Vauxhall introduces Ultimate trim for Astra and Grandland X

Vauxhall has revealed a new top-of-the-range trim level for its Astra hatchback and Grandland X SUV, named Ultimate, offering a wide range of standard equipment on both.

The Grandland X Ultimate is only available with a 175bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox. The new trim adds adaptive cruise control, wireless mobile-phone charging, a heated windscreen, a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, along with LED adaptive headlights, a 360-degree camera system and a premium Denon stereo.

The Vauxhall Astra Ultimate gets a similar amount of standard equipment – in fact, the firm boasts that it’s “the most highly equipped Astra ever”. Kit includes 18-inch alloys, LED matrix headlights, LED tail-lights, tinted rear windows, sat nav and a full complement of driver assistance features as part of Vauxhall’s Driving Assistance Pack, including forward collision alert, traffic-sign recognition and lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance. A rear-view camera and blind-spot monitoring are also included as standard. Inside, the Astra’s interior gains perforated leather upholstery and sports seats.

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Prices for the new Vauxhall Grandland X Ultimate start at £34,040, undercutting top-spec versions of rivals like the Renault Koleos and Skoda Kodiaq by a few thousand pounds, but also encroaching into the territory of entry-level premium offerings like the Jaguar F-Pace, which starts at £34,775, albeit offering less standard equipment.

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The Astra Ultimate is priced at £24,935, placing it squarely in the firing line of the Volkswagen Golf GT and R-Line models, as well as lower-specced iterations of premium offerings like the Audi A3 Sportback.