Could the next Vauxhall Astra really look like this? The STX Concept is an electric estate bucking the SUV trend

Vauxhall has taken the covers off its Sports Tourer eXperimental (STX) concept, which could set the path for the next-generation Astra estate.

Revealed on the eve of the Paris Motor Show, the STX Concept goes against the electric SUV trend.

Instead, it's attempting to rekindle demand for more traditional – lower – cars with massive boots.

It's also the first car to feature the brand's new Griffin emblem, which has been refreshed to appear more striking when illuminated as more brands introduce back-lit emblems to stand out.

While details remain thin – this is a concept car, after all – we do know that it uses an all-wheel-drive electric architecture and will be able to achieve a top speed of 124mph.

Vauxhall says the STX EV symbolises 'the next stage of Vauxhall's design philosophy' – and is bolder, more efficient, more emotional, and purer than other STs.

While reimagining the electric estate car, the STX features the latest evolution of the Vauxhall Vizor – the brand's front fascia.

On the STX, the Vizor is taller, more prominent, and bolder, and there's a new, angular, vertical lighting signature which moves from the outer edges of the Vizor towards the centre.

The new illuminated Griffin emblem sits in the middle here and complements the sharp, sporting front design.

The rest of the STX is shaped into a flush, aerodynamic, clean estate with a sporty and futuristic rear end and a steeply sloping profile, with C-pillars, glass light strips, and a roofline that all extend backwards.

The rear lights have the same vertical element as the front.

While people might appreciate the silhouette of the STX, most drivers will surely dislike the cameras that replace the door mirrors – a modern twist most motorists can do without.

Focused on aerodynamics, the STX Concept not only has short overhangs, sculpted bodywork, and three-section alloy wheels, but it also features an active aerodynamic system which continuously adapts to driving conditions.

A cool feature of this setup is that, at the right speed, blue-coloured diffusers extend from beneath the rear, while vertical elements behind the wheels move outwards to support the streamlined profile.

> Why has Britain fallen out of love with the Astra? It now drives better than ever, says ROB HULL, who spent a week with one

In the future, when the interior is revealed, it will apparently develop Vauxhall's 'Painting with Light' approach – already introduced with the 2023 Vauxhall Experimental and the 2025 Vauxhall Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo.

Specially developed lightweight seats and immersive lighting elements will light up the inside.

That's all we know for now, but members of the public will be able to ogle the STX Concept in Paris from Monday.

And for the rest of us, Vauxhall has said that the STX is 'more than a show car', as it 'previews the future development of the estate body style and introduces design elements that will appear on future Vauxhall models'.