- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.2i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
108kW, 203Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 9.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Medium rare
PIGEONHOLE: Middle class.
PHILOSOPHY: Medium-sized sedan done medium-well.
WHO'S BUYING IT: Mostly people who have never bought a Holden before. More than half are private buyers.
WHY YOU'D BUY IT: To get one of the few stylish cars in the traditionally bland medium car market.
WHY YOU WOULDN'T: Build quality does not match that of the mainly Japanese rivals and the base price is a tease. You can get a Commodore for the price of a Vectra with the lot.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Remote central locking, power steering, height adjustable steering wheel, power windows and a time, date and temperature display.
SAFETY: Driver's airbag, seatbelt pre-tensioners for front seats and lap-sash belts for all five occupants. The shapely but tiny mirrors are now 12 percent bigger (but still not brilliant), the new multi-reflector headlights are 20 percent brighter and, get this, the Series II has a "rapid response centre mounted LED technology stop light". That means it's brighter and illuminates quicker. Important safety features such as anti-lock brakes, a passenger's airbag and traction control are only available in a range of complex packages priced between $2,510 and $3,400. All of this is standard on the most expensive model.
CABIN: Relatively roomy and bright and the buttons and dials are well positioned and easy to us. The Series II has a handy roof console to store sunglasses or garage door zappers.
SEATING: Driver's pew is firm but supportive. Acceptable leg room in the rear. Rear seat shaped for two.
ENGINE: The 2.2-litre, four-cylinder (104kW) has been further fine-tuned to improve pulling power low in the rev range and doesn't suffer up high.
TRANSMISSION: The new German Getrag five-speed manual is not as rubbery as the previous models but it's not as light and precise as, say, a Honda. The test car was noisy and harsh while the engine became acquainted with first gear. Not normal.
STEERING: Not too heavy, not too light and very direct. The turning circle is a relatively tight 10.7m. But the wheel needs reach adjustment.
RIDE: Highlight of the car - and the class. Supple - but not floaty - over the goat tracks Sydney calls roads.
HANDLING: Equally impressive. It's no race car but it goes where you point it with little protest in tight corners. Very competent.
FUEL: Expect a best of 8.5L/100km around town and 5.4 on the open road. Above average.
BRAKES: Four wheel discs. Solid pedal feel with plenty of bite. Pity the Commodore's brakes aren't like this.
BUILD: The test car had some interior squeaks and rattles and the engine developed a cough. The engine warning light came on at least half-a-dozen times and the car stalled once while idling at the traffic lights.
WARRANTY: Three years/100,000km.
SECURITY: Excellent. The engine immobiliser means villains can't start it and deadlocking (activated by an extra press of the lock button on the key fob) means they can smash your windows but won't be able to open the doors - from inside or out.
AUDIO: Good sound from the AM/FM radio cassette. The CD models, not surprisingly, get a CD player.
COST: The GL is $24,990 plus on-road costs, plus everything else. Air is $2,000, automatic is $1,800, cruise control is $400 and metallic paint is $222. The better equipped CD sedan is $30,990 plus on-roads.
VERDICT: One of the stars in the usually dull but dependable medium car market. But question marks remain over local build quality.