Holden Cascada 2016 Review

Holden Cascada
Road Test

If you want to get to know a car, take it to Tassie and expose it to the ever-changing weather, nausea-inducing winding roads and suicidal wildlife. On a weeklong road trip, the seriously good-looking soft top revealed itself to be a somewhat sluggish petrol guzzler that was redeemed by its real world comfort and ease of use. Smack-bang in the middle of its competitors price-wise, it’s an attractive, comfortable and convenient option for people looking for a special occasion car with everyday comforts.

Isn’t there just something about a convertible that makes you want to jump in the air (like those ‘Oh what a feeling’ Toyota ads) and shout “road trip!” in your best California girl accent?

No? Just me? Moving on.

But honestly, show me someone who hasn’t dreamed of putting the roof down and hitting the road to explore a new place and I’ll show you a liar.

I had long wanted to do a road trip with my best friend and decided this year was my time. While California was calling my name, as were the rugged landscapes of rural England, we decided to stick a little closer to home and venture to Tasmania – home of good food, great wine and scenic views.

Of course, a trip like this called for a convertible, so we opted for the Holden Cascada. Or, as my very hip 21-year-old brother put it, “the least swag convertible ever”. (Swag means cool – I don’t get it either).

When I collected the car I was pleasantly surprised to find my brother had been wrong. Features that in photos looked a bit bulky and dated appeared sleek and elegant in person and it got the tick of approval from all my friends.

So I grabbed my bestie (and designated navigator), a suitcase and a sunhat and hit the road with hope in my heart and a tank full of petrol.

This would be Thelma and Louise, I thought, minus Brad Pitt and the dramatic ending.

Day one: Melbourne to Launceston
Driving time: 3 hours
Of course, the only legitimate way to take a car across the Bass Strait is by boat. Enter: the Spirit of Tasmania – an experience I remember fondly from my time spent on it as a six-year-old.

Let me tell you, the gentle fog of memory had perhaps airbrushed the Spirit of Tasmania in my young mind.

We spent a good three hours waiting to board the boat – three hours which would have driven me stark raving mad if I hadn’t had fresh air pouring into the car.

Thankfully, the Cascada’s roof mechanism is really fantastic. It’s up or down in about 30 seconds and you can even do it when the car is moving at a low speed.

When we finally boarded the boat, it felt vaguely criminal to be loading a car as good looking as the Cascada down the bottom of a fishy smelling five-storey garage in amongst camper vans and crummy Ford Falcons.

I was somewhat appeased when an attendant took one look at the Cascada and remarked with wide eyes, “Hey, nice car.”

Yes, it is. Now get me out of here.

Disembarking from the boat as night settled over Devonport, we quickly learned that the Cascada is far better with the roof down since visibility is minimal with it up. Top-down despite the rapidly dropping temperatures, we navigated the poorly lit freeway to Launceston without much trouble.

We also put the seat and steering wheel warmers on which vastly improved the driving experience.

Day two: Launceston to Freycinet
Driving time: 2 hours
Leaving our first night’s accommodation at the swanky Hatherley House in Launceston, we struggled slightly to load our medium suitcases into the car. While mine fit comfortably in the boot, it left no room for my friend’s and she was forced to put hers on the backseat.

This would be all well and good if access to backseat wasn’t so hellish with the roof up. From that point onwards we always loaded the car with the roof down.

Storage space in the car isn’t bad given its size. We managed to fit two water bottles, a couple of hats and a few trinkets in and around the doors and dashboard without overflow. For those travelling in the back seat, it can feel a little claustrophobic with the roof on but when it’s off the back is quite roomy.

Hitting speeds of 110km/h, we were concerned about blasts of wind removing our hats and deafening our ears but with the windows up a roofless Cascada is pretty protected. There are add-ons to minimise wind noise but we didn’t need to use them.

As a bonus, we got to take in the beauty of Frecyinet national park in 360-degree glory. While our night two accommodation was up a fairly steep dirt road, the Cascada managed it despite occasionally struggling for traction.

Just be mindful of the low clearance of the undercarriage, which was never really designed for rocky dirt roads – or even steep suburban driveways.

Day three: Freycinet to Port Arthur
Driving time: 3 hours
Here’s the thing: Tassie is a bit like Melbourne: four seasons in one day. Not ideal if you’re in a convertible.

We encountered a fair amount of light rain in our travels that, surprisingly, the Cascada’s windows managed to shield us from to the extent we didn’t need to put the roof up.

However, on the drive into Port Arthur we were hit with a torrential downpour that was borderline apocalyptic. This was the time for the auto wipers to step up and show us what they were made of but instead they chose to wait far too long to kick into action, forcing me to – gasp – turn them on manually.

The horror.

Day four: Port Arthur to Hobart
Driving time: 1.5 hours
It was on the one-and-a-half hour drive to Hobart that we discovered what might be the Cascada’s fatal flaw.

We thought we’d been eating a lot. We’d chowed down on chilli mussels at the Freycinet Marine Farm, stocked up on fish and chips in Doo Town, scoffed scones at Hillwood Strawberry Farm and enjoyed three courses at Hobart in Franklin.

But it turned out our appetite had nothing on our car's.

The Cascada’s petrol consumption, although claimed to be 7.5L/100km, clocked at 9.0L/100km at its lowest. Inconveniently, it takes premium. Premium is scarce in Tassie, so we spent the majority of our time fearing we’d run out between petrol stations or be forced to pump in 91 RON.

As such, the Cascada could have benefitted from an idle-stop function or an ECO mode (only available on its manual models).

Maybe that would have meant we didn’t have to stop to refuel four times in just six days of leisurely travel.

We spent our evening in Hobart at the waterfront Henry Jones Art Hotel. Despite the gloriously comfortable beds, I didn’t sleep because the wind from the harbour was so strong and I was worried the Cascada would be damaged.

It had happened. Despite its insatiable appetite for expensive petrol, I had become attached.

Day five: Hobart to Cradle Mountain
Driving time: 4 hours
If you want to figure out everything you hate about a car in a short space of time, drive it up Cradle Mountain as the sun sets and rain, fog and freezing temperatures kick in.

I called the poor Cascada some fairly mean words as its heavy frame sluggishly made its way up the sloping roads of Tassie’s fifth highest mountain. Let’s face it – this is meant for driving along the coastline on a warm Sunday, not slogging up a winding cliff-side freeway at 100km/h.

It drove and felt like Erwin Wurm’s Convertible Fat Car, an artwork we’d seen at MONA just that morning.

Nothing compares to the sense of dread you get as you watch the fuel meter dip from half a tank to one quarter of a tank in less than an hour with no petrol stations in sight.

Spoiler alert: we made it, no thanks to the Cascada or its laid-back auto wipers and headlights.

Day six: Cradle Mountain to Launceston
Driving time: 2 hours
There’s a lot happening on Tasmanian roads. They are essentially an obstacle course of bugs, bad drivers and suicidal fauna.

As such, a dashboard as complicated as the Cascada’s can be a hindrance rather than a help – there are buttons and levers everywhere.

The most frustrating part of this overwhelming display is that the control for the windows and roof is dangerously close to the park brake and the windows control strongly resembles the park brake. Thus, it’s likely you’ll do what I did and attempt to activate the parking brake while driving 120km/h. It's something you'll only do once, however.

That, or you’ll hit that wombat that decided to hurl itself in front of your vehicle at the last minute. So cute... yet so stupid.

Day seven: Launceston to Melbourne
Driving time: 2 hours
We survived Tassie without hitting any wombats or getting horrendously lost. The Cascada, a high-maintenance car with a few frustrating quirks, proved our loyal sidekick. Since we were two Bonnies, we nicknamed him Clyde.

Clyde was a loyal, albeit hungry, companion whose good looks, comfortable interior and love of fresh air made him the perfect travel companion – for the first few days at least.

After the thrill wore off, it became evident Clyde had some flaws: he had a big appetite, he got lazy when the going got tough and he could have used a bit of extra room.

Oh, and our final foray off the Spirit of Tasmania out of a crowded car park revealed Clyde’s turning circle could do with some work too. He’s lucky he’s so good looking.

Kilometres travelled: 1500km
Roadkill averted: 26
Bottles of rosé consumed after parking the car: Seven
Petrol station visits: Four
Percentage of time spent with the roof down: 80
Money spent on petrol: $153.71
Good times: Priceless

2016 Holden Cascada pricing and specifications:
Price: $41,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 125kW/260Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 181g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: N/A

Also consider:
>> BMW 2 Series Convertible (from $54,900 plus ORCs)
>> Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet (from $38,490 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet (from $43,990 plus ORCs)