Holden Barina 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $17,990
Options fitted (not included in above price): Metallic Paint $500
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.3
CO2 emissions (g/km): 174
Also consider: Ford Fiesta, Honda Jazz, Kia Rio, Mazda Mazda2

This new TM model Holden Barina, which is known in other markets as the Chevrolet Sonic, is a broad improvement on the old Kalos-based TK Barina that was sold here for years.

But broadly improved against the car it supersedes is one thing; how does it fare against rivals in the VFACTS light-car segment? The short answer is this: it's still a mid-field contender... and that's why Holden has priced and equipped the Barina like so: At $17,990 with six-speed automatic and alloy wheels, the Holden is a genuine bargain on paper. It's a thousand dollars cheaper than the nearest comparable rivals from Ford and Hyundai, $1800 less than the nearest specification of Honda Jazz and just $550 more than the Mazda2 Neo — which comes with a four-speed auto, steel wheels and smaller displacement engine.

But the very fact that the Holden is priced so competitively in this company is troubling. It starts with the car's packaging, which is not bad... average in a highly contested market segment, to be sure. The car's interior fittings are solid enough and nothing threatened to fall off while the Barina was in our possession, but the whole cabin has a Fisher-Price style about it. While the combination of digital speedo and analogue tacho looked curious, it worked well in a neat and tidy way — as long as the driver doesn't object to digital readouts. We found the audio system seemed to fade in and out without any obvious explanation; it didn't appear to be a reception problem in itself.

The driving position was generally comfortable, but the footrest would be truly worthy of the name if it were more than just a soft-moulded lump under the carpet. Seats were snug and yet comfortable, but the trim was durable rather than plush. Entering and exiting the vehicle (in the rear as well as the front) was straightforward not only for flexible young things, but also the oldies who often downsize to cars such as the Barina. The designers have made a real virtue of the C pillar styling, which helps mums and dads lift babies into safety capsules without a lot of contortion. Headroom was excellent in the rear and legroom was on par for a car in this market segment. While there was enough kneeroom for average-sized adults in the rear pew, the shins were brushed up against the rear of the seat in front.

The luggage compartment is reasonably deep — with a spacesaver spare in place — and provides plenty of breadth and length for a car measuring such a relatively compact footprint. For buyers of a gentler disposition, the tailgate is easy enough to lift and will close without needing to be slammed. It just falls into place. The passenger doors are also well designed, securing properly without a hefty shove.

So there are many elements of the Barina's packaging that we commend. On the road however, things are different. The tiny Holden is let down by its six-speed automatic transmission, which should be at an advantage against marketplace rivals typically optioned up with four-speed auto boxes. Experience in two different Barinas, both with the auto option, indicates that the transmission is prone to hunt around for the right gear, and at other times it holds the one gear when it should kick down or change up.

The first car tested had travelled less than 1300km when it arrived in the garage of motoring.com.au, so the engine was probably a bit tight. That could explain why it laboured at 2000rpm on moderate grades, when the transmission wouldn't kick down. We subsequently drove the other Barina auto with just under 4000km on the clock and the engine seemed freed up.

While the transmission would change gear smoothly enough, it was also lethargic and unhurried in the way it went about it. Ultimately it felt more like a continuously variable transmission in its operation than a conventional auto. If there were one element of the transmission we liked, it was the sequential shift toggle on the side of the gear lever. Pull the lever back to 'M' for Manual and then use the thumb to shift up and down through the gears.

On a number of occasions the Barina wouldn't hold station on a hill after the driver released the brake, which is unusual for an auto-equipped car — and likely to be disappointing for auto drivers who can't manage a hill start with the handbrake.

For its part, the engine was peaky and lacked verve at low RPM. Again, this could be a sign of a tight engine yet to get some kilometres up. Very quiet at idle, the engine was raucous in full cry — once the revs exceeded 4000rpm or so. First gear was a high ratio, but the spacing to the intermediate ratios was sufficiently close for the Barina to pick up speed quickly once the car was on the move. At higher speeds — and especially on hills, the Barina just struggled. The engine would thrash around between 5000rpm and redline, and the transmission would hold a gear, but the car's acceleration seemed barely measurable.

Power and torque look adequate on paper, but the Barina outweighs its obvious competitors, so the six speeds in the auto box aren't the boon they should be and the transmission itself probably just piles on more weight. The mass of the car also adds to the demand for more fuel at the bowser, compared with some of Barina's competitors.

In the twisty bits the Barina is more likeable. Steering provides more feel than encountered in some competitors and the Barina turns into corners promptly enough. There's a little bit of sneeze factor built into the steering at the straight-ahead, as is often the case with other cars in this market segment.

Handling-wise the Barina's suspension engineers seem to have compromised roadholding for the sake of ride comfort. Leaving the braking late into a corner may provoke a touch of oversteer, which is corrected by the stability control system in due course. Many of the Barina's competitors in the segment can deal with sudden changes of direction without the same tendency to let go at the rear.

The Barina's antilock brakes were prepped and ready to go on a hair-trigger basis. This safety aid also works in reverse for traction control, but the first Barina just wasn't punchy enough to warrant a lot of traction control; certainly not in the dry and rarely in the wet.

Around town, the Barina's ride comfort was composed and better than a few of the Holden's competitors. The front end hangs low and the flexible valance under the front airdam will scrape over driveways on the approach, which is presumably why it's flexible.

A lot about the Barina marks it as an urban runabout. It will handle touring speeds with a mix of wind and road noise intruding — although no more so than other light-segment cars. But driving to the shops or commuting to work — those are the tasks with which the Barina feels most at home.

As mentioned at the start of this review, the Barina represents good value and the packaging passes the test. Making allowances for an engine yet to loosen up, we still argue that the Barina really needs a modern engine that's willing and refined, allied with a ground-up recalibration of the auto to suit.

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