Holden Barina 2014 News

The small-car segment has plenty of options - the players are frugal yet safe and well-appointed. Here are the best buys under $16K.

THE new boss of Holden has boldly claimed the company will be Australia's top-selling car brand by the year 2020 -- just three years after shutting its factories. Holden hasn't been number one for 11 years, has just posted a 20-year low, and currently sells a little more than half the number of cars as market leader Toyota.Despite this, Holden boss Gerry Dorizas has bravely set his targets high barely five weeks into the new job. It seems like a tall order when the claims are judged against Holden's current model line-up.But behind the scenes the company is searching every corner of the globe to bolster its showrooms once Holden doesn't have a car factory to protect beyond 2017. That means all bets are off and Holden executives are going through the entire General Motors catalogue to fill every possible niche to win back buyers who've defected to other brands.Some of the cars listed here may seem fanciful based on Holden's recent history. But make no mistake, anything is possible in Holden's new era.As with all car makers, Holden refuses to discuss its future model plans and these cars are by no means confirmed. But this list has been compiled with some inside knowledge and a review of how Holden has done business in happier times, such as the late 1990s and early 2000s when European and US models helped drive it to Number One.Here are the 10 cars that could power Holden to the top of the market over the next six years.1. CamaroYou read it here first: Holden executives told dealers in a secret meeting late last year it's hopeful of getting the next generation Chevrolet Camaro in local showrooms by 2018, just after the homegrown Commodore fades from view.Normally such hot news would be kept under wraps, but Holden was trying to give dealers a confidence boost after announcing the 2017 factory closure.A right-hand-drive version of the current Chevrolet Camaro was under development when it was axed in 2009, in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.Now that Ford has confirmed the Mustang is coming to Australia (due in late 2015) Holden is believed to be fighting hard for a right-hand-drive Chevrolet Camaro to meet its rival head-on.And the iconic Corvette? Former General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson, told Carsguide in January 2013 a right-hand-drive version was coming -- only to be corrected by his second-in-command Tim Lee less than 24 hours later.It's unlikely there will be a right-hand-drive version of this generation Corvette, but the head of General Motors global product development, Mark Reuss, a former Holden boss, told Carsguide in January 2014 he wants right-hand-drive versions of all Chevrolet vehicles in the future.2. Cascada convertibleIn the same top-secret meeting Holden dealers were told about the Camaro, they were also told the Opel Cascada convertible will be coming to Holden showrooms by year's end.The Cascada -- Spanish for rain or waterfall, unusual for a convertible given that they're about sunshine, except when they leak -- was supposed to be introduced as an Opel before General Motors pulled the German brand from sale locally last year, less than 12 months after it launched. All Holden needs to do is fit Holden badges, get cars to dealers and starting printing brochures.The Cascada is the spiritual successor to the Astra convertible, which Holden sold across two generations from 2001 to 2010.Holden is yet to decide whether the convertible will wear the Cascada badge or if Holden will use the Astra name for the convertible.Holden dealers have told Carsguide they would prefer the Astra badge because of its recognition, but Holden executives have been referring to the car by its Opel name in preliminary meetings.3. Astra hatchThe Holden Astra is going to return to showrooms, it's just a matter of when. At the moment, Holden doesn't want to dent sales of the locally-made Cruze but the Astra is on stand-by, ready to go.Holden dealers had to clear the unsold Astra stock once the Opel brand was withdrawn from Australia, so the network has already handled the new model.The three-door and five-door hatch versions of the Astra are likely starters, but the Astra sedan will probably be left behind, leaving the next generation Cruze sedan to fill the void.4. Cruze sedanHolden will import the next generation Cruze sedan once the locally-made model goes out of production. It will opt for the Cruze sedan (over the Astra sedan) because it will give Holden a strategic price step through the small-car range.The Cruze sedan will likely be the price-leader at close to $20,000 while the Astra hatch will likely be priced closer to fellow European, the Volkswagen Golf, at about $23,000.General Motors is yet to commit to a new version of the Cruze wagon.Although the current Holden Cruze wagon is well priced and regarded as a sound vehicle, it is selling in small numbers, with buyers favouring SUVs.5. Trax faceliftThe recently-released Holden Trax compact SUV is well-equipped and sharply priced but hasn't proved popular with buyers.It seems not everyone is a fan of its cutesy Dumbo Elephant looks. But a fix is a phone call away.The Trax's twin, the Opel Mokka, was due to go on sale locally until the brand was withdrawn late last year.The Mokka has a more European design inside and out even though it comes from the same South Korean factory as the Trax.Holden could simply fit Trax badges to the better-looking model on a “facelift” for a sales boost.6. BarinaAs one of the best-priced and roomiest cars in its class, the current-generation Barina is another Holden that deserves to be selling better.But it is heavy and thirsty compared to the class leaders. And while the attractively designed interior looks good in brochures, the plastics are hard to the touch and feel cheap once you're behind the wheel.The next Barina will likely continue to come from South Korea (rather than sourcing the European Opel Corsa) because it will enable Holden to keep prices low.Better quality plastics will improve the interior's appeal, while a more efficient engine and a lighter body will improve fuel economy, giving the next Barina a better chance in the cut-throat light-car class.7. Captiva SUVAn all-new Captiva SUV can't come soon enough. Most cars have a model cycle of five-to-six years. The Captiva is entering its ninth year on sale and a new-from-the-ground-up model is still about two years away.The current Captiva is selling well because it is the cheapest ticket into a seven-seat full-size SUV. But the new model will have to step up to newer competition, especially if it loses its current $10,000 price advantage.The other key to the Captiva's success is the two-model strategy: a slightly smaller five-seater and a slightly bigger seven-seater.Holden would like to continue with two models given the SUV market is still booming, but General Motors is likely to consolidate to one model globally.The Captiva is critical to Holden's 2020 Number One target: it accounts for almost one-third of sales and is currently the biggest selling model behind the Commodore and the Cruze.8. Next CommodoreHolden has scrapped plans to share the next generation, front-wheel-drive Commodore with a Chinese Buick.Now that the Commodore (or whatever Holden chooses to call its next large sedan) is no longer going to be built locally, Holden has the luxury of choosing between the Buick, Chevrolet or Opel versions of the same car.Expect four-cylinder and V6 power for the front-drive sedan, but there will no longer be a Commodore V8, wagon or ute.The Camaro is expected to fill the V8 void, while Commodore wagon customers will either downsize to a Cruze or step up to a Captiva SUV. Commodore ute buyers will have to learn to love the Colorado.9. Colorado uteThe Holden Colorado is travelling ok but it's still not selling as well as the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton. That means there is still plenty of sales potential.The Colorado is being held back at the moment because it doesn't drive as well as its peers and the cabin isn't as user-friendly or as upmarket as the newer competition.It also doesn't look like a tough truck. Making it drive better will take some chassis tuning, but making it look tougher is not as hard as it sounds.General Motors in North America redesigned the nose for the Chevrolet version of the 2015 Colorado, to make it look like a full-size pick-up. And guess what? The parts clip straight on to the Holden Colorado. Simples.10. Tahoe/SilveradoHolden has been trying to get right-hand-drive versions of General Motors' full-size SUVs and pick-ups from the US for more than a decade. Since, in fact, the Chevrolet Suburban was discontinued after being sold here between 1998 and 2001.Back then, when the Australian dollar was weaker than it is today, the “Holden” Suburban sold for between $64,000 and $87,000.At today's exchange rates, the prices for the Tahoe SUV and Silverado pick-up would likely be between $50,000 and $75,000 -- smack bang in the middle of Toyota Prado and Toyota LandCruiser territory, which last year accounted for more than 10 per cent of Toyota's sales.General Motors is yet to confirm right-hand-drive versions of its full-size pick-ups and SUVs -- but former Holden boss Mark Reuss, now the head of GM's global product development, told Carsguide in January this year he wants right-hand-drive versions of all future models.If they became available, Holden would grab them with both hands.What about HSV?Holden's performance-car division will continue to build the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute, Grange limousine and GTS super-sedan until the very end of Commodore production in October 2017.Carsguide understands it may even stockpile enough cars to run into 2018 because once these homegrown heroes go, there will be no more.In the meantime, HSV is looking to broaden its model range. Don't be surprised to see the high performance Opel Astra OPC hot hatch and Opel Insignia OPC sedan and wagon appear in Holden showrooms wearing HSV badges.HSV has sold Opel's high performance Astra before and the Astra hatch and Insignia were sold here last year as Opels before the brand was withdrawn from sale.That means they've been approved for Australian Design Rules and there is already parts availability. All that's missing are the HSV badges.Friends in high placesHolden boss Gerry Dorizas believes Holden will get more support now than ever before from its overseas head-quarters.Former Holden boss Mike Devereux is in charge of sales for the Asia-Pacific region, and the man who saved Holden from extinction during the GFC, Mark Reuss, is now in charge of General Motors' global product development.The new president of General Motors, reporting directly to CEO Mary Barra, is New Zealander Dan Ammann, who grew up around Holdens.Will Zafira make it?Opel was poised to introduce the latest Zafira people mover in Australia before the brand was withdrawn suddenly late last year.Holden is understood to be evaluating whether the Zafira can be priced competitively against the other seven-seater family wagons before introducing it locally.Holden sold the Zafira in Australia between 2001 and 2006 but was dropped from the line-up as buyers began to favour seven-seat SUVs.Today, the people-mover category represents just 0.9 per cent of the new-vehicle market.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

They bring glitz and glamour to the Clipsal 500 - but there's more than meets the eye when it comes to these grid girls. JESSICA (23) Usual occupation: Marketing co-ordinator at Stamford Hotels. How long have you been a grid girl? Three years.Why did you decide to be a grid girl? Having the chance to be involved with such an iconic Adelaide event as the Clipsal 500 is an amazing opportunity and every year I can't wait for February to come around.Best thing about being a grid girl? Working with such beautiful and amazing girls and meeting lots of interesting people.Worst thing? It only comes around once a year.Tell me about your usual day job: Busy!How different is your day job to being a grid girl? I work in a corporate environment, so it's nice to get all glammed up for the Clipsal 500 weekend.How do you think grid girls are perceived? For the most part, quite well. Clipsal always choose the girls who can best represent their company as well as themselves, and it shows through the amazing girls we have on the team. There will always be those few negative people no matter what you do.Do some people have the wrong perception of grid girls? Everyone in the team has and is achieving great things in their life. There is definitely more than meets the eye.V8 team of choice? It has to be Holden.What type of car do you drive? Hyundai Excel. KARA (25) Usual occupation: Miner/trades assistant/student.How long have you been a grid girl? Two years.Why did you decide to be a grid girl? When I was in high school I saw them and thought what a glamorous and amazing job that would be.Best thing about being a grid girl? The atmosphere and excitement of the Clipsal 500 is an amazing experience.What's the worst aspect? That Clipsal 500 only lasts four days and the week flies by too fast.Day job? I work at a mine site 600km from Adelaide, doing shutdowns as a gas tester and standby person. The site has both below ground and above ground plants. My job involves testing atmospheres where people will be working to make sure it is safe for them to do their job and to implement any precautions if necessary. When I am not in the mines I work as a trades assistant in Adelaide for a company that installs, repairs and maintains bore pumps. I am also studying my diploma in Occupational Health and Safety to gain a more permanent position in the mining industry.How different is your day job to being a grid girl? Extremely! I go from no hair and make-up, being hot and sweaty, dirty and wearing baggy overalls and a hard hat, to wearing gorgeous outfits made by an amazing South Australian designer with full hair and make-up and lots of people wanting to take photos.How do you think grid girls are perceived? They're an exciting addition to the racing scene, adding glitz and glamour.Do you think some people have the wrong perception of them? People will always have their own perceptions. But we get a positive response from the fans and spectators and we thoroughly enjoy what we do.V8 team of choice? Holden. Craig Lowndes for Red Bull Racing is always exciting to watch and is a real gentleman.What car do you drive? A 1993 Mazda MX5 Clubman.BRITTANY (20) Usual occupation: Sammy D Foundation volunteer, student, bartender at Sky City Adelaide.How long have you been a grid girl? Three years.Why did you decide to be a grid girl? I wanted to be a grid girl since I attended Clipsal 500 with my dad from a young age. Seeing the girls in their outfits looked like so much fun. Best thing about being a grid girl? Being on the grid and the Harley Davidson lap.Worst thing? Early mornings!Tell me about your day job? I volunteer on the Sammy D Foundation's Great Night Out blog-a-van, which goes around SA collecting video blogs from young people on their thoughts about alcohol-fuelled violence and what must be done about it. Several years ago a good friend, Sam Davis, was king-hit and died in an unprovoked attack, so it's good to spend time supporting the Sammy D Foundation set up in his memory, and help educate young people to understand why it's important to make good decisions, look after mates and ways to avoid violence. I'm also studying psychology and criminal justice at Flinders Uni.How different is your day job to being a grid girl? Being a grid girl we get to meet many different types of people, which is quite similar to what I do every day, just with less glitz.How do you think grid girls are perceived? Too often we're seen as being a bit 'ditzy".Do people have the wrong perception of them? I think some do. Most of us are either studying or in careers, as well as knowing a lot about the race.V8 team of choice? Holden.What car do you drive? Holden Barina. 

Paramount pictures is using the 2014 Super Bowl to give us our first taste of the upcoming film Transformers: Age of Extinction.The upcoming fourth instalment of the Transformers franchise brings a new cast led by Mark Wahlberg, and new Tranformers too in the form of Dinobots.The General Motors tie up continues too with the sometimes-Camaro Bumblebee, but the only products visible in this clip are a Chevrolet version of the Holden Malibu and a Chevrolet Sonic (Holden Barina).We also know that Autobot head-honcho Optimus Prime will transform (he, he) from a Peterbilt to a Western Star for the film, which arrives in cinemas mid-year. Watch the desktop version of the Transformers: Age of Extinction Super Bowl teaser here. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

Think your 4WD can already go anywhere? It could easily get a whole lot tougher with these 'lock'n'loaded' tank tracks that will take your ute or suv to a higher level.Designed by US-based engineering firm AD Boivin, the Track N Go system is a quick-fit system that has you simply drive up onto the treads, lock them in place, remove the loading ramps -- and off you go to conquer new rugged territory.The treads are powered by your vehicle's tyres, making the whole operation simple. And while it's not the first tank tread kit we've seen, it's the first on the market to not require a complicated mechanical conversion to get going. However, they're not cheap, priced at more than $25,000 and heavy enough to set you back quite a bit on freight as well.And although we think they'd look the biz on the little Mitsubishi Mirage city hatch currently in the Carsguide test garage, sadly the Track N Go can only be used on V8 and V6 vehicles with a full 4WD two-stage (low and high) transfer case, leaf spring suspension and diff lock on the rear axle. So that means the test Holden Barina is out of the running as well.Watch the turn your car into a tank video on our desktop site.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Holden has given its baby Barina a much needed boost. The turbocharged Barina RS has been confirmed for Australia and is due to arrive in local showrooms next month. Price is yet to be confirmed but expect an RRP between $20,000 and $25,000. Significantly this undercuts the Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch which starts at $25,990 and the Volkswagen Polo GTI which costs $27,990. However, the Barina RS is more of a “warm hatch” powered by a comparatively small 1.4-litre turbo engine (103kW/200Nm) compared to the Ford’s 1.6 turbo (147kW/290Nm) and the VW’s turbo and supercharged 1.4 (132kW/250Nm). But it is said to still offer zippy performance in an otherwise hum-drum category. The Holden Barina RS will be sourced from South Korea along with the rest of the Australia-bound Barina range, but a US-built version has already been on sale in North America for more than a year. Sold as the Sonic in the US (made in Michigan about 50km north of Detroit, the first Chevrolet small car made in the US in 40 years) it has received mostly positive reviews from an audience that customarily does not embrace small cars. Car and Driver magazine said: “We’re not quite ready to break out the ‘super’ prefix for the Sonic, but it does appear to mark the return of the American small car. This is not the second coming of the Volkswagen GTI, but the Sonic turbo injects some serious fun in a segment that usually puts performance on the back burner.” Among the few criticisms of the car, the magazine said it had a noticeable turbo lag, or delay in power delivery, at low revs compared to other models. Motor Trend magazine said: “Buyers hoping for a high-strung, highly caffeinated Sonic will likely wish for more performance. But compare the Sonic RS to other segment players, and the sum of its parts becomes hard to match.” Even the stern Consumer Reports rated it “very good”. This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling  

Holden has confirmed the Barina RS will be launched before the end of the year – and that the first shipment has already hit our shores for final evaluation at the Lang Lang proving grounds and out on our roads. There are no details yet on price or specification. And while the overseas model is powered by a 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder, there are also rumours the newcomer might be getting the new 132kW/230Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four that now tops the Cruze range. Dressing it up will be a sporty body kit with a large rear spoiler, front and rear fascias and side skirts, 17-in alloy wheels and a new RS-only hero colour: Orange Rock.   The interior gets RS-badged sports seats and a flat-bottomed steering wheel. Holden has put the Barina RS through extensive validation, and undertaken local engineering development on an electric power steering system unique to the Australian showroom. The current Barina range tops out at $20,990, so we can expect the price to be a few thousand above that, but still strategically positioned against the competition in an increasingly competitive segment. Its main rival will be the $24,990 Ford Fiesta ST, but with strong bids from the European contenders in the form of the $27,790 Volkswagen Polo GTI and $29,990 Peugeot 208 GTI. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

Holden has upstaged luxury brands to be the first car maker in Australia to introduce Apple’s Siri voice control system.Not only is the Holden the first, it is also likely to be the most affordable car with the technology for some time.The system will debut in the updated version of the Holden Barina due in showrooms this month. The only catch: it is only available on the top-line Barina CDX which starts at $20,490, about $4500 more than the most basic model.In the past 12 months most car makers have expressed an intention to introduce Apple’s patented Siri voice control system to its cars.German car maker Mercedes-Benz was the first with Siri overseas but the technology isn’t due on models sold in Australia until later this year. The new Holden Commodore due in June is also expected to be Siri-ready.Technology experts point out that Apple’s Siri system works via the iPhones in any car when connected via Bluetooth. But the advantage of the integrated Holden system is that drivers can press a button on the steering wheel – rather than the phone – to activate Siri functions.“We’re very excited to be first car maker to offer Siri in Australia and to make it available on one of our most affordable models,” said Holden spokeswoman Andrea Matthews. “We hope this will enable more drivers to be less distracted behind the wheel.”This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The Holden’s new generation Barina sedan - an extended version of the hatch - has just landed in showrooms with a starting price of $16,490. However the sedan has more cargo space than its sibling storing 502 litres compared to the 290 litres the hatch offers with the seats up. The Barina sedan comes equipped with standard features including Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, USB input and iPod connectivity, steering wheel controls, cruise control and ‘follow me home’ headlights, as well as interior storage options. Like the hatch the 4-door sedan is powered by a 1.6 litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine equipped with standard 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic and shares a five-star ANCAP safety rating. The hatch has sold 1,318 units since its release last November and Holden spokesman John Elsworth says the sedan will be “an excellent addition to the range”. “The addition of the sedan variant adds a new dimension of practicality and flexibility to the Barina range,” he says.

The so-called Barina Spark starts from $12,490 for the CD and $13,990 for the CDX. The base model goes in under the forthcoming $12,990 Micra and packs more standard kit than the Indian-made Alto. But the newest Korean-built Holden comes only with a five-speed manual to drive its meagre, if game 59kW/107Nm 1.2-litre 4-cylinder engine.Although its marketeers are adamant that the take-up of manuals remains strong in the micro-budget end of the light car segment, Holden is also entirely targeting women buyers (skinny and preferably blonde ones, judging by its product presentation) who are traditionally far more given to automatics.Suzuki spokesman Andrew Ellis said that in 12 months on the market, half the Alto's buyers wanted the four speed auto version. Nissan has not bothered with a manual Micra.At least the manual helps the Spark achieve competitive fuel economy of 5.6 litres per 100km, with Co2 emissions of 128g per kilometre, earning it the Federal Government's top green star rating.But the Barina Spark is not, strictly speaking, "the" new Barina. Known elsewhere in the General Motors world simply as the Spark, Holden happily admit tacking on a Barina badge to capitalise on its strong local recognition.The replacement for the current Barina - a car Holden Chairman and Managing Director Mike Devereux told Carsguide would be "bigger, sportier and aimed more at men" - arrives next year.Until then the aging current model remains on sale next to the Spark."This could be almost made for the daughters of those who are buying the VE Series II Commodore," Devereux says of the Spark, which is part of new model offensive that sees 10 new models in the next 20 months.Built for now in Korea (production will switch to South Africa), the Spark is strong in safety fixtures but yet to secure a five star crash safety rating. The lack of standard stability control in Europe sees it carry four sparklers.Here, ESC it is standard on both variants, along with ABS and six airbags, which will help its ANCAP cause.The CD has 14-inch alloys and front fog lamps. The CDX's wheels grow by an inch, IT has power windows for all four doors picks. Design quirks include hidden rear door handles and a motor cycle-like instrument cluster.Joining Barina Spark in the light-car segment late next year will be its "true" Barina sibling, based on the global Aveo small car. It is styled by Holden's Ondrej Koromhaz.In the next segment up, the global Cruze will be built here from early next year, the sedan joined by the Holden-designed Cruze hatchback late in the year.The upcoming new Captiva also shared its global debut with the Cruze hatchback concept and Barina/Aveo production car at the Paris Motor Show.Devereux told Carsguide he wanted a bigger SUV in the Holden range along the lines of Mazda's CX-9."You'll see us filling out our model range, but you won't see us vomiting cars onto the market."As to the possibility of Opel - which supplied the old and much-loved Barina and Astra - Devereux said the brand was currently going into Chile and "looking at a number of markets where a German-engineered car is desirable".