► Updated Vauxhall Astra revealed
► Facelift includes even more lighting
► Refinements to interior and EV range, too
Vauxhall has unveiled the first images of its updated Astra hatchback and Sports Tourer estate, tweaking the look and improving some of the car’s specs. We’ll see the real thing (albeit with an Opel badge) at the 2026 Brussels motor show in early January 2026.
The look has been updated with even more backlit elements in the brand’s ‘Vizor’ fascia, including a light-up Griffin badge. The lighting itself has been improved, too, with sharper matrix headlights that are designed to respond faster and glare less than before. New wheel designs feature, as does a new metallic ‘clover green’ colour.
Vauxhall claims its new Intelli-seats (which are also on the Grandland) are designed to improve occupant comfort and be more supportive over long journeys, and they’re upholstered in a new ‘ReNewKnit’ recycled fabric. In fact, Vauxhall wants to point out that more of the interior materials are from 100 per cent recycled sources now, too.
Light updates to the battery pack for the Astra Electric model have meant a 22-mile increase in range – now up to 282 miles on the claimed WLTP test cycle. Electric Astras can also be had with vehicle-to-load functionality for the first time, too. Petrol, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions will continue to be part of the range.
And, er… that’s about it really. We’ll get some hands-on time at the 2026 Brussels motor show, where we’ll find out more.
Jake has been an automotive journalist since 2015, joining CAR as Staff Writer in 2017. With a decade of car news and reviews writing under his belt, he became CAR's Deputy News Editor in 2020 and then News Editor in 2025. Jake's day-to-day role includes co-ordinating CAR's news content across its print, digital and social media channels. When he's not out interviewing an executive, driving a new car for review or on a photoshoot for a CAR feature, he's usually found geeking out on the latest video game, buying yet another pair of wildly-coloured trainers or figuring out where he can put another car-shaped Lego set in his already-full house.
By Jake Groves
CAR's news editor; gamer, trainer freak and serial Lego-ist
