Holden Barina 2001 Review

Solid Good driving

Rough engine Lousy back seat

The success of the Vectra-Astra-Barina family has transformed the company well beyond its big-six success, and things should get even better with the arrival of a fresh baby-boomer.

The all-new Holden Barina still starts at $13,990 and still comes with the cute rounded look of the beep-beep car, but it is significantly different from the model it replaces. It is bigger, stronger, sweeter and a much tougher rival for the Hyundai Accent and the Mitsubishi Mirage, which lead the class in sales and engineering.

Holden has changed a lot of things, including the way the Barina models are arranged. But it has held on to the hatchback shape, a twin-airbag cabin and even the useful central instrument pod that has readouts for the radio, the time and outside temperature.

There are now just two Barina body choices, a two-door or a four-door, with a shared 1.4-litre engine and either a manual or an automatic gearbox. Air-con is $1870 extra, though there must eventually be a bonus pack that makes it a no-cost part of a deal.

The XC Barina looks larger, helped by windows that are bigger, but when you park it beside the old model, you see there is not a lot of difference. Even so, there is noticeably more space inside, especially front shoulder and head room.

The body has some nice styling touches, including high tail lights that could have been taken from a compact four-wheel-drive, and bigger 14-inch wheels under slightly flared guards.

The mechanical package is centred on the latest twin-cam 1.4-litre motor, with output boosted from 60 to 66 kW and 114 to 120 Nm, a neat half-dozen pickup in each case. The torque peak is relatively high at 4000 revs and the engine has to be pushed to 6000 revs for maximum power.

It has the regulation front-wheel drive but picks up four-wheel disc brakes, sadly without any anti-skid system on the options list, in a class where rear drums are most common.

The Barina deal includes a classy Blaupunkt sound system with single CD, but the windows are wind-up models and even the mirrors have manual adjustment. There is power steering and remote central locking, but no remote release for the boot - a common European choice for improved security. There is only one cupholder, so small it's nearly useless, though the cabin has plenty of storage space, including big bins on the doors.

DRIVING

The new Barina feels rock-solid and a lot more substantial than its baby-car rivals. It's not as big inside as Hyundai's bigger new Accent or as trendy as Ford's tiny Ka, but that barely matters for a good-looking, well-designed and developed package.

The Barina gets along fairly well, has twin airbags for safety, and its starting price is still $13,990 when even Hyundai's hero opens the batting at $14,990.

So what's not to like? The back seat, for a start. It puts the bench back into bench seat and is no place for anyone a little taller than average. It's hard and angular, with no real support, and it doesn't have any headrests. The dashboard is also a bit raw, with crinkled plastic finishes that look rough and cheap.

Most worrying is an engine that does its own thing for too much of the time. It's probably the engine management system, and the need to get rid of unburned fuel, but the car surges and hunts with revs that rise and fall without any input from the throttle. It's a bit scary at first, lifting off the accelerator and having the engine keep pushing the car, but then it just gets annoying and confusing. It would be good to get an explanation from Holden because the symptoms are likely to migrate to other models - and other brands - as we get deeper and deeper into the clean-tailpipe era.

The Barina test car was a two-door automatic with air-con, a package that moves it out of bargain-basement land to $17,810, a price that includes electric assists in some rivals. But the baby Holden has a body that feels almost Mercedes-Benz tough, and that means it should last and last. It has also allowed Holden's engineers to provide a really sporty suspension set-up that is more than adequate for the urge from the 1.4, allowing it to be hustled surprisingly swiftly.

As well, it has a firm-yet-compliant ride that soaks up the worst Aussie roads. It's definitely the best in class, just like the bigger Astra, and will take some beating. The steering is firm and direct and the brakes are good, with first-class grip from the Michelin rubber. The Barina can get a little noisy on coarse bitumen, but it's nothing to worry about.

The auto test car was a bit dozy from the lights, but compensated with solid mid-range torque and an eager top end. It would be a lot better with a manual to keep it spinning in the power range, making it a really sporty little drive.

The fuel economy was still very good at 7.9 litres/100km and it has an impressive touring range. The car is comfortable and easy to drive, with a nice meaty steering wheel and firm but supportive seats.
The Barina has good headlights, a surprisingly annoying tinkle for the turn indicators, and a big horn for a small car. The boot is reasonably big, with a fold-down back seat, but it has a high lip to load over. It's reassuring to have the twin airbags, but Holden's commitment to safety - which it trumpets every time it rolls out an updated Commodore - should have included anti-skid brakes somewhere in the deal.

Perhaps, like Honda has done with the latest Civic, they will come later. The bargain basement has never been as crowded or competitive as it is today but, on balance and despite the back seat, the Barina is the new benchmark. It loses a little ground to the Accent in some areas, but takes a solid points decision over the Hyundai hero and the ageing Mitsubishi Mirage, making it the car to drive first when you're shopping for a compact companion.

HOLDEN BARINA

Price: $17,810 as tested (two-door auto with air-con)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder with twin-overhead camshafts and fuel injection
Power: 66kW/6000revs
Torque: 120Nm/4000revs
Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Body: Two-door hatch
Dimensions: Length 3816mm, width 1642mm, height 1443, wheelbase 2491mm, tracks 1417/1408mm front/rear
Weight: 970kg
Fuel tank: 44 litres
Fuel consumption: Average on test 7.9litres/100km
Steering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Suspension: Front MacPherson struts and semi-trailing rear arms with torsion beam
Brakes: Four-wheel discs
Wheels: 5.5x14 steel
Tyres: 175x65R14 Michelin
Warranty: 3 years/100,000km

RIVALS

Holden Barina from $13,990
Hyundai Accent from $14,990
Toyota Echo from $15,940
Mitsubishi Mirage from $15,490