Buying a used Holden Barina TM (2011-2016)

Every time a year draws to a close a whole new bunch of school-leaving buyers accompanied by anxious parents will enter the used-car market. Logic might tell them that bigger cars hold an advantage in safety and practicality, but many still believe that four-cylinder hatchbacks can save them money.

The TM Series of Holden Barina that appeared in 2011 came here from Korea but with input from Opel in Europe. Its 'Gamma' platform was shared with Opel's Corsa and Mokka, and various sub-compact models sold by Chevrolet in the USA.

Holden had endured a pretty torrid time with the preceding model TK Barina and was looking for the new one to deliver modernised inclusions and a sharp new shape. Fortunately it was able to do both.

The new shape out of GM Korea's studio was dominated by four distinct headlamps and a less intrusive grille than on the TK. The hatch version was made more distinctive by an upright tailgate and hidden rear door-handles helping it to look more South of France than southern Korea.

TM Barinas came initially to Australia only in five-door hatch format and with 1.6-litre, 85kW petrol engines that had been seen for years in various GM products. Power was up by 10 percent on the previous car and response times with the new six-speed (yes, in an economy car) automatic transmission were noticeably improved.

Pricing for the manual TM Hatch began at $15,990, with the automatic $2000 more. Equipment levels for a car in this value range were excellent and included power-operated everything (glass, mirrors, doors) air-conditioning, a CD player and cruise control.

Importantly, in a car targeted at younger owners, a range of device interfaces were provided, with some functions controlled via the steering wheel.

The Barina's hatch-only status lasted only until 2012 when a sedan version of the basic CD model arrived. It cost $500 more but did offer a very accommodating boot. Obviously struggling to move old stock, Holden was still selling old-style Barinas against the new one well into 2012, so be sure when buying used that you are getting a TM.

As other brands pitched more modern and well-equipped models into the market, Holden felt the pinch and took off down the dependable 'add a premium model and load it with gear' route. The result was the Barina CDX with bigger alloy wheels, better seats, rear park assist and electrically-assisted steering.

However it was in the field of in-car entertainment that the CDX made its biggest advance. Working via a huge seven-inch touch screen, General Motors' new 'MyLink' system could deliver music – including its own 'Pandora' brand of tune-streaming – plus navigation functions. We wonder how many are still in fully-functional order today.

Late 2013 brought the first high-performance car to wear a Barina badge. The Barina RS used a 1.4-litre, 103kW turbocharged engine with six-speed manual transmission (finally). The familiar six-speed auto was optional. RS seats acquired leather on the facings and a sporty steering wheel with lots of buttons plus sports pedals. Outside, the painters had been busy with bumpers and handles in body colour but the mirrors were left incongruously black.

A refreshing improvement to visual appeal isn't the only thing that made the TM Barina a worthy choice for younger, price-conscious car buyers.

Looking at video of an early TK model being crash tested would give anyone the shudders. These cars were so poorly engineered they almost folded in half in a 64km/h collision. Later TKs were better but it took a complete rework before the TM could almost eliminate cabin deformation in the 64km/h offset test and score a maximum 16/16 for side impact protection.

While undeniably compact, the TM does a good job of maximising its interior space and carrying capacity. If the latter is important, then get a hatch, because the seat-folded capacity is an impressive 653 litres. On the topic of load space, a full-sized spare wheel was optional at no extra cost but we wonder how many city-based buyers chose to specify it. If you intend travelling to isolated places, make sure the Barina you choose comes with a full-sized fifth wheel.

Those who aren't fans of electric steering might get a pleasant shock if the Barina they choose to test is an MY13 or later CDX. The wheel feels good and in most circumstances the steering will do its best to relay to you what the tyres are doing. Taller alloy rims with lower-profile rubber would have helped but the real difference would be revealed if you were to test a hydraulically assisted CD immediately after a CDX.

We didn't try a five-speed manual and they aren't as easy to find as automatics but still probably worth a look. The auto is configured (apparently) to maximise economy and attempting to trick it by using the manual over-ride button is more trouble than the attempt is worth. The six-speed manual in the RS is reportedly an excellent gearbox and probably the one to choose if your motoring mostly involves open roads.

Fuel consumption figures are hard to reconcile with the size of Barina engines. Although the 1.4 Turbo motor is smaller, it is possible when driving strenuously to drain the tank at a rate of 16.0L/100km. Conversely, the bigger 1.6-litre engine with auto transmission will still manage 9.0L/100km in traffic and around the suburbs.

Holden Barina check points

>> Barinas built after 2011 are unfortunately involved in the Takata airbag recall. Before even sitting in one of these cars, insist on seeing confirmation that the bags have been replaced.

>> Other recalls too numerous to list here affect most Barina models. Your best strategy is to seek out an internet site which lists these problems and check via service history that each issue has been rectified.

>> The auto transmission will typically attempt to grab the highest gear possible as quickly as it can. If the car won't rev out in a low gear when accelerating hard or won't hold a manually-selected lower ratio while descending a hill, avoid it. These may not be actual faults that can be fixed but instead characteristics of a particular transmission.

>> Rapid brake wear will see some cars needing new disc rotors and be onto their second set of front pads even before they reach 50,000km

>> Build issues are a source of owner complaints and dealer service centre frustrations. Suspension thumps can be rectified by replacing failed engine mounts but body rattles and dash squeaks can take hours to track. Even then they aren't easily fixed, because a panel may be flexing or a piece of plastic has broken away and will likely do it again a month after being repaired.

>> Smelly air-conditioners and evaporator leaks can prevent the a/c from working properly and cause puddles of water in the passenger foot well. Unless it is very cheap, avoid any Barina which doesn't blow a strong, odour-free stream of cold air from its vents.

Used vehicle grading for Holden Barina
Design & Function: 11/20
Safety: 15/20
Practicality: 14/20
Value for Money: 12/20
Wow Factor: 12/20 (RS)
Score: 64/100

Also consider
Toyota Yaris; Ford Fiesta; Hyundai i20