Responsible for around 30% of Astra sales in Europe, the Astra Sports Tourer is mainly bought by company car drivers and families, with the biggest markets being Germany, the UK and Italy.

Like its five-door hatch sibling, the Sports Tourer is based on an all-new lightweight vehicle architecture with a new design, powertrains and technology.

The new Astra estate offers the same dimensions as the outgoing model with a length of 4,702mm, a width of 1,871mm (with exterior mirrors folded in) and a height of 1,499mm but brings more space for passengers and luggage, with a total cargo capacity of 1,630 litres.

In addition, the Sports Tourer comes with 40/20/40 foldable rear seats while the FlexOrganiser product range with side rails, dividing nets and various fastening options is available as an option. The Sports Tourer is also now offered with automated tailgate opening.

Inside the cabin, clever packaging means that the driver gets 26mm of additional headroom while passengers in the rear gain an extra 28mm.

Design elements have been carried over from the five-door hatch and use the latest version of Opel’s design philosophy, ‘Sculptural Artistry meets Technical Precision’.

Based on the latest D2 platform from General Motors, the new Astra Sports Tourer brings weight reductions of up to 200kg, contributing to its improved efficiencies.

The engine line-up runs from 100HP to 200HP, including an all-new 1.4-litre (150HP) ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo and the recently-launched 1.6-litre CDTi Whisper Diesel as well as the 200HP version of the 1.6-litre ECOTEC petrol. No economy details have been announced but Opel said that fuel consumption have been improved.

The Astra Sports Tourer also features Opel’s OnStar connectivity technology, which is now available across Europe and includes high-speed 4G LTE mobile network, emergency response notification and stolen vehicle recovery alert.

The Sports Tourer also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, available through a new version of the IntelliLink infotainment system.

Order books for the new Astra Sports Tourer will open in Germany on 10 October 2015, with other markets to follow.