens, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control.

Middling GS Line scores 18in black alloys, sports bumpers, heated door mirrors, sports seats, PurePanel Pro (edge-to-edge glass display), dual zone climate control, a 180-degree parking camera, and keyless entry and start.

Top-spec Ultimate adds diamond cut alloys, clever matrix LEDs, a heated windscreen, head-up display, front AGR-certified massaging seats (in an Astra!), wireless smartphone charging, and more additional safety gizmos that you don’t really need.

What's the best spec?

If you have access to home charging, and you’re planning on using this as an urban runabout, we’d be tempted by… the EV, to be honest. No point in hauling around a heavy engine unnecessarily. Otherwise, our money would go on the base hybrid. At least until the pure petrol with manual gearbox arrives.

We also don’t think you need to look beyond the entry-level Griffin trim, which comes generously equipped and swerves the black alloys of the middling GS trim. Pay £2k up front and Vauxhall will lease you the mild hybrid for £545 per month over three years, assuming 8,000 miles of driving per year. That's rather a lot, so get Googling for third party finance providers.

In fact, the biggest decision you need to make is probably whether you want the hatch or the identically priced estate. We know where we’d spend our money…