Used Vauxhall Astra Cars for Sale from £3,500

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Used Vauxhall Astra pros and cons

Great styling
Short on rear passenger space
Large and practical boot
Automatic ‘box can be jumpy
Balanced setup
Not the most fun to drive

Is a second-hand Vauxhall Astra a good car?

For 40 years, the Vauxhall Astra has been providing affordable, sensible family transport to car buyers across the UK. It’s an alternative to the likes of the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, and Toyota Corolla.

The current version of the Astra is the most stylish and most contemporary-looking version yet. Unfortunately, the cabin isn’t as handsome as the outside. The main screen is okay to use, but not the best in class by a long stretch, some of the plastics used are also rather cheap, and the fit and finish of some of the panels isn’t quite straight.

The Astra’s also not the roomiest car around. It’s fine in the front, where you’ll find comfortable and supportive seats. However, the back seats are actually quite cramped, with limited rear legroom. A Skoda Octavia has way more rear seat space, and the Focus and Golf are better too. The only comparable hatchback with less rear seat room is the rather cramped Toyota Corolla.

On the upside, the Astra’s boot is massive, at 422 litres. Now, again, that’s well-beaten by the Skoda Octavia, which has a huge 600-litre boot, but the Astra is well ahead of the Golf, Focus, and Corolla in terms of boot space.

None of the current Astra versions feel as sharp to drive as a Ford Focus nor Mazda 3, but they're about on par with a Skoda or Toyota, and the light steering makes any of them easy to use in town.

While it’s not a car that’s a knock-out in any one area, the Astra’s a solid family car, and one that’s definitely worth adding to your used car shopping shortlist.

What to look for when buying a used Vauxhall Astra

There is a known issue with the Astra’s 1.2-litre petrol engine, which is shared with Peugeot and Citroen models, and which uses a ‘wet belt’ system, where the cambelt passes through the engine’s oil supply which can weaken the belt over time, and cause clogs in the oil feed. Changing the belt ahead of schedule and making sure you get regular oil changes should help you swerve any issues. Other than that, the Astra seems to be solidly made, with no recalls for issues so far.

The Astra didn’t feature in the most recent Driver Power Top 50 Cars To Own list, and Vauxhall finished 26th in the overall customer satisfaction survey, out of 32 brands, with a relatively poor showing for quality.

Vauxhall Astra FAQs

Is the Vauxhall Astra reliable?

It’s a little early to tell how reliable this generation of Astra will be, and there are mixed signs. So far, there are no major reported recurrent issues, beyond concerns about the 1.2-litre petrol engine’s ‘wet belt’ layout. However, Vauxhall didn’t score well for quality in the Driver Power car owner satisfaction survey.

How many miles can a Vauxhall Astra last?

If it’s maintained properly, and serviced correctly, there’s no reason why an Astra shouldn’t easily rack up 150,000 miles.

Is the Vauxhall Astra a good first car?

If you go for the basic 110hp petrol engine with a manual gearbox, then yes the Vaxhall Astra is an ideal first car, although it’s worth remembering that the smaller, cheaper Corsa is an even better bet for new drivers.

What insurance group is the Vauxhall Astra in?

Depending on the model and trim, the Astra varies from Group 16 through to Group 28 for insurance.

Can the Vauxhall Astra tow a caravan?

Yes, it can. Depending on the model, the Astra’s towing weight varies from 1,200kg to 1,450kg on a braked trailer.

Does the Vauxhall Astra have ISOFIX?

The current Vauxhall Astra has two ISOFIX anchor points, one for each outer rear seat. They’re a bit of a pain to get to, though.

How big is the Vauxhall Astra's boot?

The Vauxhall Astra hatchback’s boot measures 422 litres up to the luggage cover, unless you buy the plug-in hybrid model, where the size of the battery means that the boot shrinks to 352 litres. For the Astra estate, those figures are 597 litres, or 516 litres for the plug-in hybrid.