Opel’s edgy new design language made clear with new Astra

The wraps have been taken off the new Opel Astra, now in its eighth generation. The company says that the model is a “design statement,” hinting at a change that will take hold of its portfolio.

Angular bodywork and clean lines characterise the exterior. At the front, Opel’s Vizor grille (first seen in the Mokka) spans the entire width, with the slim L-shaped LEDs framing the edges and highlighting the protruding wheel arches. The sculpted bonnet above includes a centre line that draws the eye to the Opel logo in the centre of the grille, while lower down sits a large air intake area featuring simple horizontal panels, keeping it neat and tidy.

Strong shoulder and belt lines run along the sides of the car, again emphasising the wheel arches. The shoulder line joins with the rear lamps and a curved ridge along the back. The lights at the back are almost the same in shape as the front headlamps but extend a little more as they push towards the centre of the boot lid. There is a small bumper at the bottom and two narrow airflow slats sit behind the back wheels.

Inside, the new Astra uses arguably the most minimal design in an Opel to date. It includes much of the same features that are in the latest Mokka, such as the dual screen display layout. However, the buttons are grouped in a cleaner way, with one line above a small centre vent. Beneath this, the flat centre console is decorated with a small driving mode shifter and parking brake, while two storage compartments add to practicality.

The dash is split into three sections: the upper two-tone area, the middle vent section, and the lower hard plastic section. Most of the lines are horizontal, apart from the diagonal that is created where the silver and black surfaces meet on the upper section. It is all modern and fresh – a far cry from the dated interior of the Crossland.

“The new Astra represents the exciting next step of our new design execution,” says vice president design, Mark Adams. “With its bold Vizor front face, strong muscular wheel arch blisters and sheer surfacing, the new Astra has a very sporty and confident personality. The interior also takes a bold step into the future. The strong driver-orientated cockpit with seamless glass look of the new Pure Panel will bring a whole new emotional experience to our customers.”

This is the first Astra generation taking electrification into consideration. It will be available as a plug-in hybrid, as well as petrol and diesel options.