Compact class station wagon in a short test
Opel Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid – as economical as a diesel
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The savings potential of hybrid petrol engines usually remains low, especially when driving on motorways. The Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid, on the other hand, is as efficient as a diesel in every driving situation. There is a range of 1000 kilometers.
Whether petrol, diesel, PHEV or BEV – two years ago Opel launched the Astra Sports Tourer with a wide range of engines. What was missing was the hybrid that was introduced last spring, which runs a little electrically, but above all is lively and at the same time remarkably economical, as practice shows.
The first impression
From the outside, people have gotten used to the new look of the Astra. With striking rims and metallic paint, it is perceived as calmly chic despite the body optimized for utility. Inside, the Rüsselsheimer pleases with a tidy cockpit. 608 to 1634 liters of luggage can be stored in the variable rear. Only the knee room in the back seat is a bit limited for a car of its size. The driver's seat with the EGR seal gives you the good feeling of being able to look forward to the next big tour in a relaxed manner.
On the street
Big tour? With hybrid? Especially on the highway, the double hearts equipped with small electric motors are often only moderately lively and often not particularly economical. The Astra MHEV is different. It was 5.5 liters on a long journey at 130 km/h. On a tour through Holland at a legally compliant and therefore lower speed, the 1.2-liter three-cylinder was even content with 5.1 liters. The best result is in city traffic, where you can move the 4.64 meter long station wagon with less than five and sometimes even less than four liters. The official WLTP value of 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers is definitely achievable and, given the 52-liter tank, an operating radius of 1000 kilometers is not unrealistic.
The three-cylinder and hybrid mean you can expect a grumpy drive with moderate torque. But the 100 kW/136 hp petrol engine, in conjunction with a 48-volt electric motor integrated in the 6-speed dual clutch transmission, ensures powerful and smooth propulsion, although not quite as confident as in the PHEV version of the Astra. The 1.5-ton truck sprints to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 210 km/h possible. The recuperation is strong for a mild hybrid, thanks to which you can occasionally come to a stop at red lights with almost no braking intervention. More often in city traffic, purely electric driving is possible for shorter distances, accompanied by a clearly audible electric whirring noise. This may sound annoying to some, but electrically cool to others. The sometimes somewhat jerky transitions when the combustion engine joins in for propulsion after short electric stages also take some getting used to.
The costs
While the Astra Sports Tourer Mild Hybrid (MHEV) is modest in terms of fuel consumption, the purchase price of around 38,000 euros requires a high level of willingness to invest. This is partly due to the fact that the Astra Hybrid is only available from the middle equipment level GS, which is spoiled with niceties such as two-zone air conditioning, infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel, reversing camera and the pleasantly binding AGR seat, which is definitely recommended for frequent drivers . There is also a partially electric and, in practice, efficient drive with an automatic system on board. The Ultimate equipment costs around 4,000 euros extra. In view of the extras included such as AGR sports active seats, glass sliding roof, head-up display, charging cradle and IntelliLux headlights, this additional investment seems worthwhile.
The competitors
There are still a few compact station wagons with mild and full hybrid drives. The biggest competitor is still the Golf Variant, which the VW Group also offers as its technology brother, the Skoda Octavia or Seat Leon ST. Other classics include the Ford Focus Tournament and the Hyundai i30. Some are offered as mild hybrid petrol engines at starting prices that are significantly lower than the Astra MHEV.
Finally
Anyone who is still unfamiliar with the pure electric drive will find Opel's MHEV drive an efficient alternative without range restrictions. Although it still runs primarily on gasoline, it also integrates electric drive technology in a way that reduces consumption and is therefore convincing.
Opel Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid – technical data
- Five-door station wagon in the compact class with five seats
- Length: 4.65 meters, width with exterior mirrors 2.06 meters (without exterior mirrors: 1.86 meters), height: 1.47 meters, wheelbase 2.73 meters, trunk volume: 597 to 1634 liters, payload: 563 kilograms
- 1.2 liter three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 100 kW/136 hp, maximum torque 230 N at 1,750 rpm, with 48 volt electric 6-speed dual clutch transmission, front-wheel drive, Vmax 210 km/h, 0 – 100 km/h : 9.3 s, WLTP consumption: 4.9 l/100 km, CO2 emissions: 115 g/km, emissions standard: Euro 6e, test consumption: 5.2 l/100 km
- Price: from 37,930 euros