Vauxhall Astra GSe 2023 first drive

The stalwart Vauxhall Astra will, finally, get a fully electric model later this year – a big move for the British firm that it hopes pushes on sales of its already popular family hatch and which boss James Taylor says is “almost the last piece in the puzzle” ahead of its EV-only lineup coming in 2028.

And as questions are raised about the future of the firm’s sportier models in this upcoming electric age, especially since it killed off the GSi performance brand (and even hotter VRX-badge models which is still yet to get an electric rebirth), we welcome this: the Astra GSe.

Launched alongside the bigger Vauxhall Grandland GSe crossover, the Astra GSe (for Grand Sport electric), is the future of the warmed up Vauxhalls, the brand says, as it rises from GSi ashes –  a 40-year legacy which included the Nova GSi, Manta GSi and Mk3 Astra GSi.

So, an electric hot hatch then to kick off the named “electric” subbrand? Nope, you’d be wrong there. In a different approach, the British marque has instead launched GSe with a hatch powered partly by dinosaurs with a sprinkling of electrical aid.

What that means is the same 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine (assisted by a 107bhp electric motor and 9.9kWh battery) as found in the standard 178bhp Astra PHEV, but now uprated to 222bhp. An eight-speed automatic ‘box – which sadly doesn’t hold onto manually selected gears long enough - sends this to the front wheels.

The Astra GSe sits above the Astra Hybrid 180 in the range and additionally gets a more dynamic suspension set-up, with a 10mm-lower ride height, Koni frequency-selective dampers and a more permissive stability control system. Standard equipment is also pretty generous, with a head-up display, matrix LED headlights, wireless charging and a suite of driver assistance features. Visually, it’s marked out as the GSe by unique 18in alloy wheels, a unique front bumper and a black roof.

Billed as Vauxhall’s answer to the Volkswagen Golf GTE, it delivers nippy-ish performance, sprinting to 62mph from standing in 7.5sec (compared to the Golf’s 6.7sec) and pushes all the way to 146mph. Although it doesn't have a plethora of power, it’s nice to know you can deploy it all without ending up on a speed awareness course. This might all sound disappointing, and if you were hoping for a more ecologically responsible VXR successor, it will be. 

But, there are plus points: on the road, it pulls well. With the chassis tweaked for stiffness and steering tightened compared to the standard car, the GSe feels at home on British B-roads – especially with Sport mode enabled, which weights the wheel and keeps the engine primed. It takes corners well, aided by this pleasingly direct steering, which leaves a satisfying, rather than excited, feeling. Yet, this new stiffened set-up means it loses its soft, comfortable nature in normal driving, feeling harder than the standard car. It’s not horrendous by any means, just a tad on the noticeable side.