VAUXHALLAstra Sports Tourer 2019 - 2021

　　Vauxhall launched the facelifted version for the Astra K generation in 2019, four years after the model’s introduction to the British market, and there were massive changes.

　　After several years of struggle to keep the Opel/Vauxhall brands under its roof, GM decided to sell both brands in 2017 to PSA (Peugeot-Citroen). Even if the French automaker already has its own contenders in the compact segment, it decided to upgrade and keep producing the Astra due to the car’s brand awareness. A quarter of the British drivers had already owned or drove one, so it just made sense to keep the vehicle’s lineup on the assembly lines. Besides the GTC and the hatchback, the station wagon, also known as Sports Tourer, was one of the best blends of interior space, comfort, and perceived interior quality on the market.

　　Like most facelifts, the 2019 Astra Sports Tourer featured a redesigned front fascia that made it stand apart from its non-facelifted version. It had new headlights with an option for IntelliLux LEDs that provided better illumination on the road. Furthermore, these could keep their high beams on even when an oncoming vehicle approaches since they could turn off some of the light-emitting diodes to not blind other drivers. The redesigned version featured a 3D mesh grille that covered the area between the headlights, while the lower bumper got a more aggressive styling, with an A-shaped lower air intake flanked by the scoops for the LED fog lamps.

　　Thanks to the improved front fascia and the already sleek profile, the long roof version of the Astra boasted a 0.26 drag coefficient. Its doors featured a lower sculptured line that ascended upwards toward the rear doors. At the same time, the floating roof design line was emphasized by the third triangular windows next to the trunk space and a chromed trim that adorned the D-pillar. Finally, at the back, the raked-forward tailgate sported a roof spoiler at the upper side of the window.

　　When Vauxhall designed the Astra, it made it with a nice-looking interior. Moreover, it boasted soft-touch materials on the dashboard, door cards, and the center console. There, the new owner couldn’t do too much, so it turned its attention towards the infotainment system. Besides the lower-level ones fitted with seven-inch touchscreens, the automaker offered an option for an eight-inch unit carried over from the Vauxhall Insignia. Regardless of the version, all of them featured Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

　　But the most significant changes happened under the hood. There, PSA insisted on installing its own engines ranging between 105 PS (103 hp) and 145 PS (143 hp). Besides the manual and automatic gearboxes, the automaker offered the option for a CVT with seven pre-established speeds.

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