Vauxhall Astra Gets a Manual Gearbox and a Much Lower Starting Price

At a time when automatic gearboxes, hybrids and electric cars seem to be taking over the new-car market, Vauxhall has gone slightly against the grain by adding a six-speed manual gearbox to the latest Astra range.

It is not simply a nostalgic addition for drivers who still like changing gear themselves. The new manual petrol model also brings the starting price of the Astra down to £26,495, creating a considerably more accessible entry point into the range.

Perhaps more interestingly, the manual gearbox is available not only in the Astra hatchback, but also in the more practical Astra Sports Tourer estate, and Vauxhall is charging exactly the same price for both.

A Manual Astra Is Back

The new six-speed manual gearbox is paired with Vauxhall’s 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 130PS and 230Nm of torque.

Performance is perfectly respectable rather than especially sporty. The Astra hatchback manages 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds, while the Sports Tourer takes 10 seconds. Both have a quoted top speed of 130mph.

Vauxhall says fuel economy can reach 50.4mpg under WLTP testing, which could make the manual petrol Astra a fairly straightforward option for anyone who is not ready to move to an electrified powertrain.

It also means buyers now have considerably more choice within the Astra range. Alongside the manual petrol model there is an eight-speed automatic petrol, a 48V hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric Astra.

In a market increasingly built around one or two heavily electrified drivetrain options, there is something refreshingly simple about that.

The Estate Costs No More Than the Hatchback

The part of the announcement that arguably deserves the most attention is not actually the gearbox.

Vauxhall is pricing the Astra Sports Tourer at exactly the same level as the equivalent hatchback across the range.

That means the new manual Astra Griffin costs £26,495 whether you choose the hatchback or the estate.

For anyone choosing a family car or simply wanting more luggage space, that makes the Sports Tourer especially interesting. Traditionally, moving from a hatchback into an estate has meant paying a premium for the additional practicality. Here, you can essentially take the extra space for free.

The same pricing approach continues further up the range, with the manual petrol costing:

Griffin: £26,495
GS: £27,995
Ultimate: £30,495

Again, those prices apply to either body style.

You Aren’t Getting a Bare-Bones Astra Either

The lower starting price does not mean Vauxhall has created an especially basic entry-level model.

Griffin trim includes 17-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, the illuminated Vizor front end and Vauxhall's signature compass lighting.

Inside, there is Vauxhall's ergonomic Intelli-Seat, heated front seats, a heated vegan leather steering wheel and a 10-inch Pure Panel infotainment display.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included too, along with satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control and an electrochromatic frameless rear-view mirror.

Sports Tourer models also gain roof rails.

A new Denim Blue paint colour arrives alongside the manual model, while Electric Yellow remains exclusive to the hatchback and Clover Green is reserved for the Sports Tourer.

The Astra Electric Gets More Range Too

Although the manual gearbox is the headline announcement, Vauxhall has also updated the electric Astra.

Its battery capacity now stands at 58.3kWh, helping increase its WLTP driving range by 22 miles to 281 miles.

That gives the Astra an unusually broad powertrain line-up. You can have conventional petrol, petrol with a manual or automatic gearbox, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric.

Rather than forcing buyers down a particular route, Vauxhall appears to be giving customers the opportunity to choose whichever drivetrain suits them.

There Is Another Useful Benefit

Every version of the new Astra is also priced below the £40,000 Expensive Car Supplement threshold.

Vauxhall says this means owners can avoid £2,200 of additional Vehicle Excise Duty over the first six years of ownership.

With the cost of many new family cars rapidly creeping upwards, keeping even the highest-spec Astra comfortably beneath that threshold could become another meaningful advantage.

Is the Manual Astra Still Relevant in 2026?

There will inevitably be people wondering why Vauxhall is launching another manual car while the industry moves towards electrification.

But there is still a sizeable group of drivers who prefer them, particularly those moving out of older petrol and diesel cars who do not necessarily want an automatic, hybrid or EV just yet.

More importantly, the manual gearbox has allowed Vauxhall to bring the Astra's starting price down.

At £26,495, with a reasonably generous standard specification and the option of taking the Sports Tourer for exactly the same money, the manual Astra suddenly looks rather more compelling.

Sometimes giving people more choice is more useful than telling them what they should be driving.