Holden Cruze 1.4-litre SRi Car Review

FIRST THOUGHTS: Holden’s Cruze has proven very popular; its popularity looks set to continue with the addition of a hatchback to the range.

Holden’s Cruze is seemingly the right car at exactly the right time. An Aussie new car market that is downsizing every year means, classical family options like Commodore and Falcon are less appealing than they were 10 or 20 years ago. So, the family car buyer is looking at smaller, more space and fuel efficient options in increasing numbers. The 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine is the generally accepted pick of the three engines on offer. And Holden has been quick to point out that there’s been plenty of work done in the areas of NVH to make this small car feel more refined.

The first thing you notice is that Holden has managed to capture the essence of the Cruze sedan’s good looks and make them work in hatchback form. From the front, it could just be a Cruze sedan; the hatch design means you get a larger, more flexible luggage area in addition to comfortable seating for four, or five in a pinch. The design of the cabin is also clever, with easy to use controls and plenty of visibility from the driver’s seat.

Despite it’s smaller capacity it’s the 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 103kW at 4900rpm and 200Nm from 1850rpm, that’s the pick of the three engines available in the Cruze. Coupled to a slick six-speed manual as our test vehicle was, the turbo engine delivers decent power and torque. It’s perky enough once the turbo is on boost, and that it returns an ADR claimed 6.4L/100km means it betters its rivals at Mazda (Mazda3)  and Toyota (Corolla). Like a lot of other unsophisticated turbocharged engines, the Cruze suffers from lag, and so, off-boost it struggles; on-boost however it feels more urgent. Acceleration is only part of the equation though, and the steering, braking and general around town handling are all pretty impressive. There’s decent weight to the electric power steering (which doesn’t feel as artificial as similar steering set-ups in other brands) and the brakes have a nice progressive pedal feel, and pull the little Cruze up easily from highway speeds. The biggest difference in this Series II SRi Cruze is the addition of a Watts link design for the rear suspension, which helps to keep the rear end settled under hard cornering. To ensure the ride wasn’t bone-jarring, Holden has fitted the Cruze with softer bushes, which has improved bump absorption no end. Overall, the Cruze’s handling is now significantly closer to the class leaders.

Holden has worked diligently to improve noise transferral, and it’s done a good job. There’s noticeably less road and tyre noise than the old model. The front seats are both excellent (both are six-way adjustable across the range) as are the two outer seats in the back row for adults, the middle seat in the second row is too tight for an adult, but suitable for children. Holden’s designers have done an admirable job of making the Cruze seem a whole lot larger inside than it actually is.

Where the Cruze sedan was practical for its diminutive size and around town flexibility – think tight parking spots and shopping centre carparks – the Cruze hatch gets extra points for adding extra carrying capacity yet still being usable in the city. There’s no doubt the Cruze is a champion of our shrinking vehicle tastes. Second only to Mazda 3 in sales numbers, the Cruze makes the most of as little as possible externally and the public loves it for that reason. Therefore, in terms of practicality, the Cruze hatch is about as good as it gets. You can easily fit four adults and their luggage into the Cruze for a weekend away, or the kids and a host of sports gear. Fold the rear seats down to liberate even more room and there’s almost nothing you can’t find a way of squeezing in. With the rear seats up, there is an impressive 413-litres of cargo storage. Fold those seats flat and you get 1254-litres. A large 60 litre fuel tank is also pretty handy and gives the Cruze a theoretical range of 887km with a 50km safety margin.

The doors have a solid thud to them when you close them and there’s a general feeling of peace and quiet inside the cabin with the doors closed and the windows up. That said, some of the surfaces and plastics are a little harsh to the touch and do feel hollow; it’s built to a price after all. That said, the switchgear and controls all feel solid, and the choice of materials used for the seats and door trims look to be hard wearing and, as tested, your $24,990 should feel like money well spent. More than that, the Cruze is now built here in Australia which should mean a consistent approach to quality control.

All models get disc brakes right around (yep, some cars still have drums on the back), Stability and traction control, as well as ABS with Brake Assist and Electric Brakeforce Distribution, six airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters, and three child seat anchor points across the back. A collapsible pedal release system is standard in the top two models. You also get a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Security isn’t overlooked either with battery rundown protection, an engine immobiliser, follow me home headlight functionality, an anti theft alarm, remote keyless entry that controls the doors, boot and fuel filler lid, and passive entry and start with sensor key technology.

With a pricing spread from $21,240 through to 28,740, there’s something for everyone across the range. Fuel efficiency is also impressive and general running costs are as good as this segment gets. Holden’s dealer network around the country is also a huge positive, and because so many of these things have been sold parts and servicing is reasonable.