2016 Opel Astra Sports Tourer wagon revealed for Frankfurt motor show

Earlier spy shots had revealed more than a little of the new wagon’s shape, and of course the June unveiling of the new hatch offered buyers their first look at the next-generation Astra design.

Today’s unveiling reveals the extent of the styling connection between the two body styles, with much of the hatch’s overall look carrying over to the new wagon.

The Astra Sports Tourer wagon does away with the hatch’s wraparound-styled gloss black C-pillar, however, replacing it a chrome garnish that dips down and through to the outer edge of the tailgate.

As a practicality-focused offering, the Astra wagon promises 1630 litres of storage space when the 40/20/40 split rear seats are folded down, compared to a 1550-litre capacity in the previous model.

Despite the significant increase in cargo-hauling capabilities, the new Astra Sports Tourer is just 4mm longer than its 4698mm-long predecessor.

As with its hatch sibling, the new wagon benefits from significant weight savings, with the shift to General Motors’ evolved D2 platform cutting around 200kg from the new model’s kerb weight.

In Europe, the Astra Sports Tourer will be offered with a range of small petrol and diesel engines, including 1.4- and 1.0-litre turbo petrol and 1.6-litre turbo diesel options. Power outputs range from 73kW to to 147kW.

Neither of the new Astra models has been confirmed for Australia, although it is widely believed that the hatch, at least, will make its way into the local Holden line-up in the not-too-distant future.

As it did with Opel’s short run in Australia, we might also see the Sport Tourer wagon join the hatch in the Holden range - likely as a replacement for the Cruze wagon.