Holden Cruze safest car under $25,000

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By George Skentzos | August 25th, 2009

The new Holden Cruze has narrowly outperformed its competitors to be announced the safest car under $25,000 according to a report released by the NSW Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, and the RTA.

Having earned the maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the Cruze scored a segment-leading 35.04 out of a possible 37 in ANCAP testing.

This ANCAP score is the highest of any vehicle in that price category, edging out its nearest rivals from Ford, Mazda and Hyundai.

The Ford rivals faired next best with scores of 34.46 and 34.44 for Focus and Fiesta respectively.

This is closely followed by the Mazda2 with 34.33 while the Hyundai i30 SLX rounds out the top five with a score of 32.54.

These scores are calculated by considering a combination of crashworthiness and standard safety equipment, with all cars mentioned receiving the maximum five-star rating from ANCAP.

Standard safety features for the Cruze include ESC, front and side airbags for both the driver and front passenger, side curtain airbags and front seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters.

Deco

I can see holden successfully marketing this.

Holden = masters of advitising and make a decent car to =].

When they move operations to Australian shoresand introduce the 1.4l turbo, skies the limit for this car.
Tentacles

No mention of any European manufacturers in the article. Maybe the headline should be safest HIGH VOLUME car under $25k…
Ranil

Umm, Tentacles – the article mentions both the Fiesta and the Focus – the former is manufactured in Germany and the latter in South Africa, but it’s a Euro design.

Don’t get me wrong – I’d still choose a Fiesta, Focus or Mazda 3 over the Cruze, because of their superior driving dynamics, but credit where credit is due – well done to the Cruze.
Tim

And what about the Subaru Impreza, that is also very safe, along with Golf. I really like the looks of the Cruze, very modern and edgy!
UK

Holden Cruze is just a rebadged-Daewoo Lacetti. It was designed by GM Daewoo. So its actually Korean, not Aussie.

Clued Up Aussie

…and you have no idea what you are talking about. Holden had “significant” imput into the design of this car. Ford and Holden both import their v8 engines amongst other components. Does that mean the commodore and falcon aren’t Australian too?

Tom

First the haters hated on the Koren import styling, well thats clearly not an issue anymore, than they hated on the interior, look at the Cruze, it has the nicest interior in its class by far, than they hated on the safety… well this speaks for itself.

Although the engine may not quite be up to its rivals standards, since when (up until now) has the v6 commodore ever had a better engine than the falcon? And it still went ok because of the complete package.

I see this car being very good for GM as a whole. Unlike GM US, Holden still has alot of customer loyalty behind it, i can see the advertisements now…
Deco

UK does it matter it is Korean. Everybody raves about Hyundai, it’s just that everyone wants holden to fail.

Anyway, why even say it is Korean… no body asked…
crouchy

UK – Geez thanks for the mail.. We know it is Korean and the target market seem not to care. If they would buy a hyundai, why not this?
Robin Graves

Maybe Holden is paying off ANCAP as well? Only joking… At least this car has something going for it, credit where credit is due.
whatefa

Thank gawd UK came along to enlighten us on the country of manufacture…
Tom

UK, i dont understand why just because this car is built in Korea, means it was designed there too? As far as im aware, both Holden and GM Chevrolet had significant input into this cars design, it just happens to be built in Korea, as it is a low cost manufacturer.
Shak

The only reason its built in Korea is because of cheap labour. UK your fears will be noted when Holden of AUSTRALIA build the car in Adelaide or Melbourne i think. Either way GM as a whole have come up with a world class small car and as reviews and even ANCAP have shown, it has what it takes to roll with the big boys(just not our petrol version).
Devil666

Wow Holden is really working ANCAP these days.

Matching Ford on the 5 star large car, and then scooting ahead with the Korean built multinational.

Fast times at GM Holden, and thank f*#$ DI and 6 speed auto showed up.
VBE

This is an OPEL designed car.
The same Delta II platform is used by the next-gen Astra and Volt/Ampera.
Because it’s GM’s new Global Compact Vehicle Architecture, most GM factories can be retooled to build variants of this platform. Korea and Australia included.

Please understand what you’re talking about before spreading misinformation.

BlueMan

WRONG!

The Opel version is designed on the DAEWOO developed Delta 11 platform, NOT the other way roung as the GM publicity machine wants you to believe.

BJM

Wrong – The DELTA 11 platform was conceived & developed by Opel – then handed over to the Koreans

Yanzo

it’s only as safe as the driver behind the wheel
Alex

Well good for them, but I’d still rather a lot of other cars over the Cruze. I’m sure that Volkswagen will jump on this too – to have a Korean car as the pinacle of safety over the Golf is a bit of a embarassment.
I can deal with it being safe, I never thought it wouldn’t be, but I may well throw my television off my balcony when I see the stupid Holden ads that tell everyone.
I wonder if the Megane is safer?
Minnow

woah, this actually has a higher score than the FG falcon score of 34.61 and hammers the VE commodore score of 33.45

Credit to GM.
Shak

VBE GM DAT designed this car and is unfortunatley building it. Holden and Opel had engineering input and that sums it all up. I think CA is limiting the number of posts on each article. Just visited an old cruze article and that didnt have a comments section down the bottom.
Andrew

The Lancer, when equipped with side airbags, is also a 5 star car. How does it compare?
http://www.littlepixiegifts.com.au Gift-Ed

Yep, credit where it’s due, it’s well built, safe car. It’s been criticised for being heavy, but here’s the upside to that. It just needs a decent petrol engine and a hatch to really take on Corolla in the sales race.
http://Caradvice.com.au Baddass

The ad will show a young mum holding her newborn as the narrator says ” the Cruze is now the safest car in its category” and show a picture of the crash testing. All the while that calm guitar is playing in the background a hoard of pictures of young people in Holdens wash past. Just my guess.
Toxic_Horse

Golf this, Golf that, seriously people are so blind!!!!!
Golf is not the pinical of quality, or anything really , the world has moved on, get a clue !!
Insider

If they had the ability to design such a safe car, you think they’d have the know-how to stop the horn from drawing unwanted attention everytime you lock the car and the control monitor from reflecting up onto the windscreen at night and the car from looking like a cross between an old model Aurion and a Honda Civc, and the enormous turbo-lag in the Diesel leaving you for dead at the traffic lights and th………..
davie

I’m no holden supporter but I give gredit where credit is due.

I think holden are on a real winner with this car. It seems to be winning accolades and sales. It shares a platform with some very good euro cars and is simply built in Korea to save costs.

I believe the petrol engine will be fixed in the next year or so. Other than that, the only thing that would stop me from buying one is typical awful Holden dealer attitudes and the as-yet unknown resale value.
max

I’m with you Insider, very hard to get the complete package from GM in the last 20 years.

As usual the drivetrain and motor lack any real quality. And its damn heavy.

Kudo’s for safety though, well done GM. I don’t mind the look of the Cruze, interior not to bad as well. Nice A – B appliance for the money.
DipStiK

Impreza R scored 34.66 and should also be in the list of below $25k drive away.
DipStiK

UK is getting a hammering about the mention of Korean built. I think about it this way : Quality issues aside, when you buy a Hyundai or Kia you know you are buying Korean. Many people are buying the Cruze thinking they are supporting Ozi car makers, they are NOT.

Clued Up Aussie

Another ignorant poster. Do you think Ford and Holden would be afloat if they only sold Falcodores? Wake up! Take a good hard look at the cruze and Focus because if the trend in large cars continues they will become our mainstream models from these companies.

pm

I think it is important not to tie safety and quality too closely together. The previous model Renault Laguna was the safest in its class when first released but was plagued with a plethora of quality issues.

I’m not saying that the Cruze will follow the same path, but from my own experience, when I saw one I didn’t feel the reassuring ‘thud’ when I closed the doors like the ad claims.
fishman

This is incorrect – the model Nissan Dualis beats it.

It scored 33.83 with ANCAP, and 37 with Euro NCAP – however it only scored lower with ANCAP due to the prelaunch info that it wouldn’t be specced with setbelt reminders in Oz. However the Oz Dualis does have these for all 5 seatbelt anchor points, so it’s true ANCAP score is 36.83.

And the new entry 2wd model is priced at $24,990 – take that Holden :p
Mazdaman

Credit where credit is due, well done Holden.
All of this safety is available in the cheapest base model unlike the toyota or mazda or hyundai where you pay for option packs or upper models to actually get the safety standards.
Last year when I was test driving cars I asked 2 mitubishi dealers about about a base model lancer with the optional side airbags, the first laughed and asked if I would wait 4-5 months, the 2nd said they had NEVER even seen one, whats the point of having a 5 star model when most of the lancers sold are only 4 star.
People obsessed with bagging holden for anything at all need to grow up and join the 21st centuary. (find something else to do while you are waiting for your BA gearboxes and engines to get replaced)

As for Korean quality compare it to the made in england Nissan Dualis. drive a dualis and see how many bits of the trim fall off durring your drive, the one I drove had a glovebox full of loose plastic bits that where falling off from all over the interior.
Adam

It is still sold as a Daewoo in Korea so I have no respect for this car. it looks terrible, esepcially the grill. I used to only drive Holden’s until the Daewoo debacle. Now I will not go near one. The new Astra is clearly better, why can’t we have that?

Clued Up Aussie

It would be 10-15 k dearer when it landed here for starters. The reference to Daiwoo by yourself and various others here shows a complete lack of knowledge about this car. It is built in a GM factory in Korea to keep the price down. It is not strictly a daewoo and you need to get over yourself. The sales charts worldwide show Gm made a wise move getting away from the European (expensive) products.

NacaYoda

Fishman: The driveaway price on the base model 2WD DUALIS is nearly $28,000. I wonder if the RTA are basing their $25,000 cut-off on driveaway pricing, thus excluding the DUALIS by nearly $3000 (8% over)?

ps. Being an owner of an Opel (2001 Astra)… I wouldn’t buy a Cruze simply based on past experience. They have a lot to prove before I touch a GM again.
Toxic_Horse

Adam
What is it about Korea that you don’t respect?
Are you trying to say that aussie built holdens have high build quality standards, please.
The commodore up untill the current series has had terrible standards of quality! Holden have always had badge engineered cars in there line-up since the torana and gemini so i just don’t quite get you’re point.
The Realist

Adam Says:
August 26th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
“It is still sold as a Daewoo in Korea so I have no respect for this car. it looks terrible, esepcially the grill. I used to only drive Holden’s until the Daewoo debacle. Now I will not go near one. The new Astra is clearly better, why can’t we have that?”

So are you saying VN to VZ commies were the pinnacle of class and quality??
BritCar

Seen a few of these around Melbourne and they look pretty sharp to me with high quality paint. Sat in one at the recent (disappointing..) motor show and the interior seemed good enough. VBE is correct – this is based on the platform of the new Astra. Reviews say it is very refined on the freeway. Once production is transferred to Aus and it gets the 1.4T engine should sell plenty.
Talen

I think this car will be the one to watch in 2011 with local production starting. Holden will be able to create more variants which appeal to Aussies, I wouldnt be suprised if they bring out one with sport suspension, sports trim and more power. I think cars like the Cruze will become the modern day family car. By the way the Cruze CD Diesel with 6 speed auto is a fantastic car for the money.
fishman

Mazdaman – agreed, credit where it’s due the Cruze has put safety high on it’s list of features and for that it deserves to be highly commended.

Must admit though it’s hard to resist having a dig at Holden when they’re so far behind the 8-ball in terms of what consumers want…the Cruze is a small step in the right direction, but several years too late, and overseas manufacturers continue to innovate while Holden stagnates
Talen

I cant see how Holden is not innovating..?? if you look at Honda, Nissan and Mazda. Holden is bringing out a lot more innovative products.

*Plug-in electric vehicle Volt will be here 2011
*Commodores have direct injection, 6 speed auto standard – Mazda 6 has conventional injection with 5 speed auto
*Commodore 5 star safety – Nissam Maxima has 4 star safety
*Cruze 5 star safety – Mazda 3 has 4 star safety
*Commodore more fuel efficent than 4 cylinder Mazda 6
*Commodores have option of E85 fuel next year
*Small Cruze available with diesel No diesel option for Civic or Corolla
*Small Cruze available with DI 1.4L 40mpg engine next year
*V8s have cylinder shutdown.
*LPG option on Commodore and Ute
*Sportwagon outselling every SUV in Australia
*LWB Caprice more fuel effiecent than the much smaller and lighter FWD Maxima.

And these are just off the top of my head.

Another_Person

Mazda has the next-gen SkyD and SkyG engines rolling out start of 2011.

Blows Holden’s inefficient fuel consumption out of Korea.

Btw Holden Commodore’s Fuel consumption is 11.6 litres/100km

http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/holden-commodore-sv6-review.htm

and Mazda 6′s is 8.8L/100km
‘
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/mazda6-review.htm

Please get your facts straight, L2google.

Another_Person

Mazda 3 has 5 star ANCAP rating btw.

http://www.ancap.com.au/results/332/

I don’t know where you get your facts from, but I’d suggest finishing Year 10 as a start.

fishman

When I see Holden produce a car like the new Citreon DS then I’ll be convinced they’re innovating – everything else (with the exception of the sportswagon) is just responding to what others are doing…
The General

These are selling up a storm, waiting list for most models.

The figures don’t lie, like it or not, it’s a safe car, end of story.

Still, i rather have the new Euro built Astra, but it will have to be sold @ Golf money and that’s to expensive and to small volume for Holden to compete in the under $25 range [Any more $coin$ and will be Commodore range]

Kip
DesignEng©™

VBE,sorry but you are wrong.
Yes the Cruze is based on the Delta 11 platform, as is the Astra, Volt etc.
However that platform was developed by GM Daewoo, with input from other divisions. GMH did developement work on the yet to be seen hatch/coupe.

But at the end of the day the Cruze IS Daewoo designed (engineered) and built.

Next year, if all goes according to plan, the hatch version will be built at Elizabeth, SA.

The crash rating is impressive, but then it is an all new ground-up design and it should be impressive. real world the differences to it’s listed rivals is nothing, but watch the Holden marketing machine flaunt it.

Clued Up Aussie

There are plenty of new ,ground up designs that didn’t match it for safety. So what’s your point?

Talen

No where else in the world could you get a passenger car based 4 door performance utility – the Crewman, that was pretty innovative.
No where else in the world can you get a passenger car based two door utilty with full monocoque body – the ute, that is pretty innovative.
No where else in the world can you get a factory fitted protection bar for animal strikes – the roo bar, that is pretty innovative.
No other company in Australia will be offering a factory backed plug-in electric car, that is pretty innovative.
Mazdaman

Talen
a couple corrections to the top of your head

the 4 stars for the Mazda3 are for the LAST model, the new model hasn’t been asesed by ANCAP but as the 2003 model was within a wisker of 5 stars it is a pretty safe bet that it will be 5 stars for the 2009.

and your claim of the commy being more fuel efficient than a 6 are just wrong, the 6 gets 8.8 or 8.9l/100km far better than the 9.3 the commy may get with the new motor next month.

but I do agree holden is innovative and doing a very good job in the current economic climate.
fishman

Thanks for the laughs Talen – never did I think I’d read “roo bar” and “ute” in the same sentence as innovative
DesignEng©™

Talen, you do realise that GM Australia (t/a Holden) copied the Ute from Ford Australia dont’ you?
DesignEng©™

^^ going by the votes some of the Holdenphiles don’t like or can’t deal with the truth.

1) Cruze & Delta 11 platform is engineered by Daewoo in Korea.

2) GM Aus. (Holden) copied the ute from Ford.

Facts are facts people, whether you wan’t to believe them or not.

dave

Lets not forget the crewman, and the cross8 or the Monaro. HSV Coup4 – very innovative. If Holden can be as inventive with Cruze as they were with the Commodore, we are going to be spoilt for choice.

http://www.littlepixiegifts.com.au Gift-Ed

DesignEng,

Actually the Delta II chassis was developed by Opel in Germany. Remember the Astra rides on Delta II. After the chassis work was completed the rest of the design was handed over to GM Daewoo.
Enzo

Talen said it was a ‘performance’ based ute with monocoque chassis, the orignal Ford ute was ladder on frame chassis and not a performance vehicle. Anyway I think what he was getting at is that Holden dosnt have to create a DS to be innovative.
DesignEng©™

Gift-ed that’s what the GM fans wan’t you to believe, but it’s not the way it happened.
GM Daewoo were the lead designers on Delta 11, with input from GM Europe. In fact most of what was done in Germany was done by GM Daewoo engineers, allbeit in the opel facility.

Enzo, the “performance” ref was the Crewman. Which BTW promised much but failed to deliver the sales – pity.

Shak

However in regards to the actual Cruze, almost all of th engineering work was done by Opel in Germany, and most of the interior and design was done by GM DAT in South Korea.

My Cars Called T-Rex

Horses for corses Talen,is it that hard to understand??
UK

To anyone who doesnt believe it was designed by GM Daewoo:

1/ Remember the Viva. It used to be sold here as Daewoo Lacetti and changed the name to Holden Viva later. And now the Cruze is the replacement of Viva.
2/ Still, it was introduced and now is being sold in Korea as Daewoo Lacetti Premiere last year, before the Chevy/Holden Cruze’s appearance.

Anyway, whether it is Korean or Aussie, I still love this car. Gonna buy a new one. Or the new Cerato.

Clued Up Aussie

Uf you are considering the Cerato, wait a few weeks. The current one is in run out and I suspect it may be about to get the 6 speed auto.

Mumble Duck

Uk, lay off it. All different sectors of GM had input in the development of the Cruze. That also includes Holden. It’s a world car.

Anyway if it was all built and designed by Daewoo, why would it matter!? Daewoo is owned by GM, get over it.
Mumble Duck

Oh, and good work Holden. Now, make the Barina a five star.
Lee

Holden and Kia smart move! It’s a win win for them. toyota better be worried….
Frenchie

Mazdaman, funny how they give one figure (combine fuel consumption) for the 6.
Also you have to run the 6 on the more expensive 95 octane to achieve that fuel rating!
http://skyline The Salesman

Oh please, it is the Australasian New Car Assessment Program. Not the Euro New Car Assessment Program. Asians build cars with no stars for safety and thinks it is ok.
Just about every other car with six air bags and ESC will get the same rating
tekkyy

Come on. Most small cars are 5 stars after you option for full airbags. That is all old news.
Its much quicker to name the exception, like Barina and Cerato.

Credit should be for Holden to have them on the base model.
Lifting the game, though not the first.

Hopefully Holden properly tune the Cruze for Australian roads when they make it here. Few manufacturers do and I hope they can lift the game!
Alex

Just to correct my previous comment, I remembered that the Golf is in fact not under $25,000 and it is actually safer than the Cruze.

Toxic_Horse, you wrote “Golf this, Golf that, seriously people are so blind!!!!!
Golf is not the pinical of quality, or anything really , the world has moved on, get a clue !!”.
I’m not trying to start an argument here, but how do you explain it winning world car of the year then? Not just over a host of other cars in it’s class, but over every class. Not to mention all the reviews that have praised it immensely. You’re also wrong in writing that the world has moved on because the Golf is selling in higher numbers than ever. If anything, more of the world is just moving on to buying a Golf.
Mazdaman

frenchie
the mazda fuel figure is a combine fuel figure just like the claimed figure for the new commy motors.
The Mazda6 switched to STANDARD unleaded fuel at the start of 2009 with the same economy and power figures
Andrew M

Designeng,
Not only did Holden copy the Actual ute thing from ford, but they have also copied the innovative things ford has put into the falcon ute over the years.

Holden copied the space cab, yes, the VE now gets space behind the seats like the Falcon introduced in early ’99

Holden copied the addition of a tray liner.

They also copied the addition of a factory supplied LPG system.

Better not tell Holden about the adjustable tiedown rail in the Falcon ute, that will be on their next Gen ute now.

dave

I am just glad Holden did not copy ford’s separate cab and tray styling. looked ugly with the AU and looks bad in 2010 with the FG.

Andrew M

Half a point out of 37 wont saway me.
As long as the thing is a Five star you can bet its gonna be safe.
many other players in this class have had 5 stars for yonks, so be assured that a purchase from the opposition wont exactlly be a death trap.

So we can conclude that the Cruze like the others will be a safe car.
Now we have to get down to other attributes, and for me, thats where the Cruze doesnt get my purchase
JEKYL & HYDE

INSIDER,i love a challenge,

grab a cruze.go “vehicle settings”"remote locking,unlocking”"remote lock feedback”"lights only”.PROBLEM FIXED!!!!!

Paul

thanks for that advice

Bluey

Mumble Duck Says:
August 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Oh, and good work Holden

But “Holden” had nothing to do with it.

GM Daewoo engineered the platform and designed the Cruze, so if anything it’s well done Daewoo or GM, but not Holden who only market the current car.
Falcodore

Since when is the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 competitors for the Honda Civi….er, i mean Holden Cruze?
UK

100% Agree with Bluey
gertsy

Interesting. I don’t know which How Safe is My Car website this George was looking at but he needs to check his ratings. Or is the class of cars he is referring to the ones he chose before he wrote the article. It’s not that hard to check facts when they are gathered for you..
dave

At the moment, the only small car out selling the Cruze is the Corrolla. The Cruze is a much better car (features and styling). I am sure when they are made in Australia, The Corrolla will get even more competition from the Cruze.

LessQQ

Wrong. Mazda3′s are also outselling Cruze.

April – Top 10 sales by model:

1. Toyota Hilux – 3419
2. Holden Commodore – 3165
3. Mazda3 – 3079
4. Toyota Corolla – 2829
5. Ford Falcon – 2763
6. Holden Cruze – 2514
7. Hyundai i30 – 2483
8. Hyundai Getz – 2192
9. Mitsubishi Lancer – 1912
10. Toyota Yaris – 1799
LessQQ

When the Cruze is Made in Aus, it’ll price itself out of the competition.

XR6

The Cruze is particuarlaly safe in the real world too, because its engine is completely gutless.

LessQQ

thats right!

u need to be moving to be in an accident

Dean

Rented one of these a month ago on a 400km trip to Auckland. This is fairly hilly part of Kiwiland. Was a 2,0l petrol CDX with a 6speed slushbox. Full of electronic fruit, nicely built and okay to look at but couldn’t overlook the lack of power and the harshness of the engine when you put the boot in (which you had to up the hills). Reminded me of a Seventies Holden Sunbird actually. And how safe is a car that an average height driver can’t adequately see out of?

Jabba the Hut

You rented the wrong one. You should have read some reviews first. The diesel is the only one worth having unless it is intended as a town car.

I drove the diesel and it was a good drive with heaps of grunt. I am 183cm’s tall and visibility was fine. Why couldn’t you see out of it?