2009 Holden Barina Review

By Matt Brogan | December 02nd, 2008

Holden Barina Review & Road Test

Safer, better looking, but stuck in a time warp

Model Tested:

2009 Holden Barina TK9 1.6-litre, four-speed automatic, five-door hatchback – $17,990 (RRP)

Options:

‘Style Pack’ – ABS & Alloy Wheels $1,190 (Fitted); Metallic Paint $400

Suits City Driving; Looks Good; Four-Star Safety Rating
Cheap Interior; Storage Space; Child Seat Anchor Locations

CarAdvice Rating:

- by Rose Harris

There is no denying the fact that Holden has come under heavy criticism in the past for its woeful two-star ANCAP safety rating on the TK Holden Barina.

The new version, the TK9 (Model Year 2009), has seen Holden rectify its safety sins and double the star rating to four and kudos must go to the manufacturer for taking responsibility and improving safety of the small car.

However, it seems to me that the added two safety stars are where the improvements begin and end, and that the Holden Barina appears stuck in a time warp, especially when lined up against its competitors.

Let’s talk safety improvements to begin with. The body-shell has been enhanced with three clearly defined load paths to absorb impact and offset front-end collision as well as support the entire structure of the passenger cell over a larger area.

As well, high-strength steel has been used to reinforce the B-pillar and side impact airbags are now fitted as standard. With these added safety features, the Holden Barina has come up to par with its competitors in the safety stakes – finally.

Despite the long list of safety improvements, I was still left feeling somewhat underwhelmed when I took the wheel of the new Barina.

It certainly doesn’t feel modern and the plastic’s cheap feel is quite prominent. I found myself constantly questioning why you would shell out good money for this when there are so many better options on the market in the same price range.

From the outside, the Barina looks good, it has the city-slick persona and it’s silver side air vents and front grill fit in with Holden’s new range and it looks, well, deceptively modern from the exterior.

Inside however is a different story. Holden have attempted to pretty up the insides by adding a silver trim along the dash and doors, but there is no hiding the budget feel of this vehicle.

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I admit, it is inexpensive and you can only expect so much for the dollars you are shelling out, but having driven quite a few of the competitors, it seems as if Holden just isn’t able to stretch that dollar as far as the others can.

There is minimal storage in the front, just a glove box; I like lots of spaces to put bits and pieces. Although they took a bit of finding, there are two cup holders which slide out from the dash and in place of the driver’s side above-door handle is a little pocket to keep sunglasses which is a clever idea although mine didn’t fit.

Something about the Barina just felt like I had stepped into the 1990s. Maybe it was the automatic gearshift on its long skinny shaft and the clunking nature of it changing through the selections, or it could have been the cheap-sounding indicator.

I will lay it on the table and admit I was once a Daewoo Matiz driver – and I was having flashbacks! Not surprising given the new Holden Barina is based on the old Daewoo Kalos and Daewoo, even masquerading under its Holden run title of GM-Daewoo, isn’t exactly known for its luxury rides.

The seats are hard and uncomfortable and there is no footrest for the automatic driver. There is also no risk of information overload with the instrument panel providing the bare essentials.

However, back to basics can sometimes be an advantage with things like the fuel door release and bonnet release easy to find and use. The Barina does have power windows and mirrors which makes life easy and the mirrors are heated to ward off morning dew. The air-conditioning too is effective and reasonably quiet.

Visibility is quite good, and I didn’t find too many dramas once in traffic however the A-pillar is a hindrance at pedestrian (zebra) crossings, seemingly in the perfect position to obscure those on foot.

The six-speaker stereo has reasonable tone and clarity offering a six CD tuner, auxiliary outlet and MP3 compatibility. The steering wheel audio controls include mode, seek and power (mute) but I found it a little strange that the volume controls are located on the side of the other controls, effectively putting them behind the steering wheel.

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This type of small hatchback isn’t designed for family living but I thought I’d give it a shot anyway. The TK9 has three child-seat anchors fitted but two seats would be maximum capacity and there wouldn’t be much hope of fitting a passenger between two child seats across the back.

The positioning of the anchors is quite frustrating as they are located on the inside lip of the boot which means pulling anchor straps across the small load space.

I could just fit my three-wheel pram, after removing the wheels, but the anchorage location meant I had to load the pram, and then anchor the child-seats over it, which meant constantly undoing the anchor straps whenever a large item needed to be taken in or out of the boot.

The boot’s 220 litres of storage would hold a load of shopping, but not a lot else and it was near capacity with the pram.

I was surprised at the rear legroom, it was more ample than I expected but that will always depend on how far forward or back you have the front seats.

In the driving department, the Holden Barina’s 1.6-litre engine is most at home zipping about the city. The 76kW of power is seemingly ample in most situations though with only 145Nm of torque, it is a touch sluggish when fully loaded. I also found Barina takes a good while to get the revs up, but once in top gear (of which there are only four) it coasts along without a problem.

Also, and this may have just been the car I tested, but I found the steering wandered a little at speed and I was having to constantly correct it. The brakes too are also a sticking point for me; I really needed to stomp down on the pedal to come to a complete stop, which could be a little disastrous if you were not expecting it.

ABS is listed as a factory fitted option, an extra $1190 for ABS and 15-inch alloy wheels combined as part of the ‘Style Pack’. Not sure why ABS is classed as ‘Style’. On the upside, parking is no problem for the Barina; it swings into any space available.

Another box the small car has to tick in the competitive segment is fuel economy with cents being watched now more than ever, and the Barina almost succeeds in the area at 7.6 litres per 100km, which is good economy by general standards. However, something such as the Honda Jazz can flip those numbers around and offer 6.7L/100km – worth considering.

There is no doubt the Barina is a cheap little number with the three-door manual hatch starting at $13,990 and that combined with the lion badge will be enough for plenty of buyers to not look any further. For me it just falls short in too many areas and doesn’t stack up against the competition.

CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:

Pricing:

Holden Barina TK9 three-door hatch $13,990 (M); $16,790 (A)
Holden Barina TK9 five-door hatch $16,290 (M); $18, 290 (A)
Holden Barina TK9 sedan $16,290 (M); $18,290 (A)

Specifications:

Engine: 1598cc DOHC four-cylinder (16 valve)
Power: 76kW @ 5800rpm
Torque: 145Nm @ 3600rpm
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Driven Wheels: Front
Brakes: Disc (F) / Drum (R) – (ABS optional)
Top Speed: Not Tested
0-100km/h: 13.7 seconds
CO2 Emissions: 182g / km
Fuel Consumption: 7.6 litres / 100km
Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
Fuel Type: 91 RON Unleaded
ANCAP Rating: Four Stars
Airbags: Dual Front & Side
Safety: Seatbelt Pretensioners, Safety Cell
Spare Wheel: Full Size Steel
Tow Capacity: 750kg (Braked)
Turning Circle: 10.0 metres
Warranty: Three Year / 100,000km
Weight: 1,131kg (Tare)
Wheels: Alloy 15″ (As Tested)

Road Test the Rivals:

Jimbo

Still not worth it considering the quality of it competitors.
I find it both amusing and horrifying that ABS is an option that just happens to come with the alloys. How the hell did this car get 4 stars with no ABS?

I also find it an interesting phenomenon that not many people bought this car as a Daewoo, but now that it is long in the tooth and sporting a misleading Holden badge they are forking out the hard earned.

To all those seriously considering this carn as your next, take a good look in the mirror, slap your self once or twice and then head on down to a Honda or Mazda Dealer!
Jimbo

^^^Sorry carn = car……What the! (n) is not even close to (r) on the keyboard???
Shane

My fiance sold her model Barina/daewoo (after me pushing her to do so) and purchased a new Ford Fiesta. Best choice ever. The Ford is SO much more advanced in all areas, it craps over the Barina.

Holden has alot of work to do here.
Baji

I totally agree with you Jimbo. Why would anyone even consider the Barina with so many other quality competitors out there? Mazda 2 or Honda Jazz anyone? Even the Swift is better than this. I’d even go as far as to say i’d consider a hyundai over this.
http://skyline The Salesman

I have (with in a stones throw away) all the small car competitors. Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Ford and Holden. Lately we have seen a huge swing towards the $13,990.00 car. Holden are starting on the back foot by only offering a three door for the same price as a competitors five door. Will the Holden badge help it?
Ezz

The writer gives Holden kudos for improving safety…did they really have a choice?

****
http://integra Greeny

Another rap car from Holden……the kings of crap cars !! How the hell can they put their name to these cheap and nasty and still unsafe cars? Why the hell would anybody buy this Barina or Captiva or Epica ? The cheap interior not only runs through these Daewoo cars but spills over into the VE Commodore as well…..cheap and nasty black plastic which looks old after 6 months. The on road manners of these cars is so far behind anything else it is just not funny…….do Holden engineers drive any other makes of cars to do comparisons ? I guess they dont …..
Tyson

I work next to a Holden Dealership, and its scary to see all the girls jump out of Daddys or Hubbys SS comodore, walk in and buy one with out opening the door of a mazda 2, yaris, micra etc etc etc, Blind faith is the reason these sell.
realcars

Holden have a lot of history in this country and people still trust them to produce cars best suited to our conditions.
realcars

All the cars in this class are cheap and nasty and that is why they are cheap.How tacky is the interior of the Yukis for example.I wouldn’t get too excited over the Mazda 2 either.

Moral of the story should be if u have to buy one of these class of go cart u are better off using public transport i.e take the bus.LOL.
http://www.littlepixiegifts.com.au Gift-Ed

They did a very good job of updating the front, changing it from barely passable to quite modern and attractive. Same goes for the safety. I guess that’s where the GM budget ran out on this last of the line model.

Probably better to put the money into the all new replacement as this would never be a class leader no matter how much they tinkered with it.

At least it is acceptable rather than a road hazard now.
Genie

I had a mate buy a Barina to replace his crapped out VS Commodore, solely because its a Holden, without testing any other cars. To say I was stunned would be an massive understatement. Anyway, he currently rues that decision big time. Most cars, even if they are outclassed by their competitors can claim a victory in some way, whether its price or boot size or insurance cost. The Barina doesn’t even manage that, in no measurable way is this car better than its competitors. Hats off to you Holden, thats quite an achievement.
Martin

You people need to think about the type of people that buy these small cars. Usually young drivers that are buying their first or more likely second car so for the most part they have probably been driving some old 10-15+ year old car, right.
For all you people saying these small cars have “cheap and nasty” interiors, in comparison to cars over $26,000+ sure, but that is far out of the budget for the people buying their first or second car.
So the interiors of these small cars would be and improvement on the old car that they were driving previously.
Even if they decided to throw in lashings of leather and what not to try and please you people, you would then complain about the price. So stop the whinging, please.
http://skyline The Salesman

Is it a legal requirement to make the customer aware of where what they are buying is made. Were electrical, cutlery, home wares and merchandise you buy are manufactured? Next time you go to Big W or the like you can turn anything over and see were it is made by way of a little sticker.
Even when you go food shopping you will see, and sometimes favor what you buy based on where the product was made.
Should car manufactures do the same thing? Would it have any relevance? Would you not buy a car if you knew where it came from?
Frenchie

Bring back the Corsa as the Barina. It sell in the UK from 8000 pounds that includes VAT. Yes I know Holden didn’t make any money from the old Barinas but what car maker does at this entry level.
Alex

Realcars, that’s just wrong. The fact is that most superminis are actually very good to drive and one can’t complain about cheap interiors in these cars when 30 and 40,000 dollar cars also often have cheap interiors. I’m looking at you Commodore and Falcon.

There used to be a thing in Britain where if you bought, say, a well specced Fiesta and you paid a lot for it that “you could have had a proper car for that much”. Well, over time the majority of superminis have become proper cars. Fiesta, 2, Polo, Swift, Micra, Yaris, Clio, 207, Jazz etc. This is not one of them. This is one of those cars like a Camry where you look at the person driving it and think “well, they didn’t go past the badge, did they?”. It’s the same with this car. You look like an idiot driving a new Barina (in fact you look like an idiot driving any Holden these days) because it is the worst in class and it shows you didn’t look around. As for three and a half for looks? I don’t see it as this car simply does look like a cheap and nasty Chinese car.

In this exact price range, get a Getz (for another $1,000 less on a good day), a Micra (Automatic 5 Door with 6 airbags, ABS, Alloys etc. for over $1,500 less than a 5 Door automatic Barina without the ABS and alloys etc.), a Rio which is much better proportioned in it’s looks or anything else your bank account will allow!

tony

your too funny guess you never did your homework..how tall are you 4 foot..sure gutez micra you say are better pull all legs..let see the micra ,be lucky to fit my poodle in the front seats width horrible as for the getz..looks well your blind as well..i not a holden man really..but i know.i tested and driven the getz the barina and the yaris i hate the gear change in the yaris bring back the cable..can not see out the front too hood at all and dearer 1.3 ltr.the getz looks horrible drives worse than it looks..the barina ok to drive price good looks fine bit cheapish.but what you idiots expect for 13990 a turbo..how many of you morons writing here actually even like a holden i can tell you i hate fords but i do not bag the cars because i do not like the badge..every one here has there opinon on what they like not whats the best or the cheapest..i drive for a living funny how i never seen a barina on the side of a road no matter the age.. but plenty of fords out there believe me..i wonder how many morons here have a stereo and buy a sony or panasonic or yamaha etc.buy a denon or marantz or nad pay the big dollars for quality.ha ha !!bet you all buy asian cheap..same goes with cars..cameras houses .does your house fall down that you buy a devine..get a life and buy the car that suits you not bag what you do not understand..you all must be the same guys that baged the astra made in belguim.morons i say get a life or become a engineer..

Alex

Frenchie, bringing back the Corsa is the obvious idea but you pay 8,000 pounds for a 1.0 3 cylinder engine and unfortunately, the stuck-in-their-ways Australians (i’m sorry, but a lot of you are) won’t go for an engine that small.
KC

So for exactly the same price (17,990) you can have either a 2009 Jazz 5 speed Auto, or a 5 door auto hatch Yaris. HMMMMMM I sure want me a re-badged Daewoo over those two. The Jazz being widely regarded as the best car in its class.

What an awful car.
Frenchie

That’s true Alex, but one can only hope that they bring it back.
Tyson

Actually the 5 door Auto yaris is only 15990 Drive away atm, now thats a cheap car!
Crouchy

Put this next to the previous gen XC barina and i tell you which one looks more modern. There is nothing modern about this styling. It is clumsy and just looks crap. This isnt worth the money and you will lose half of it as you drive out the showroom door…..

Unfortunately there is too much far better competition and this is just left for dead. That interior is disgusting and everytime i see someone driving one of these on the road I just feel sorry for them as they have obviously been sucked in somehow.

No wonder Holden dealerships are closing. I can sell ice to eskimo’s (its my job) but if I was forced to sell this I would be changing profession.

I would go as far to say that this bulls*** from Holden is unethical and something should be done about selling these cars to people who are blind to their issues. (young girls im guessing?)

Its a shame that holden has come down such a dark road. Selling cars that they know are terrible. Producing cars which no longer stand the test of time (I have a series 2 VY).

Something needs to be done at that company. It needs to be turned around. How will it happen? It simply wont. All these issues stem down from GM and unfortunately that crisis is far from gone.

Selling poor quality cars in other countries just to move numbers may work in other countries but knowing Australians, this will come back to bite GM/Holden right where it hurts.

Cheers,
Crouch
Jimbo

^Martin^
Think before you speak (type) mate. For the same money they could get a Honda Jazz, or a Mazda 2! That is the point most people here are making. For the same money you can do ALOT better. Hence Holden is selling second rate Daewoo crap. FACT!
Jimbo

^Alex^
LOL don’t waste your breath with Realcars. I’m pretty sure I have had a back and forth with him for the same attitude before. His name says it all, closed minded and stuck in his own way of thinking of fuel guzzling cars that are making less and less sense by the day as they can’t even offer their size as a selling feature anymore e.g. why buy a Falcon when you can get a Diesel Mondeo instead.
My father was the same until he spent the day driving around in my 207. He is not exactly a changed man but he freely admitted that he really liked it and could see the sense in the not so small anymore cars. My folks have since exchanged one of the Falcons for a Honda Accord Euro and are planning to buy a small car to replace the other. Moral of the story; maybe the likes of Realcars will see the light and only buy a car like a Falcon if they really need it, not just as the statuesque.

LOL spam word “falcon”
http://integra Greeny

Alex……..i hardly think the FG Falcon has a cheap and nasty interior, in fact, it is much better than it has a right to be, outdoes cars double the price.

The VE has plenty of crappy black plastic so I guess the Barina-woo is just following the family tradition !!! its not just the materials that make a cheap interior its the ergonomics as well…….something which Ford seem to be very good at and Holden are very poor at.

tony

greeny ha ha !! you ford lover you full of it
if you read the papers and news you will see that falcon will no longer be and be replaced by a asian front wheel drive..you think i lying mate.why in the hell you think your supetrcar drivers wincup and so moved to holden..your fords are in the past soon..then where you go..i know buy asian ha ha !! like everyone else..why you think bmw and so comming to supercars ,someone has to compete with commodores.its not ford soon enough mate so get over it and welcome to the real world of cars asia.. ha ha !!oh yeah i not asian either its fact..i know squeeze yourself in a new micra or or jazz.thats a way to get people to loose weight in australia..

Andrew M

I know real cars just copped some back lash,
but im gonna agree that all cars in this class are tacky and cheap.

sure some might be slightly better than others, but only SLIGHTLY.

I know someone who owns a Getz, and someone who owns a Barina ive been in, driven and travelled in the back of both back to back.
i can easily say the barina is better than the Getz.

the barina seats arent as hard and upright as the Getzs, nor does the barina interior seem as cheap.
i was more dumbfounded at hearing of what the Getz owner shelled out.
ive been in many other small cars aswell (but not back to back with each other), and none seem to be miles in front of another

fair enough some only have a sub 20K budget, but ever heard of a second hand car???
i would much rather shell out 18K (or whatever) for a decent 2nd hand car rather than put my dollars on a half baked car from this class.

you can also keep your mondeo, because ive also done the Mondeo and Falcon back to back gig, and i sum up in sayint the Mondeo isnt a falcon replacement.

the mondeo has far less shoulder room, and the seats and cloth arent near the quality of the falcons.
the falcon also has a far better centre console, comfort and ergonomics
Golfschwein

4 stars is at least acceptable. The rest is horribly lame. I shudder just looking at the dash board.

Why does Holden think so little of us to offer this?
Bavarian Missile

Its a chicks car………..well one below the age of 25 anyway,do they care ?

I dont know,you pay for what you get I guess !Hang on 17K ? mmmmmmm If it was my daughters car I was buying in another 9 years I would be looking at a good Euro low k car for that thanks!
Steve

I have just ordered a new Barina 5 door which I pick up next week and couldn’t be happier with my decision. I only wanted to spend around $16,000 and took the Barina for a test drive and was sold, it’s got the most space, features and good performance in city traffic. After shopping the other brands and finding some either too expensive not offering the same value feature for feature, I chose the Barina.
After hearing the Barina now has a 4 star safety rating, it vindicated my choice.

Susie

Oh hey Steve,

How did you go with the Barina? We just put a deposit on one yesterday and I’m sorta freaking out at all the reviews… I didn’t do my homework before we went to the Dealership… anyways, how did you find the car overall? I’m not looking for performance or class, it’s just for my mum who drives at 60 km/hr MAX… she never speeds or does anything outrageous with it…. just hoping it’s a good decision….

Tom

I think its decent for the money, people compare it to the Jazz and Mazda 2, lets consider those are 5 grand more expensive, this isn’t a bad choice for those on a very limited budget.
Bavarian Missile

Um type in Used cars at Drivedotcomdotau spend up to 20k and check the list out…………a Barina,hahahaha,yep thats my choice !268 pages of cars up to 20k………Dont think so Tim !
Selena

Hey guys, some of you are not the target market for the Barina, so get over yourselves.
I own a Barina and absolutely love it.
You can’t beat it for the price and features.
It has plenty of space and rides well around the city and has plenty of zip in and out of traffic and isn’t that what most people buy this sort of car for ?
I would certainly recommend the new Barina.
Andrew M

Golfie,
i say the same should be asked of most of the other exhibitors in this class.
this is just what can be mostly expected in a 18K car. the competitors dont differ too much.

this car totally goes against what i like.
im far from a holden fan, and far from a small car fan, but the reality is most of the barinas competition is just as bad.

Im with BM,
go buy a 2nd hand “real car” if you dont have the loot for a brand spanker decent car.

also dont ask me why mid 7L’s a K gets a good plug.

be buggered if ill downgrade myself to one of these for a saving of 2L/100k
Bavarian Missile

Selena as I said its a chicks car,but worse than that its aimed at none knowing chicks that think that a 4 star safety rating is a winner ! Its a piece of crap if you have ever driven anything good in your life,second hand low ks more grunt more features less warranty probs and better resale,yes please.

Zip in and out of traffic…………hahaha you can do that in loads of others for that money.

As I said my daughter wont be driving anything that resembles this junk in 9 years, even a good demo,a Pug is a better option than this ,some people know nothing about cars though I guess and thats whom they aim this junk at!
Andrew M

the main thing that annoys me about the barina is what has already been touched on.

when the same car was sold here under its own name, no one bought them and daewoo were forced to leave our shores.

then GM buys them and holden brings them here to sell them to blind people.

the stories of people buying them because they wear a lion bagde are scary but true

once again if you were buying for the badge or brand recognition, the “beep, beep” segment does less for your cred than buying a “less coolerer” badge

tony

looks like andrew knows not alot about holdem gm and barina.for a start it was made first in australia,then went to opel belgium then to korea daewoo..daewoo does not exsist any,more it is owned by gm usa..let me give you some education for people who know nothing..gm as you all know were going down,the government forced it to sell some assetts.opel was first to go that made astra barina vectra.can andrew here and everyone else..fiat bought opel fiat also part own dogde jeep etc.why you think holden had to move these cars from opel, asta has stopped comming into australia vectra stopped 2 years ago barina is made in gm daewoo in korea by order of gm usa..holden had no choice to move cars out from opel to give gm usa the market to build..same with the new cruze..why you think holden would stop all astras to australia their best selling small car and leave the worst selling small car barina..its all about money and who owns who
..just like mazda and ford.for now looks like fiat owns most of the cars in the world well usa anyway..so before you bag a car you have no idea about learn and listen..hold on buy a small car from ford all made in india and africa.they making your car while they starving..hold on.. morons here are saying australians can not build cars.they always bagging the cars..

tekkyy

shocking safety
4-star ANCAP yes, but barely at 24.89
(32.49 is 4-star ANCAP)

2008 Barina 24.89
2008 Mazda2 34.33
2008 Yaris 34.95

and not surprisingly
2008 Getz 25.35
http://pirelli topdog

Cant belive holden still wont to sell crap cars you would think that thay would go for some thing way better which would not be to hard but i spose holden are buying those dawoes so cheap there making good money from crap why stop now
Aussiecar

I dont think holden really have much of a choice here. They cant source there small car from europe like they used to because its just too expensive. And with GM as there parent company they need every dollar they can to stay alive.

I think you will find alot of people who are looking at buying these type of cars have 2 main concerns, the price and how it looks. And what you get in a barina as standard kit can only really be matched by the Getz. There is a market for these cars.

Holden need to start working on a local made Epica replacement. Thats the size cars that is selling at the moment. And a local made Torana that can take a 4cyl and a 6cyl is really what they need right now.

Until then Im not a holden fan, Im a Commodore and Statesman fan.
zahmad

“Holden need to start working on a local made Epica replacement.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself!
zahmad

Tool Holden factories up to build the Cruze and the sexy Insignia!
Wheelnut

Holden need to start working on a local made Epica replacement

As mush as Id lieke to see a small-medium sized car [TT-36 Torana] being built at Elizabeth [and there are reports that Holden are considering such a project] I can’t see it happening anytime soon

Given that tariffs are due to be reduced to 0% [or close to it] by 2010 it will be even cheaper for Holden to continue to import either the Daewoo or even switch over and start importing Opels.

That’s not to say that when tariffs are 0% that the price of imported cars will also decrease – as many people on ths site seem to think.. if anything they will increase particularly if the aussie dollar falls further
Bavarian Missile

If I had to but a new car in the bottom end of the market it would be the cheapest possible,junk maybe but they all are in that price range,you dont service this stuff you just drive it till it dies.
Wheelnut

Thing is Andrew M if you look at the so called class leader the corolla and how bland and boring its entry level model is.. the other cars in this class don’t really have that much to aspire to aim for in terms of reaching the benchmark.

Not only that but Toyota have just announced that the price of all its imported cars including the corolla will increase next year which could make cars like the Getz and the Daewoo more popular given that most people who buy these cars are often on a rather tight budget.. and mightn’y ba able to afford the extra $1,000+

Me I’d go for either a demo model Pug 207 or VW Polo
Alex

To all those people who say that absolutely no car in this class is good quality, I know it’s expensive but the Mini is very good quality and is technically in this class.
Jimbo, I think you and I share the same opinions. I completely agree about the Mondeo an good on you for driving a 207 in a country that seems to be so biased towards unnecessarily big and ugly sedans. I drove a new Falcon Turbo (can’t remember the exact name for it) the other week, not because I would ever consider buying one but because everybody keeps writing how good the new Falcon is. All I can say is that Australia builds and drives second class cars. It was horrible compared to the Mondeo XR5 that I also tried that day. Loads of body roll and god it’s ugly. And the Falcon interior is cheap feeling and looking. The centre console on the one I was in was all black and shiny. It made me feel uncomfortable and out of place and I couldn’t wait to climb back into my rented BMW X5 which is a car that I’m not even a very big fan of.
Alex

Oh, and to Selena and Steve, the Nissan Micra is zippier around town, safer, cheaper for what you get and more spacious due to a higher roof line and a bubble shape. Even when the front seats are all the way back, you can fit four six foot people in a Micra. Plus the whole car is a whole class ahead of this as far as quality goes. You would also get better reliability and I know not everybody likes the Micra’s look but this is hardly an Aston Martin now is it?
Noel

Wheelnut is right, Holden will design and build a new small car for Australia to be built on the same production line as the Commodore, due around 2011/2012, about the same time Ford will start building the “overseas” designed Focus.
The next car on Holden’s radar is the European mid-size Opel Insignia, which could land on our shores sometime next year to sell along side the Epica and give mid-size car buyers a choice, just like the Astra/Viva small car situation.
Yoho

WTF is with this car. More inferior offerings from Holden. It\’s not even in the middle playing ground. A refresh to bumpers and lights cant hide this lemon. Why cant we have quality Euro models like the Corsa? If Ford can do it, Holden can.
http://integra Conrod

Alex….you obviously DIDNT drive an FG Turbo the other day. Because if you REALLY did drive one you wouldnt have said “heaps of body roll, cheap looking interior, ugly….etc…….because anybody who knows anything about cars (you so obviously dont) totally agrees that the FG is a great car. So just get back into your cheap and nasty Holden and go away……
silky

Thing is wheelnut I bet the corolla still sells even with the price increase,I guess “bland and boring its entry level model is” has been in for a while now..
Mazza

Why would you pay 16290 for a 5 door Barina hatch, when you could pay 19990 for a Mazda 3 Neo Sport. Stretch the budget a bit, when it comes to to sell or trade you will be wishing you didn’t touch the Barina, and you get a far better car as well.
Duckula

I look at my little 2004/5 Opel Barina and smile everyday… even more so when I pull up next to a Crapwoo Barina…
Big_End_Bearing

Alex, considering you didnt even know the model of Ford you were driving (it was either XR6 or G6E turbo) your comments on how it drove are totaly irrelevant. Saying that the car you drove was “horrible” compared to the Mondeo xr5 just defies belief. You seriously wouldn’t know a good handling performance sedan if it slapped you in your naive and ignorant face.

From your tone, you obviously have a strong bias against Ford and this new FG. You would have blastered the FG even if it was a Mondeo XR5 but badged as a Falcon. Why do you think the turbo variant has just won Carsguide car of the year, and every other review as you stated notes how good a car the FG is?

Can I invite you to get out from behind your computer to visit Holden or Ford HQ to tell the engineers face to face that they produce second class cars? Because you obviously know better then they do about how they should build their cars right?. Im sure the chasis engineer would love to hear your comment on the “loads of body roll”.
Stevo the Devo

Giving kudos for bringing in a 4 star car when they previously had a 4 star car and replaced it with a 2 star s#@theap is like giving Martin Bryant kudos because he hasn’t shot anyone lately. For the price you could get a decent second hand car and be a lot happier with the result. Although i’m a blue oval man myself, I can sympathize with the holden fans having their beloved icon plastered all over these cheap and nasty piles of crap. Park one outside the Holden factory at Elizabeth, SA and see how long it will last before someone takes a baseball bat to it. Shame Holden Shame!!!
Bret

Noel,
Mate you are wrong. Holden WILL NOT DESIGN a new medium sized car here. They WILL more than likely BUILD one here.

Search news.com for “holdens 4 cyl fightback”.

Unfortunately IF it happens it most likely will be a simple facelift to an existing Opel or Daewoo model.
Alex

To Conrod, I obviously don’t drive a cheap and nasty Holden as I have said in all my other comments how horrible this car is and I know an awful lot about cars thank you very much. It was an XR6 Turbo I drove because it had a cheap and nasty spoiler on the back that I don’t think the G6 E has. I do not have bias against Ford actually. I love the Mondeo, the Focus, Fiesta, Ka, Kuga and although I don’t like the look of the Falcon, from the reviews I had read I was fully expecting to blown away. I was not. It was rather ordinary.
And I know very well what a sedan with good handling is like. I know what the M5 is like, the 159, the 3 Series, XF, Quattroporte – I could go on. The Falcon was just a bit too numb.
Is it possible the one I was driving was wrong? I don’t know. I didn’t particualrly want to drive another one so I didn’t. I know what body roll is and that car had it.
As for cars guide car of the year, how exactly did that car deserve to win over the XF, the 135i, the Accord, The EVO or the A4. I’ll admit that some of those cars were just never gonna win but the ones I just listed, especially the Jaguar, BMW and the Mitsubishi are definitley better than the Ford and the Audis a better all rounder.
http://integra Conrod

Alex…..as i said before you DONT KNOW WHAT A GOOD CAR IS if you think the FG XR6 Turbo is crap like you say. YOU DO NOT KNOW MUCH about cars if you have this view because you SO SO wrong !! Too late to say you dont hate Fords because you DO hate them if you cant see the FG is a great looking well engineered car……..so go away. Go to the Holden blogs where you can wank over bogan Commodores to your hearts content…….Bye Bye !!!
http://integra Conrod

Alex……Heard the news? FG FALCON XT won the BEST LARGE CAR AWARD …….and it was praised for its handling and road holding quality interior safety(5 stars of course) performance fuel economy ……..need I go on? There you go ALex…..show what you wrote about the FG is TOTAL CRAP !!!! lol LOSER ALEX !!!
Alex

Actually Conrod, I hate Holdens with a passion. I’d still rather a Falcon about a thousand times more than a crappy Commodore but the Falcon is hardly the 5 Series competitor people are trying to crack it up to be. And why don’t you go away, I’ve been commenting on this website for a long, long time and I hadn’t seen your name until a couple of weeks ago, unless you’ve changed it from something else. I don’t think that you know all that much about cars considering you seem to think the Falcon is the best car in the world. It shows that you’re not very cultured in the cars you have driven. And by the way, it’s funny how it starts winning all these awards just as sales are seriously lowering. I’m just saying.
Alex

Oh, and Conrod, are you fourteen years old by any chance? Not many people of a driving age would write thing such as loser, lol or do repeated question marks to try and emphasize something. Just a bit childish no? And of course the fact that you appear to be getting mad over the fact that I don’t like the Falcon.
Neol

Ahhh, Bret you are wrong. I didn’t say Holden were building a medium sized car here, but a “small car”
What I did say is Holden is evaluting importing the Insignia medium sized car next year and building a small car the year after.
Please re-read my post carefully….and slowly.
Peter

Actually Alex, I own and prefer the Commodore over the Falcon anyday, and so it seems do most Australians.
Don’t give in to these 14 year old trolls
Wheelnut

Holden are getting the old Vectra assembly line [at teh other end of the fatory] ready to build a small car – possibly by 2010.. Hopefully the Insignia will replace the Epi-crap
TomTom

Hey guys, just read up on the new Ford Fiesta the other day, and guess where that will be built ?
To all you Ford fanboys out there knocking the Barina, standby for the Holden boys to get you back……..
STAY TUNED
Bavarian Missile

TOMTOM your a tooltool………..

You trying to tell us its getting built in the Daewoo factory????????

Holden ,Ford …..who cares,the Barina is crap in any ones eyes if your a true car lover. Even Holden lovers hate the piece of junk!
http://integra Gudgeon Pin

Peter…….No..most Australians dont really prefer Commodore over Falcon. Nearly all Commodore sales are FLEET sales where it doesnt matter if a car has a crappy engine and transmission and crap plastic interior because they just thrash them and give them back. And its obvious they are not selling many because they are shutting down the line for an extra month. This is the prelude to the end of Holden…….
http://integra LSD

TomTom The difference between a Barina-woo and the Fiesta is that the Fiesta is a good car regardless of where it is built. The Barina-woo could be built in any factory in the world and it would still be crap because its a crap car anyway.
http://integra LSD

Holden WILL NOT build a small car in Australia because they have invested all their money in the Commodore. They simply cant afford to tool up and make another car. This is just Holden media diversion to take the focus (No Pun intended) off Ford building the Focus here in a few years. Holden dealers are shutting up all over the place…..isnt it great !!!!1
JEYKL & HYDE

mr pin,

how you doing dingo???
Peter

Ahhhh Gudgeon Pin, maybe if you bothered to check the facts you would know then that 85% of Falcon sales are to fleet and 70% of Commodore sales are to fleet, so which ones sell better to private buyers ?

And which one sells much better each month again ?
Noel

LSD, you are wrong, Holden is building a small car in Australia with a budget of $500 million and it will be designed here, unlike the overseas designed Focuss.
And for those that can’t wait, the Fiesta is being built in a crappy factory in Thailand, so should we start calling it the “Fiesthai”
I wouldn’t buy one of these 3rd world built crappy Fiestas either, at least Korea ain’t a 3rd world country hahahahaha
Ezz

Noel…didn’t think anyone could get confirmation from Holden regarding their small car plans. To be honest I figured the speculation was another Holden marketing exercise, as when journos have tried to get confirmation Holden couldn’t come to the table.

Take your word for it as I presume you are an insider?
o

why get this hunk of junk whne a mzda 2 or getz are years ahead.the barina is the commodores grnada and if i had a choice i would go and buy a second hand XC barina instead of this.MY major concern is wtf holden is doing. when daewoo left chevrolet shoul shave been introduced for this rubbish then holden could keep the euro modelds and seel them for a premium and become more of a honda company.But as they didnt do that in the next 5 years holden will have 3 deisng languages.. Korea [chevy in USA and europe]…Europe[opel/vauxhall in europe.Saturn in the USA] an then commodore [holden in oz pontiac in USa] so holden will be selling beatuiful insignias and caprices alongside barinas and vivas.
Shane

Just for the record, Holden faired better in sales last month than Ford.
Holden sold 4400 Commodores and Ford only sold 2600 Falcons.
Holden is also reporting good business this month with their price reductions, with some models hard to get.
Barina sales have also increased which reflects the improved safer model being released at $13,990 driveaway
Devil’s Advocate

Take away fleet sales and you have the Corolla in front with the Mazda 3 just behind. So when people spend their OWN hard earned money, the Commodore isn’t Australia’s favorite car.
WRT Ford building the Fiesta in Thailand. Don’t forget the Honda Accord (non Euro) and the majority of our commercial utilities are made in Thailand and not all of them are of dodgy quality. The quality of the finished product will be dependent on how ‘fussy’ the parent company is on what comes out the other end, not due to where it is made. With the Barina I guess GM are happy to let a car of that quality being shipped to the dealers…
The Commodore and Falcon, while not world beaters in quality etc, are good, solid cars considering the size of our market and represent outstanding value for money and are something we should be proud of. However I would never buy either of them because they do not suit my current situation.
Wheelnut

Devils Advocate: WTF? the only real reason the Corolla is currently in second place just behind the VE Commodore is because of fleet sales.. the majority of which to rental car companies – some of which turnover their fleets more often than government departments.

If you want to talk private sales… I would say that going by sales figures over the past coule of months that more and more private buyers who are looking for a hatchback are buying either Mazda 2/3s Ford Focus or VW Golfs as they look better; offer more features; better performance and are just as sanfe and reliable as the Corolla which is supposedly the benchmark for the Hatchback sector.

The Corolla used to be Toyotas “bread and butter car” but they have lost focus and in that time its rivals have closed the gap and in some areas they have overtaken it
Golfschwein

Why should you not take fleet sales into account, Devil’s Advocate? It’s like saying your favourite footy team was beaten on the weekend just because the other mob kicked more goals.

So unfair.

If it’s soccered through, it’s still a goal.
Wheelnut

Exactly Golfie car companies and dealerships are prepared to do almost anything to get a sale…and if that means offering extra [optional] features at no estr cost or massive discounts so be it..

I mean a mate of BMs Brother recently bought a Voodoo VE SS Ute [having been for a ride in BMs brothers SS Ute].
When he was in the dealership placing his order; the Salesman said “what do I have to do to close the deal?” the guy said “18 cases of Pure Blonde in the back”. The salesman asked his manager came back and said Okay….deal”
Bret

Noel,
Please read the following quote from GM-H:

Mr Reuss was confident the GM GLOBAL platforms could be used by Holden in an economically viable way to produce a competitive vehicle. “It could be done in Australia in a cost-competitive way,” he said.

Don’t expect an Australian designed small car to be built here. What you can expect is a locally facelifted, probably Korean designed (engineered), small car built here.
Devil’s Advocate

I’m happy with the bite I got!! I thought the name would give it away! I am just giving another perspective which some blinker wearers on this site are too naive to accept. The Corolla, even after taking away fleet sales was still the biggest seller in the last survey I saw. It is just there are more fleet Commodores. I think including non-fleet sales as well as total sales is a valid tool that should be made more public. It can assist you in choosing which car you may want to buy as cars used in fleets generally have poorer resale values. Just look at the resale of a Commodore Omega!
Nic

You people need to stop complaining…This is the modern world. The next barina/aveo/corsa/gentra will be designed by holden and opel mainly and be built in Korea. Korea now makes good cars and as you can see with the captiva its a well built car. Holden has done a good job at imrpoving the Barina. With upgrading the saftey to 4 stars and infact this car appeals to young people very well because it is affordabel and stylish. And now it will appeal even more including their parents. This current Barina is really only a tempoary car and expect to see the next generation late next year. Plus may I aware you what would you rather have your child go out and get for their first car, a beaten up old Toyota with a 1 star saftey rating or a brand new Holden Barina with a 4 star saftey rating and is just as relibel. I think we should be great full that car companys are trying to make affordabel cars for every one.
bencong

igot a sv6 and at the same time got a $13990 barina for my wife as i didnt want her to drive my sv6.guess witch car had all the warrenty problems and was an absoloute pig to drive and had a cheap and nasty interior?why the sv6 of course i have never owned such a peice of crap as this car.i now own a mazda 6 very nice.and the barina well it just gets on and does the job it was designed for to and from work and shopping.not 1 warrenty claim and a build quality not much below the $40.000 sv6.not great to drive but at $13990 its never going to be a drivers car.has holden lost the plot?after 7 months of owning that sv6 i would say yes.
http://www.blogdinner.com Patrick

For what it is, it seems pretty reasonable ecconomically, although I don`t know the specific details of it all. Seriously though, check how badly crammed the poor sod`s gonna be who has to climb into the back seats…Hope he`s not anywhere above 5 foot cause if he is, time for a leg amputation.
Bret

Nic, are you really that gullable, or think that others are?

The next barina IS another Daewoo.

Holden had nothing to do with improving the Barina from 2 to 4 stars – it was Deawoo.
Bret

Noel,
Told ya so!

Daewoo designed 4 cyl to be built at GMH Elizabeth.

Only minor cosmetics and “localization” changed for Aus.
Merc Lover

I Had a ford KA pice of crap all $18,000 had it for 5 year and it fell apart around me traded it in on a wonderful 1985 merc 190e with 159,000 ks on the clock.
and what wrong with it after having it 18 mths now a Big Fat 0 and all it cost me wast $5000 and yes the parts are cheep for it to.
there is not one thing wrong with after 24 years of being on the road. i have alway had new cars, but i would have this is by far the best car i have ever had.
i know one thing that most of the cars that cost 4 or five time thats will not be as good as in 25 years time.
franz chong

one only has to read European Motoring Magazines or Check Out Pictures of the Opel Corsa in the Car Rental Parts of Travel Brochures to Britain and Europe to see where Holden went wrong going Daewoo to replace the XC series Barina even before it’s replacement came out in Germany.
marie

i just bought a barina and loving it. the safety features of every car now a days is an advantage. I been driving for 14 years with my old car that doesn’t have all those features now and never had an accident. I’d say no safety features can replace a safe and sensible drivers. And I say wherever the car is made if you dont take care of it youll have lots mechanical problem with it. So my suggestions, have it service regularly and dont pust it over the limit, youll enjoy it for a long time. By the way my old car wes a korean made so i got no problem getting a barina.
Opel Corsa

I have Chevy Aveo Limited Edition 1.2 SE 4 Airbag ABS 90 HP in Turkey, but here, they are from Germany and also have the exact quality of Opel technology. The price you wander is 25.000 Turkish Liras that equals to $24.000 .Comparing to Volvo, Merc, BMW, yes, its a piece of crap I agree with that but to people who have limited budgets, quite ideal car, where all cars take you where you wanna go. I also agreee to what Marie is saying driving sensibly saves you. I pay $ 5.00 dollars for per gallon, the worlds most expensive fuel. Aveo is the ideal small car you could get.
Byron

Holden Barina is attractive from the outside. Better than old model. Interior not too bad. Epica takes 1st in that. Overall not a bad car. Next one hear within a year. Go Holden!
austman69

it is a sad day that i purchased a new 2009 holden barina but what a relief to get rid it
after many countless battles with holden and the dealer i have given up in disgust and sold the thing
problems at 1000km replaced throttle control sensor 2500km replaced complete rear axle assembly then never ending battle with the dealer to fix the steering as it was a real country car wanted to go bush all the time finally fault was mm sort of corrected at least i could drive in a straight line .hey i dont drink
all front steering bushes need to be checked
when reporting a knock in the motor the answer was oh holden are aware of this problem and are working on a fix for it but just keep driving
gearbox syncros well enough said
fuel economy forget it 8.5li per 100 from a 1.6li thats not ok
the barina is a poorly built car with very little quality control and
holden should have put a bit more thought into the handling, noise control and economy

judd

intersting – my steering going a bush, i thought it was just me! hmmmm def look at the Dualis now

http://BadBarina Jason

I have driven only less than 15km straight from Booran Holden Dangdenong and this crap car need to get service and change a new computer.The problems is the engine idling is high about 2000rpm. Still happen on and off,I think it need a nation wide recall .
Neradene

I purchased my Holden Barina in October last year i have had no problems with it love driving it and love the interior there is so much room for a small car and its a 5 door hatch automatic and my first service went all fine it runs great and i currently have it up to 10,000 kms i couldnt ask for a better small car. I looked at the cheaper range of cars that were on offer and opted for the Holden Barina as i got great deals with the dealer ship and found that i mostly liked this car in all the features it has in regards to the other smaller cars i have no idea if there better or worse but i think in this whole regard it really is your own choice those ppl sitting here having there little opnion well everyone is welcome to it becasuse people might just say hey what car do you have oh that’s shi* just deal with it god not everything is PERFECT if you dont like it then fine it’s not going to change anyones life holden dont give a shi* idiots…

cfc

A bit of punctuation goes a long way. That did my head in reading it!

You could’ve done much better with a Getz. Safer and with a better warranty.

Neradene

Your a joke! Biggest Loser i have ever come across!
http://www.facebook.com/trev.saw -Trev Saw

MM ..so many comments , Im a bloke, an older fussy one and yes I did get one of these over the getz as a second car, you guys might be able to fork out 2 or 3 grand more but this is not too bad a car at a great price.Fitted new tyres(factory ones were crap) reg serviced no probs with 2008 3 door.
graeme pittman

I happen to own a “cheap and crappy” 04 Daewoo Kalos sedan,which was purchased new,its got the old 8 valve holden donk and may be a bit cheaply made, but it has never let me down in 6 years, has a huge boot and is larger inside than a getz or a yaris and keeps me dry on the way to work,these cars may have theyre critics,but value for money cheap transport you cant beat em.I would buy the korean barina model to upgrade, because i have had a really good run with this one.
most people compare them to more expensive cars,these thing are white goods for the road,made to to a job well and reliably and thats what mine does.
judd

I wish i read these comments before i bought the 3 door Barina – but i did upgrade from a 1989 Honda – great little car, very dissappointed with no storage except glove box, my sunglasses dont fit in the sunglass holder – must be for driving glasses, when i put the back seats up they are unstable as they fell onto my dog – good points, love the pop out back windows, stero system good but not a 6 stacker cd – the servicing cost is astronomical at Holden – in all i am pleased with the car and the dog sits on the front seat now
James

I want this or a Barina spark whatever is cheaper.