- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.6i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
76kW, 145Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Holden Barina
Holden's decision to import the new Barina (plus the Viva, a Corolla competitor) from General Motors's Korean subsidiary Daewoo, and rebadge it as Australia's own, might have outraged some purists but it gives it an immediate and decisive price advantage.
Most small-car buyers couldn't care less where their car comes from as long as it's perceived to be good value.
Hyundai proved that in 1994 with the $13,990 Excel.
Eleven years on, the 2005 Barina hatch, a rebadged Daewoo Kalos, costs only $12,990 for the three-door, or $14,490 for the five-door.
It supersedes the European-sourced Barina, which got the flick because it didn't make Holden any money.
The company claims to have had significant engineering input into the Daewoo-built replacement. "We insist that any imported vehicle bears the same driving characteristics as local cars," Holden boss Denny Mooney says.
That's a worry. If the next Commodore, due in 2006, drives like the Barina, Ford is going to sell a lot of Falcons.
Three doors or five, the Barina is available in just one specification level, with a 77kW, 1.6-litre engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic adds $2000.
The three-door's generous standard equipment list belies its rock bottom price.
Air-conditioning, a six-speaker MP3-compatible CD player with wheel-mounted audio controls, power front windows, heated power side mirrors, two front airbags and remote central locking are included.
Extra touches in the Barina, absent from some more expensive cars, include a full-sized spare wheel, a height-adjustable driver's seat with tilt-adjustable head restraint, side opening rear windows and wrap-over rear-seat head restraints.
Interior fit and finish quality is reasonable - the test car stayed squeak and rattle free - but dated styling, shiny synthetic upholstery, a thin plastic steering wheel rim and a sludge grey palette remind you how little you paid for the Barina each time you climb into it.
Daewoo ran last in industry analyst J. D Power's 2005 Initial Quality Study in Germany. Lest you think the Germans went for a home town hero in the top spot, first place went to Toyota, a habitual winner of these contests around the world.
Daewoos have a reputation for giving their owners grief. This won't change just because there's a Holden badge on the tailgate. While you can forgive many sins on the back of a cheap price, poor reliability and a tendency to fall to bits within a few years are not among them.
The Barina and Viva may, or may not, be more reliable and durable than previous Daewoos, sold here bearing their own badge until 2003.
The 1.6-litre engine goes hard enough but under acceleration it sometimes runs roughly, failing to pull consistently across the rev range, occasionally stuttering and surging on a light throttle, or when you lift off.
It becomes abrasive and raucous near the top end, flares when you change gears and is completely joyless.
It does generate quite strong torque at low revs, so you can get along OK without having to thrash it and highway cruising is a reasonably easy affair.
The gearbox is notchy and loose, with vast distances between each gate. It does not like to be rushed. The test car occasionally required a bit of clutch slip on takeoff.
Holden claims to have tweaked the Daewoo's suspension specifically for Australian conditions. It works effectively in day-to-day suburban driving but at highway speeds the Barina is untidy and occasionally nervous in rough corners. The body also seems to move around on the suspension. In tighter bends, the car leans hard on the outside front wheel, causing the non-stick Korean rubber to take its own course - straight ahead.
It's a similar story with the steering. You decide that you want to change course and turn the wheel accordingly. Some time afterwards, the car begins to go - more or less - in the general direction you have chosen. Repeat three times and you'll be pretty close. Take a compass just in case.
Ride comfort is fine on smoother roads. As the surface deteriorates, it becomes sharp and harsh, particularly for those in the back seat. The brakes - disc/drum, as usual in this class - are average in power and feedback.
On a long drive the height-adjustable driver's seat is saggy and unsupportive. There's plenty of travel though and the steering wheel is height-adjustable. Vision is clear around the car. The dash is basic and functional, with a no-name CD player, simple air-conditioning control layout and deeply recessed individual instruments. AM reception is poor and the seek/tuning function is erratic.
Access to the back seat is easy via the front passenger's seat, which flips and slides forward in one movement as you lift a lever on the backrest. Legroom is tolerable for cross-town trips; three lap/sash belts are fitted.
The big boot is extendable but although the rear-seat backrest is split 60/40, the rear-seat cushion is one piece, so double-folding the seat for a flat, extended floor is cumbersome. It also compromises front-seat travel.
Child restraint anchors are inconveniently located under the tailgate.
As we found in our 10-car comparison a few weeks ago, the small-car class is now divided into two groups: the cars you want to drive, such as Toyota's classy new Yaris and Suzuki's Swift, and those that are marginally more appealing than taking the bus.
The Barina, like its bottom feeder rivals, is better than the big blue Mercedes. The air-conditioning works and you always get a seat.