2004 Vauxhall Astra Estate Photos, engines & full specs

Vauxhall introduced the fifth generation of the Astra on the British market in 2004 and offered it in a wide variety of bodyworks, including as a station wagon, which it called Estate.

Vauxhall had used the Astra nameplate since the late '70s for the previous generations of the GM's European compact hatchback. On the other hand, Opel started to apply it in 1991. As a result, the third generation of the mainland European Astra was actually the fifth in England. To simplify things, GM used an additional designation for these vehicles, using letters for various generations, and the 2004 model was the Astra H, regardless of whether it was a Vauxhall or an Opel. These cars were almost identical twins, the only difference being that the former was right-hand-drive and the latter was left-hand-drive.

The Astra Estate featured a front fascia with rhomboidal headlights swept back towards the front fenders. Between them, Vauxhall placed the upper grill adorned with a thick chromed slat at the top and a V-shape in the middle where the carmaker's badge sat. In the apron, the automaker placed an additional lower grille flanked by two side scoops that housed the fog lamps when optioned with them.

From its profile, the long roof version of the Astra H had the same body panels as its five-door sibling. GM didn't cheap out with the car and installed specific rear doors for the Estate than those used for the hatchback. Even if the car was mostly a regular family vehicle, the automaker blacked out the B- and C-pillars so the car could look like a shooting brake. The rearmost set of windows, next to the luggage compartment, featured a sloped-down section at the back, which amplified that sensation. Finally, at the rear fascia, the Astra Estate featured corner-mounted taillights that flanked the wide tailgate of the vehicle.

Inside, customers could find a set of front bucket seats separated by a narrow center console fitted with the handbrake, the gear stick, and a small storage compartment. GM considered creating an upscale image for the car, so it adorned the center stack with a silver plastic panel housing the black rubber buttons of the stereo and the HVAC system. Furthermore, the vehicle could be ordered with a navigation unit mounted above the center stack and integrated into the dashboard. In front of the driver, the Astra H Estate featured two large dials for the speedometer and the tachometer. Above them, in the middle, the automaker installed the fuel level gauge, while at the bottom of the instrument panel was a TFT display for additional information.

Under the hood, Vauxhall installed the same range of engines as in the regular five-door hatchback. The Astra was powered by either gasoline or diesel engines paired with a five- or six-speed manual. For specific versions, Vauxhall offered a four-speed automatic transmission.