Vauxhall Astra Electric price cut by £2,800 and gets higher spec in bid to lure buyers
Vauxhall finally acknowledges its zero-emission Astra was too expensive
Vauxhall has announced what is ostensibly a special edition of the Astra Electric but is perhaps in reality a tacit admission from the company that its zero-emission family car was too expensive in the first place.
Available in the regular hatchback and Sports Tourer estate bodystyles, at £34,995 the cut-price Astra Griffin represents a near-£3,000 saving on Vauxhall’s previous entry-level electric Astra, while also adding more kit to the car.
A 1.2-litre petrol model is also marketed as part of the Astra Griffin line, starting at under £25,000.
May signpost a new, permanent, lower starting price for EV
When the Astra Electric launched last year, it started from £37,795 as a basic Design model, rising to considerably more than £40,000 if specified as the Sports Tourer and/ or in higher trims such as GS and Ultimate.
With only a 51kWh usable battery, giving a modest quoted range of 258 miles, and an even more modest maximum power output of 154bhp, the Astra Electric was not only considerably more expensive than the impressive budget alternative in the form of the MG 4 but also dearer than the longer-range Volkswagen ID.3, and a similar price to the deeply talented Korean pair of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.
Further, it was perilously close in price to basic models of both the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3, both of which are longer-range EVs from brands that are perceived to be more upmarket.
With the addition of the Griffin special edition, the entry-level price for an Astra Electric hatch now is £34,995, £2,800 less than the Electric Design model, while the Astra Sports Tourer Electric Griffin retails from £37,195.
There is no word on whether this will be a long-term reduction of the starting point for the Astra Electric range or not, but Vauxhall does say the Griffin specification is designed to make its “electric vehicles more accessible with a high specification at an affordable price”.
More for less
The Griffin uses Vauxhall’s Design trim as its basis, but adds a heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless smartphone charging, and a 180-degree reversing camera to complement the front and rear standard-fit parking sensors.
The Sports Tourer Griffin also gains tinted rear windows and a set of roof rails.
Like any other model of current Astra, buyers of the Electric Griffin will be treated to the twin 10in screens of the “Pure Panel” infotainment display, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Other equipment includes LED headlights with high-beam assist, daytime running lamps, LED rear lights, adaptive cruise control and an array of driver-assistance tech.
There are no changes to the Astra Electric Griffin’s drivetrain, so it has the same official 258-mile range from its 51kWh battery, as well as 154bhp and 199lb ft of torque (twisting force) from its electric motor.
The Vauxhall Astra Electric accelerates from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, while at its maximum recharging rate of 100kW on a DC rapid charger, the Electric Griffin will need 26 minutes for its battery to go from 20 to 80 per cent state-of-charge. Home-charging will take up to eight hours on a typical 7.4kW domestic wallbox.
Petrol available, both from £399pcm
For those who prefer petrol power, you can buy a non-electric Astra Griffin with a 128bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine for £24,795, making it the cheapest model of new Astra and, again, £2,775 less than an Astra Design 1.2 petrol.
Its 0-62mph sprint takes 9.7 seconds, although it won’t be as cheap to run or tax — either for private buyers or company car drivers — as the Astra Electric, as it emits 128g/km of CO2 and returns 52.3mpg.
Vauxhall would also draw attention to its finance deals that allow customers to put either an Astra Electric Griffin or a petrol Astra Griffin on their driveways for as little as £399 per month, with a customer deposit of £2,000.
However, while the qualifying deal for that rate on the 1.2 Griffin is on PCP across four years, for the Electric Griffin you’d need to sign up for five years of finance.
Order books for the special edition Griffin models of the Vauxhall Astra are open now, with first deliveries of the cars in August.
Related articles
- If you found news on the new Audi A6 e-tron interesting, you might like to take a look at our review of the Mazda MX-30 R-EV: Is it a revolution in plug-in hybrids?
- Also check out our first drive review of the electric Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
- And did you know Vauxhall is planning a £22,000 city EV?
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