Holden Barina SRi 2004 review

In bang for your buck terms, there isn't much around to match the 1.8-litre Holden Barina SRi for $22,490, plus on roads. Perhaps Suzuki's Ignis Sport comes the closest but it's a 1.5-litre.

Spend substantially more and chances are you'll only get marginally more performance and probably the same level of sporty handling.

It's been around since 2001 but was tweaked earlier this year to add more godies such as brake assist, revised steering and suspension for improved dynamics.

Holden persisits in putting a premium of $1880 on airconditioning for all Barinas.

But the SRi has plenty of goodies to complement it's rather wicked turn of speed and sports car handling.

These include sporty seats, CD audio, remote central locking, ABS and dual front airbags.

Power comes from the same 1.8-litre, twin cam engines as the larger Holden Astra – with predictable results.

Small car/bigger engine is a tried and true performance formula. It's good for 92kW/165Nm.

The SRi not only goes like the clappers, it has superb torque making it responsive from just about any speed. Whip it into top and you can pretty well stay there most of the time and simply push the accelerator to make things happen.

But if you really want to go, a quick flick down a ratio or two and things become even more urgent.

The engine doesn't seem this potent in Astra, nor as rorty in engine and exhaust noise. I might just be imagining it but I like it.

Only available in the three-door body, Barina SRi will take four people at a pinch and the boot is a reasonable size.

Front seat passengers are spoiled for comfort and the array of standard equipment makes travel time better. The CD audio is actually quite good for a car in this class as are the comfortable seats and steering wheel mounted audio controls.

There are limits to its handling capabilities dictated by the car's height and suspension setting. It can really hoot through turns but becomes untidy when you push a little too hard. This produces understeer effect with loss of front end grip.

But the brakes are powerful and the 15 inch tyres are user friendly.

Other controls such as the steering and gearshift have a sporty feel.

A slightly flashier exterior treatment would lift the SRi's appearance abouve lesser models.