2013 Holden Barina CDX Sedan Automatic Launch Review
HOLDEN BARINA REVIEW
Vehicle style: Small car
Price: $20,990 (plus on-roads)
Power/Torque: 85kW/155Nm
Fuel consumption listed: 6.3L/100km | tested: 7.2L/100km
OVERVIEW
Car-making is littered with poor decisions.
Take Subaru’s first Tribeca. It struggled with a lacklustre engine and looks that bordered on goofy. It only took Subaru twelve months to get a new and wholly more palatable version onto the market.
Now, Holden didn’t exactly make a mistake with the current version of its Barina small car, but even it admits it could have done better.
That’s why a new version of the strong-selling sedan and hatchback is now on sale only 11 months after making its debut here. And the new model comes with a far better six-speed auto and improved fuel savings.
According to Scott Doughty, Holden's vehicle performance manager, the first generation of the gearbox “had its issues", prompting the switch to the new one.
Those issues included a relatively high fuel use – in fact, the top-spec version of the larger, heavier Barina chewed through more fuel than the model it replaced.
But as of late last month, things have changed. The Barina now includes a smarter six-speed automatic transmission, electric steering for the first time, new rubber, and a fresh attitude.
THE INTERIOR
We won’t spend time on what’s happening inside (see previous Barina reviews here), because it’s what’s happened outside and under the bonnet that’s the important focus of these running changes.
There’s still the surety of six airbags and a top five-star ANCAP crash test rating, and in the top-level CDX tested here, heated front seats, leather trim steering wheel and gear shift, trip computer and a hidden storage tray under the front passenger seat.
The interior is 'quirky-modern', and may not be to everyone's taste, but is well put-together if somewhat dominated by dark plastic surfaces.