There is normally just one reason for opting to buy an estate car – space. Vauxhall has come up with another one – style.

The sleek Astra Sports Tourer certainly offers a much greater ability to swallow up everything a family could reasonably throw at it. But, just as importantly, it does it while looking even better than the hatchback on which it is based.

With prices starting at more than £16,000, this is no cut-price entry into the compact estate market. So what do you get for your money?

First, as you would expect, it comes with a decent level of equipment. All models in the range are equipped with an electronic stability programme, six airbags, air-conditioning, an electronic parking brake, daytime running lights, front electric windows, a CD/radio with connections for MP3 players, central locking and electric/heated mirrors.

But it is the cleverly packaged loadspace that is the main attraction. The maximum load length has been increased by 28mm over its predecessor to 1.8m, and its load volume is up by 30 litres to 500 litres with the rear seats up.

All those statistics boil down to a thoroughly useful, easy-to-load, versatile vehicle that proves perfect for moving large, long, wide or awkwardly shaped objects. So a large IKEA table and wardrobe slipped in the back without fuss.

The cargo area has flat wall linings and the upmarket test model came with a new FlexFold feature that allows each section of the 60:40 split-fold rear seatbacks to be lowered at the press of a button housed in the walls of the cargo compartment.

In addition, with the rear seat cushions folded up against the front seatbacks the Sports Tourer has a completely flat load floor.

The whole area is covered by a two-touch luggage compartment cover, which slides upwards and out of the way with a simple tap to load or remove smaller items. But for larger loads the cover retracts completely into a cassette, coming to a soft stop. When not needed, the complete assembly can be removed and stored below the load floor of the cargo space.

On top of that, there is also half as much again storage space dotted around the cabin as in the current Astra estate.

All this thoroughly worthy practicality is wrapped inside a surprisingly classy exterior, combining a tapered exterior profile, falling roofline and prominent ‘blades’ set into the sides of the car.

Despite its increased load-lugging ability, the tourer rides as comfortably, and handles as sharply, as its five-door hatchback sibling. It keeps the same wheelbase, front and rear tracks as the hatch and has also carried over the steering settings.

The test model, powered by the 125 horsepower version of the 1.7-litre diesel engine, promises more than 60mpg on the Government combined fuel consumption cycle, though I could only manage an average of 50mpg with a mix of commuting, country roads and motorway driving.

Options on the test car include a £525 towing pack; an £855 satnav system with a seven-inch colour monitor; £160 DAB digital stereo radio and a £220 Bluetooth mobile system, that pushed the total price towards the £25,000 mark.

The last bit of good news is the Sports Tourer is being built solely at Vauxhall’s plant at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

Auto facts Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer CDTi SE ecoFLEX

  • Price: £23,195
  • Insurance group: 15E (1-50)
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 62.8mpg
  • Top speed: 120mph
  • Length: 469.8cm/184.9in
  • Width: 181.4cm/71.4in
  • Luggage capacity: 17.6 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 12.3 gallons/56 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 119g/km
  • Warranty: 100,000 miles