Holden Barina Video Reviews

Life throws some shockers at you when you least expect. I came home from overseas a while back and Australia had a woman prime minister. Holden gave me a Barina this week and it drove really well. I wasn't prepared for either of those.The Barina has previously been an awkward hatchback in the company of some red-hot rivals. Many people bought it purely because it is a Holden and - certainly with the old 2005-2011 TK Barina - probably live without knowing that it is spectacularly bad and originally came out of the factory with a you're-gunna-get-really-hurt two-star crash rating.But relax. The new Barina is completely different. It's still made in Korea but sits on a new platform, has the maximum five-star crash rating and is even good value for money. Do we still have a woman prime minister?It sits in the light-car category alongside the smaller Barina Spark. Do not confuse the two - the Spark is one of the worse cars on the market while the Barina, by comparison, sparkles. Pricing is very good so the hatch represents value. Go for the six-speed auto for $17,990 because it is a better drive than the manual. Good feature list, reasonable economy and a Holden dealer at every street corner makes a lot of sense for low-distance owners.Basically it's a chiselled box with a distinctive four-light nose. The design successfully makes it look more expensive than the $15,990 (manual) price tag so it's not something you'd be ashamed to park in your driveway.Cabin space is very good, though C-pillars are wide. Rear seats fold down but sit awkwardly above the floor. The motorcycle-inspired instrument panel is basic, simple and has a very temporary appearance.The six-speed lock-up auto comes from the Cruze and though gearshifts can sometimes jar, is a winner. The sequential manual mode is interesting but probably worthless given the car's market and the engine noise at high revs. The 1.6 engine has been around for ages, with modest upgrades this time around. It's strong, not bad on fuel and reliable but won't win at the traffic lights and is quietest when cruising under 3000rpm. Drum rear brakes look - and are - dated.This gets a five-star crash rating - up on the previous model's four stars after it originally scored two. There's stability control, brakeforce distribution and brake assist. It has six airbags - including full-length curtain bags - and a full size spare wheel.Forget some previous Barinas because this model is more like its original Opel version, with interest again by Holden in how the car drives and feels. It feels spacious, is comfortable - with long seat cushions - and has good visibility. Steering is sharp and it doesn't fidget on the road. It's no sportscar through the bends but is confident.Suspension copes well with rough roads and the ride is well dampened and noise free. But the engine is noisy and feels a bit rough at above 3000rpm. Here it falls behind most rivals. Treat it gently and it is fuss-free, especially at cruising speeds. The instrument panel is pretty ordinary but the rest of the driving experience is very good.

First it came from Japan, then Spain and it's been out of Korea for a while now. The Holden Barina has been around a long time - 26 years in fact and has sold up a storm particularly among young female buyers. Cheap to buy and run, Barina competes in the crowded light car class though it's slightly bigger than its rivals.There's a new one out from this month in one hatchback spec' only but with a choice of five-speed manual (std) or optional six-speed auto with sequential change mode for a couple of grand more than the $15,990 manual.It's a good way to flog cars - no gouging,  just "what you see is what you get" and there's a drive away price deal on the manual right now at $16,990. Still, there are plenty of choices for similar (and less) money. Mazda3 starts at nearly a grand less, Hyundai i20, new Yaris, Swift and Polo spring instantly to mind. Barina offers plenty of kit with cruise, aircon', trip computer, full size spare, Bluetooth 15-inch alloys and other goodies thrown in.The instrument pod looks like it's been lifted from a motorbike and features a LCD speedo read-out. Frontal styling looks intimidating and the truncated rear is cute. Steering wheel controls are for the phone, cruise and audio. OK upholstery and dash.It's powered by a 1.6-litre petrol four pot with 85kW/155Nm output but it's too easy to find a torque hole (dull response) under acceleration if you are not in the right cog - accentuated with the aircon' activated.It is a relatively high-tech engine with dual variable cam timing but no direct injection. The five-speed manual needs another cog to fully capture available power and reduce fuel consumption. And the disc/drum brakes should be upgraded to discs all round. Drum brakes? We though they stopped making them last century.Barina hatch scores a five star crash rating boasting features like six air bags and stability control among an impressive safety inventory this far down the food chain.