I wish some commentators here would stop making out GM is competent and worthy of saving or even deserves people handing over hard earned cash for its under engineered tatt. If they made a decent effort in the past you would give them a chance, but how long do you give them?

You can make a bad cake look nice with nice icing, to me it (Cruze) seems nicely painted and even reasonably well finished on TV, as a new model, but suffer the poor joker who buys it second hand or even third hand and the thing needs a full overhaul because of the poor components used or you might be lucky like me that the poor quality components were poorly screwed in and the thing catches on fire and you pocket the insurance and purchase something from a manufacturer who has an idea about quality.

Just because it is Korean, Australian, Brazilian, Thai etc does not mean necessarily mean poor quality, it depends on the core engineering of the individual company who screwed it together, GM is bankrupt and will sell you a camel if it could get away with it. I pity those who think it will last, its not the first time people have baught cars by a dying car maker and found the first few years OK, after the warranty expires the tune will change, GM are known for their top shelf warranty programs – NOT!!!!!

I agree 100%, just look at the sales comparisons, the safety rating of the all round model ranges of all car makes from Korea, not to mention fuel economy. Daewoo is the lesser of those makes, Kia released the Cerato (TD) which does look really quite nice, has really good fuel economy, which is supposedly 6.1Ltrs/100km. Hyundai have the semi-new i30 (SLX), despite it’s lack of power (which is still more than the Cruze) is still a nice car with really good fuel economy 9.3Ltrs/100km. Both of these car makes are leagues ahead of Daewoo. The only reason GM wants anything to do with them is because they are cheapest thing they can get, and make a profit on.

And yes I am aware that having said that, the Cruze’s fuel economy is also 9.3ltrs/100kms, but I’m sticking with what I said, as it is across the whole model range from those car makes. That and the Cruze’s engine size is smaller than the comparison.

Wheels: ….Dodge; Elfin; Ferrari; Fist; Ford; FPV; Holden; HSV; Honda …. No! No “GM” listed there

Top Gear: ….Dodge; Ferrari; Fiat; Ford; Honda; Hyundai…. No! no “GM” There either

I mena Fuji Heavy Industries aren’t a car manufacturer However; they own Subaru which does make cars and is a recognised Marque…. That is my Point

You CAN by a car with a GM badge on it, in fact all of GM’s cars sold in the US wear the GM excellence badge.

Or are you just trying to pass of your opinion as Fact as so many other people on this site who love to Bag Holden do?

Therefore if the “Enemy” are deprived of their Transport [Holdens} they will most likely resort to stealing cars belonging to the Victors.. which means that you could lose your Lexus BMW Merc-Benz etc

Mike please… Buying this foreign made, foreign owned car will not benefit Australia anymore, then if you purchase a Great Wall Motor car or a Benz…

BTW, Anyone got news on Astra’s future?

Do I want one? well no – I can afford more, but buyers in this price range should look with an open mind.

Bagging it just because its sold by holden or just because it made in Korea is narrow minded and out of touch with the state of the car industry in 2009.
Open you eyes and join the 21st centuary.

The point I was making was that, in the UK the cruze is a focus sized car for fiesta type money. That’s its edge in the market. It is priced like a Kia.

Here the cruze is focus sized car for focus type money.

Competition at the $20k-25k price point is fierce.

While reviews have praised the car’s interior features, the lack of independent rear suspension and the poor engine (petrol at least) are disappointing. Obviously there are some reasons to choose it over the competition, but the point I’m making is that for the UK customer, the cruze is the equivalent of a $19k car, not a $21k car which it is here.

Obviously the market will have the final say, but if it does not work I want Holden to realise why this one hasn’t worked and change their approach accordingly and not throw their hands up in the air and say “The market doesn’t want a car this size. Let’s build another commodore derivative.”

Not only because GM are going to sell Opel [or at least have a 20% share in the European car company if the Magna deal goes ahead] and the Insignia is one of the best cars in the current GM Line-up..
But also because the Cruze is being built in at least 3 other countries; including Korea – where its cheaper for Holden to import cars from than it is from Europe.

However; at least the Cruze Hatch will ensure Holdens future in Oz for at least the next 10-20 years.

News Flash: The buying public will decide with their wallets…THAT is the ONLY thing that matters to any car company, Holden included, and all your whining and sour grapes amount to zilch zip nothing but pungent odour sucking up bandwidth

enjoy

Anyway I’m waiting for the Australian made Hatch.

It’s hard to get a proper price off the web because of the brands dragging their heels on proper pricing, but looking through wheels mag has:

Focus CL – $20,490
Cruse 1.8 CD – $20,990
Mazda 3 Neo – $21,990
all prices not including on roads.

anyway, the point I was making is that in the UK it is priced significantly cheaper than those seen as competition here.

In the UK it is priced as a Daewoo. Here it is priced as a Holden