2003 Holden Astra Coupe 1.8L 5MT FWD (125 HP)

Vehicle Overview

While families were searching for station wagons or five-door hatchbacks to suit their needs, the younger audience craved sporty vehicles like the 2005 Holden Astra Coupe.

Holden introduced the Astra nameplate in its inventory in 1984. That car was a rebadged Nissan Cherry/Pulsar and was a five-door hatchback affair. The second generation, unveiled in 1987, added the four-door sedan body style. Starting with the third sequel of the Astra saga, GM switched to Opel/Vauxhall platforms produced in Belgium. On the following version, launched in 1998, Holden added the three-door hatchback to the range, making its young audience smile. However, only the fifth generation came with a proper three-door, low-slung bodywork that made them happy. Furthermore, since it shared its underpinnings with the rest of the Astra range, its production and running costs were kept low.

Designed and engineered in Germany for European customers, the three-door Astra became an instant hit thanks to its sporty look, peppy engines, and low prices. GM’s design team created a fresh, youth-oriented front fascia for the 2005 Holden Astra 3 Doors (Coupe). They had a rhomboidal, swept-back shape and flanked a rectangular grille adorned by a chromed horizontal slat. On the lower bumper, the automaker placed a broader central air intake that improved engine cooling and flanked it with a pair of scoops that housed the available fog lamps.

From its profile, the low-slung bodywork featured an even more raked windshield. The coupe-shaped greenhouse had a slightly sloped roofline towards the back, where a tilted forward tailgate adorned by a roof spoiler ended the car. To further emphasize the sporty character of the car, the automaker penned the window line with a half-circular shape, even though it reduced the rear three-quarter visibility for the driver. The flared wheel arches created a muscular look for the car, and that applied to the entire range, even on the lower-powered versions. Furthermore, the 2005 Holden Astra three-door featured plastic side sills that adorned the rocker panels. Unlike its stablemates, the coupe was fitted as standard with alloy wheels across the range.

Inside, the rounded-shaped, two-tone dashboard was carried over from the rest of the Astra range. The instrument cluster had large dials for the speedometer and the tachometer, as well as a gauge for the fuel level. In addition, the automaker installed a small display for the car’s onboard computer. On the center stack, the 2005 Holden Astra three-door had the stereo and the HVAC control panel. Customers could get a navigation system with a color display as an option. At the front, the automaker installed tilt-forward bucket seats, while those seated in the back benefited from a split-folding bench seat in the back. However, due to the sloped roof, headroom was an issue for full-grown adults.

Under the hood, the car manufacturer installed a range of gasoline engines paired with five- or six-speed manual transmissions. In addition, the 2005 Holden Astra three-door was available with an automatic gearbox for specific versions. For the SRi grade, which was powered by a two-liter turbocharged gasoline powerhouse, the car featured adaptive dampers that could be controlled via a button on the dashboard, which stiffened the chassis.