Buying a used Holden Cruze 4WD (2002-2007)

During the early 2000s, many young and predominantly female buyers abandoned conventional front-wheel drive hatchbacks for the versatility and perceived security of a lightweight 4WD. Or, in the words of the Cruze’s Melbourne-based designers, a ‘compact lifestyle wagon’.

Whatever they called it, General Motors needed something to offer buyers of an impressionable age in markets across the world. An Aussie rework of an uninspiring Suzuki provided the answer.

The Cruze came with cute looks, super-sharp pricing and the ability to handle loose surfaces without ever being seen as a serious off-roader. During five years on Australian roads, around 12,000 were sold and they hold value fairly well.

The design originated as a joint venture between General Motors and Suzuki. Holden’s styling division was given the task of creating a more attractive and versatile version of the Suzuki Ignis. The design appeared in ‘concept’ form at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show and took two years to be refined for production.

The Cruze appeared on Australian roads in July 2002. In the USA and Japan it was sold as a Chevrolet and during 2003 a longer-bodied version was released onto the European market as a Suzuki or Subaru.

A 1.5-litre, 74kW version of the Ignis engine was fitted and the chassis significantly modified. Adapting the front-wheel drive platform to on-demand all-wheel drive involved installing an additional drive-shaft and differential with a viscous coupling that brought the rear axle into play whenever sensors up front detected traction loss.

With bigger wheels and increased ground clearance, the Cruze was almost as high as it was wide (1640 mm vs 1605mm) so Holden’s engineers added 20mm in track width for improved stability.

Unfortunately there was no budget for reworking the Ignis rear axle, so Cruze hit the road with a rudimentary beam axle and drum brakes at the back.   

Considering that a five-door Barina manual in 2002 cost $16,990, the $19,990 being sought for a five-speed, all-wheel drive Cruze packed with features represented serious value.

Automatic transmission added $2000 but that didn’t seem to worry the 30 per cent of owners who wanted an auto.

At introduction, the list of Cruze inclusions began with dual air-bags, air-conditioning, alloy wheels, central locking, power windows and mirrors, CD player, even a trip computer and leather-wrapped steering wheel.    

From mid-2004, Cruze prices were cut to even more extraordinary levels -- the manual now beginning at $18,990. ABS brakes were included instead of being a $700 option.  

ON THE ROAD
The aspect of the Cruze design that attracted many buyers was its height above surrounding traffic -- well, cars anyway -- and all-round visibility. With a retro-fit reversing camera there is pretty much nowhere for an object or small child to hide and be hit.

The seats are pretty good for a car of this class and price, both in shape and quality of the fabric used. Small cars can often cut costs by skimping on trim quality but Holden resisted the temptation.

The major attraction was, and remains, the massive list of equipment that made the Cruze’s cabin a very pleasant space to occupy during the daily commute.

Bearing in mind all the while that the role of the Cruze is urban transport, the little hold-all does a fair job of getting off the beaten path.

Push a Cruze hard on rough or unsealed roads and the short wheelbase and rudimentary suspension allow for lots of bounce and juddering. However, on smooth but loose stuff they aren’t bad, the 4WD system activating without any fuss and staying connected. Arrive too quickly at a gravel bend, back off or even brake and you find the car has reverted to an understeering front-wheel drive.

Getting a manual Cruze underway can be tricky as the clutch doesn’t have much feel and can be a little sudden. Blame here may lie with the throttle that doesn’t always deliver a smooth progression of power. The electric power steering may likewise feel disconnected but cars with more aggressively treaded tyres do seem more responsive and require less lock.

Early models without the ABS brake option can do scary things if the brakes are applied harshly on a wet road. With the high centre of gravity and relatively narrow track it isn’t impossible to get a Cruze so far sideways it may fall over under heavy braking.   

In crash tests where four stars is generally accepted as the minimum acceptable, the Cruze managed only three. Frontal impact tests found the driver’s floor had buckled and the brake pedal was forced 160mm backwards. Those considering carrying three people in the back of a Cruze need to be aware that the middle position is equipped with only a lap seat belt.

Fuel economy was a big attraction for Cruze buyers but some will be disappointed. In a car weighing less than 1000kg and with just a driver aboard, the 1.5-litre motor will easily deliver better than 7L/100km.

Add automatic transmission and four occupants, toss in a few hills or some unsealed roads and consumption soars above 10L/100, leaving owners asking why they didn’t just buy a RAV4.
 

>> Just in case a former owner has been dumb enough to try serious off-roading in a Cruze, look underneath for damage. Sills below the doors show dents and crush damage if the car has run out of clearance and front stone-tray will suffer from head-butting embankments.  If it vibrates at constant speed with 4WD operating, the tail-shaft may be bent.

>> Manual transmissions from as low as 60,000 kilometres have been known to suffer catastrophic failures. These include split casings that allow all the oil to escape, bearing and synchromesh failures. If gears are hard to select (also see ‘clutch’) or the transmission is noisy avoid that car.

>> Clutch problems and notchy changes can make the manual Cruze tiring to drive in commuter traffic. If the pedal demands high pedal pressure or sticks, money needs to be spent.  

>> Failed crank angle sensors can cause the car to stall but permit restarting within a few minutes. Make sure your test-drive is at least 15 minutes and you stop and start the engine a few times to ensure it fires reliably.

>> Electrical faults are common. Check that windows, central locking and other accessories are working.

>>  The tyre size of 175/65R15 is uncommon and the Cruze comes only with a temporary spare. If you travel any distance from populated areas, get an extra full-sized spare rim and rubber from a wrecker.

ALSO CONSIDER: Toyota RAV4, Daihatsu Terios, Suzuki SX4