The Astra Sports Tourer impressed everyone who drove it. In spite of having just 123bhp to call on, it took a respectable 19.2 seconds to tow from 30-60mph. It was stability rather than performance that earned the Astra so many plaudits, though. Our performance tester concluded that the Sports Tourer matched the stability “of some of the best models in the
top weight category”.

If the Astra scored ‘A+’ for stability, it earned a ‘B-’ in the hill start. The electronic parking brake held the outfit still every time, but careful balance of clutch and throttle was needed to pull up the slope cleanly. This was particularly true in reverse, when it was easy to stall.

The Astra also picked up solid scores from the practicality judge. There was space for all the holiday luggage, and though the car comes with a compact spare, the handbook says it can be used when towing.

The steep price is partly offset by big discounts and running costs are low, too. Expect 62.8mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 119g/km of carbon dioxide.

A few cars beat those figures, but none tow as well as the Vauxhall. That’s why it’s 2011’s Green Award-winner.