Ford Focus vs Vauxhall Astra
Figures updated
The Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk4 (2018–2025) Focus and the Astra L (2022–) on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,530,173 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Ford Focus for more performance, or the Vauxhall Astra for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs.
- The Vauxhall Astra has the biggest boot: 422 litres, 47 more than the Ford Focus.
- Euro NCAP safety: Ford Focus 5 stars (2018), Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £82 a year less than the Ford Focus at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the exhaust and emissions on a Vauxhall Astra: it fails on them 1.4 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Ford FocusMk4 (2018–2025), 5-door hatchback | Vauxhall AstraAstra L (2022–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £27,495 to £33,995May 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 375 litres / 1,354 | 422 litres / 1,339 (best) |
| Length | 4,382mm | 4,374mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,825mm | 1,859mm |
| Height | 1,471mm | 1,441mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 85–280 PS (best) | 130–195 PS |
| 0–62mph | 5.7–13.5 sec (best) | 7.6–9.7 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2018) | ★★★★★ (2022) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol | Electric, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 35.8–70.6 mpg | 45.0–62.6 mpg |
| CO2 | 106–180 g/km | 43–142 g/km |
| Electric range | – | 237–267 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.5p a litre, today's UK average | £1,179 (49.6 mpg) | £1,097 (53.3 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,054 (64.2 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | – | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,054 (diesel) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 101Average | 99Average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 31.5% (best) | 33.8% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.4% (best) | 12.4% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.0% (best) | 17.9% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 34.1% | 32.8% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Position lamp (3.8% of tests) | Coil spring (5.1% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Exhaust and emissions (1.4×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 905,513 | 624,660 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| On sale | 2018–2025 | 2022 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 101 and 99, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?
They're almost the same length (4,382mm and 4,374mm). The Vauxhall Astra has the bigger boot: 422 litres against 375.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?
Comparing petrol versions, the Vauxhall Astra costs about £82 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,097 against £1,179), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?
Euro NCAP gave the Ford Focus 5 stars (2018) and the Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?
Pick the Ford Focus for more performance, or the Vauxhall Astra for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.