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Vauxhall Astra — Buyer's Guide

Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.

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Vauxhall Astra overview

With 570,290 currently licensed in the UK, the Vauxhall Astra is one of Britain's most popular cars.

Euro NCAP awarded the Astra 4 stars in 2022, with 80% adult occupant and 82% child protection scores.

It has a 75.2% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, brakes, lighting.

Annual running costs are estimated at £1,425 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £119/month or 19p/mile.

Theft risk is rated very low at 2.6 per 1,000 registered vehicles.

NCAP Safety

2022

MOT Pass Rate

75.2%

720,000 tests

Monthly Cost

£119

est. annual total

New From

£26,825

Safety rating

Euro NCAP tested the Astra in 2022 and awarded it 4 out of 5 stars.

Adult Occupant

80%

Child Occupant

82%

Pedestrian

80%

Safety Assist

66%

Safety recalls

There are 33 known DVSA recalls affecting the Vauxhall Astra. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.

R/2025/544

On certain Vauxhall Astra L vehicles the Automatic Emergency Braking Assist telltale fails to illuminate if the front camera is blocked. No AEB warning telltale meaning no warning light appears in the instrument cluster. An additional pop-up appears for around 10 seconds at each key on/key off (Driving Assistance Sensor Blind: clean sensor see User Manual). The Automatic Emergency Braking system is operating in a degraded mode but remains functional due to radar support.

Build dates: 2023-01-04 to 2025-04-10

R/2025/282

On affected vehicles there there may be loose connections between a high-pressure fuel pipe and the engine fuel rail which potentially could lead to a leak and risk of fire.

Build dates: 2024-01-02 to 2025-04-23

R/2025/245

Vehicles may be affected by premature wearing of the camshaft drive chain leading to abnormal noise or to a breakage of the chain in the worst case.

Build dates: 2021-07-29 to 2023-01-31

R/2025/055

Affected vehicles may face potential leakage of the under-bonnet fuel pipe due to a weakness of its crimping.

Build dates: 2024-01-02 to 2024-09-13

R/2025/044

Affected vehicles may not comply with test requirements in the matter of emissions test execution by competent authorities and energy consumption may be too high.

Build dates: 2023-01-19 to 2024-03-13

+ 28 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.

Reliability & MOT

Based on 720,000 MOT tests, the Astra has a first-time pass rate of 75.2% above the UK national average of 72%.

This is a positive sign for reliability. The Astra is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.

Running costs

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Vauxhall Astra are estimated at around £1,425 per year, or £119 per month.

Fuel

£0

/year

Road Tax

£195

/year

Depreciation

£975

/year

MOT

£55

/year

Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.

Electric specifications

Battery

54 kWh

Range (WLTP)

258 mi

Motor

115 kW

154 bhp

Drive

FWD

Rapid charge: 26 min (20-80%) | Home charge: 8h (0-100%)

Depreciation

Starting from £26,825 new, a Vauxhall Astra typically retains about 50% after 3 years and 42% after 5 years.

AgeRetainedEst. ValueLost
1 year68%£18,100−£8,725
2 years57%£15,400−£11,425
3 years50%£13,550−£13,275
4 years45%£12,200−£14,625
5 years42%£11,200−£15,625
6 years39%£10,450−£16,375
7 years37%£9,800−£17,025
8 years35%£9,300−£17,525
9 years33%£8,850−£17,975
10 years31%£8,400−£18,425

Theft risk

The Astra has a theft rate of 2.6 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated very low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.

How common is the Astra?

There are currently 570,290 licensed and 110,955 SORN Astras in the UK (681,245 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Vauxhall Astra reliable?

The Astra has a 75.2% first-time MOT pass rate based on 720,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.

How safe is the Vauxhall Astra?

Euro NCAP awarded the Astra 4 out of 5 stars when tested in 2022. It scored 80% for adult occupant protection, 82% for child occupant protection, 80% for vulnerable road users, and 66% for safety assist features.

How much does a Vauxhall Astra cost to run?

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Astra are estimated at around £1,425 per year (£119/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.

Are there any recalls on the Vauxhall Astra?

There are 33 known safety recalls affecting the Astra. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.

Is the Vauxhall Astra likely to be stolen?

The Astra has a theft rate of 2.6 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated very low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.

How much does a new Vauxhall Astra cost?

A new Astra starts from around £26,825. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 42% of its original value.

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