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Holden pulls back the Holden Astra and Viva to throw in a new challenger into the small-car market, which is now the largest new car segment in Australia.

Overall Summary

The Holden Cruze is set to be GM's new golden boy and they are not pulling any punches. Holden made a key decision to keep this one close to home, as they have planned to move full production of the Holden Cruze to Australia (they are currently being manufactured and imported from Korea).

The decision signals the level of commitment Holden is putting in the Cruze's ability to capture the local market. It also has some mighty big shoes to fill as it is replacing the much loved Holden Astra which was the second highest-selling small car behind the Toyota Corolla last year.

Currently the Holden Cruze CDX is available in the sedan model. The hatchback is expected to be released next year, once production in Australia begins.

Car Specifications

Price:         Manual - AUD$ 27,415  Auto - AUD $29,405

Engine:      1.8-litre Four Cylinder Engine (2.0 Turbo-Diesel only available for Holden Cruze CD)

Power:      104kW @ 6200rpm

Torque:     176Nm @ 3800rpm

Trans:        5-Speed Manual/6-Speed Auto

Weight:     Manual - 1380kg, Auto - 1415kg

Fuel Cons:  Manual - 7L/100km, Auto - 7.5L/100km

Safety:      5-star ANCAP rating, six airbags, stability control

0-100km/h:  N/A

What's Good

• Good value
• Solid fuel economy
• One of Holden's safest cars

What's Bad

• Pick-up is unimpressive especially in early revs
• Noisy engine
• Ergonomic issues with pedals
• Visibility issues during night-time driving
• No hatchback model available till next year

Features

• 17-inch alloy wheels x 4
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
• Traction Control (TC)
• Brake Assist (BA)
• Six airbags including (Front, Front Side, Side Curtain)
• Collapsible pedal assembly system
• Automatic headlamps
• 6 speaker audio system W/ MP3 compatible in dash CD, radio and MP3 functionality
• Cruise control
• Steering wheel audio and cruise controls
• Trip computer
• Power windows, front and rear
• Front fog lamps
• Leather steering wheel
• Leather appointed seats with heated front seats
• Rear parking sensors
• Body coloured door handles with chrome inserts
• Interior sports accents

Drive

Despite a respectable 104kWs in the engine, the Cruze felt sheepishly underpowered especially in the early RPMs in every gear change. It only takes a gentle hill or some hefty passengers in back to make you feel like you have taken the engine to its limits. A heavier foot only makes the engine squeal and yelp with no significant feedback. In the city you will see yourself lagging behind other cars at the get go of every green light.

The car seems heavily detuned to push fuel economy and it has taken the fun out of the drive. Once you do reach your sweet spot in terms of RPMs, the drive is a bit more satisfying, but keeping it there is a bit of a daunting task.

Price & Economy

Holden Cruze's r.r.p. is the big sell point for this car. You are looking at about $28,000 for the manual Cruze plus a further $3,000 for on road costs. Add another $2500 for the auto. With standard features like 17in alloys and leather seats this is a bargain and may be the root of its success.

Fuel economy is also solid at 7L/100kms for the manual and 7.5L/100km for the auto. A big green check for small car buyers, especially in this economic climate where less is always more.

Safety

The Cruze is one of the safest cars to come out of Holden's production line for some time. It has a 5-Star ANCAP rating which is the highest rating a car can get. It boasts six airbags, stability control, brake assist, ABS and traction control all built in. The beauty of it is that it is all standard on the model. Buyers will incur no extra cost which puts it a step ahead of its competitors that still put a price on the extra armory.

Overall Rating

3 out of 5

The Holden Cruze CDX is great in safety, solid in styling, pricing and fuel economy but falls short in the drive. The lack of response in early revs and noisy and rough engine will be big turn-offs for most drivers. We much prefer the Holden Cruze CD 2.0 turbo diesel in that respect which pumps out about 110kWs and a whopping 320nM of torque. The turbo diesel also has a better fuel rating of 5.7L/100kms, so if we were given the choice we would opt for the diesel variant any day.

The Cruze CDX fell short against its competitors in terms of comfort and drive and feels that it still requires some tweaking before it could reach its potential as a market-leader in the small car segment. It's does come close but we feel that this year is for Mazda, with their new model Mazda3 Neo impressing car buyers with its economy rating and new design it has already become the highest selling small car of 2009 so far and the second highest selling passenger car.

Holden Cruze Competitors

• Toyota Corolla
• Mazda 3

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