Holden Cruze 2014 Review

Not so much
>> Interior plastics
>> Looks like the last one
>> Spare tyre is optional

OVERVIEW
>> Cruze control
Australia's only locally-built small car, the Holden Cruze, tends to polarise opinion; enjoying strong popularity yet often criticised for its shortcomings. The Cruze –Australia's fifth best-selling car in 2012 – has been given a significant update that addresses several issues, chiefly driving dynamics, standard features and price.

Granted, it's almost impossible to tell the new model apart from the old one at twenty paces, but Holden is confident it invested in the right areas, which include infotainment. The Cruze is the first locally-made car to feature deep smartphone integration. It does so via the MyLink touchscreen system – standard on all model grades – which pairs with your phone to allow Internet audio streaming via Pandora and Stitcher apps.

And unlike some car brands, the system works with both Apple and Android phones.

Throw in meaningful chassis updates, a plucky new European-sourced 1.6-litre turbo that gives the SRi models more bite, new (and better) automatic gearboxes – not to mention price cuts of up to $3500 – and it's patently obvious that Holden is serious about winning over new customers.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
>> More gear, less coin
Competition in the booming small car market has intensified in the last 18 months and the 2014 Cruze has had to drop its prices to remain competitive. That the more affordable Cruze gets more equipment shows just how hard car makers are pushing to get bums on seats.

Four model grades are offered in the new Cruze range – Equipe, CDX, SRi and SRi-V – now undercutting the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3, by starting at $19,490 for the Equipe ($2000 less than its predecessor). Crammed with more swag as standard, such as the MyLink system – comprising a 7-inch touch screen – the newly named entry-level Equipe also gets 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, electric windows and mirrors, reverse parking sensors, a six-speaker stereo with USB/Aux inputs, Bluetooth connectivity, front fog lights, air conditioning and electronic stability control for a five-star ANCAP safety rating. The Equipe is also offered with three engine types (see MECHANICAL).

The mid-spec CDX model is only available in sedan body style paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission and priced at $24,490 for the 1.8-litre petrol or $28,190 for 2.0-litre turbo-diesel – a saving of $2850 in both cases. Equipment levels match the Equipe and raise it with heated and leather-appointed front seats, climate control, leather-wrapped gear shifter and steering wheel, metallic-look interior accents, keyless entry with push button start and a reversing camera.

The SRi and SRi-V models are the sporty variants in the range, priced at $22,490 and $26,490 alike, reducing the asking price by $3500 and $3000 respectively. The athletic pair are powered by a more potent 132kW/230Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol new to the Cruze range, replacing the previous SRi's 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre engine.

Cruze SRi model gets similar features to the Equipe but adds wider, sportier 17-inch diameter tyres (225/50 Bridgestone Potenza), electric power steering, sports body kit, cloth sports seats, sports suspension, plus leather steering wheel and gear knob. Lastly the range-topping SRi-V gets the full box and dice, including bigger 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/45 profile tyres, climate control, heated leather-appointed seats, reversing camera, keyless entry and push button engine start.

Six-speed automatic transmissions add $2200 on Equipe 1.8, SRi and SRi-V models, and a satellite navigation unit is currently being developed in tandem with the VF Commodore and will be introduced mid-year.

Equipe 1.8 $19,490 (m) / Equipe 1.8 $21,690 (a)
Equipe 1.4 $23,190 (a)
Equipe 2.0 $25,690 (a)
CDX 1.8 $24,190 (a)
CDX 2.0 $28,190 (a)
SRi 1.6 $22,490 (m) / SRi 1.6 $24,690 (a)
SRi-V 1.6 $26,490 (m) /SRi-V 1.6 $28,690 (a)

MECHANICAL
>> Settle in for the Cruze
What was once an ordinary car to drive is now more involving thanks to significant chassis and powertrain updates for the 2014 Cruze. That ride quality hasn't been sacrificed in the pursuit of a more engaging drive is a bonus, but the most significant mechanical change to the new model is the addition of the European-sourced 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine fitted to SRi and SRi-V models.

The turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine pumps out 132kW at 5500rpm and 230Nm at 2200rpm, and the engine is a big improvement on the 1.4-litre turbo. It's got more gristle and feels very lively when paired to the six-speed manual, happily revving to 6000rpm without any discernible drop in acceleration.

Similar to the engine used in mid- and up-spec Opel Astra models, the new 1.6-litre engine is a refined and flexible unit and fits the Cruze mould well.

A quartet of relatively efficient four-cylinder engines are offered in total, the new  1.6-litre turbo-petrol (7.9L/100km), and three carryover powerplants: 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre turbo-petrol (6.8L/100km), 104kW/175Nm 1.8-litre petrol (7.4L/100km) and 120kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (6.7L/100km).

Six-speed automatic transmissions are offered with every engine, while a five-speed manual is standard with the 1.8 petrol and a six-speed manual with the 1.6 turbo-petrol.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine and its 'Gen 1' six-speed gearbox has been untouched but the 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre engines join the 1.6 in getting a 'Gen 2' six-speed auto gearbox, which has been configured for Australian driving styles. The new gearbox brings slightly quicker and smoother shifts to the table (and SRi models get a sports mode too), but it also means the gearbox does less hunting and will hold gears up hill.

Holden's chief engineer for compact cars, Anthony McCormack (who previously headed up the Chevy Camaro program between 2006 and 2011) and his team spent all of 2012 whipping the Cruze into shape. And at the end of the day, the new Cruze is a more engaging drive because of it.

Previously all Cruze models shared the same suspension, whereas two suspension tunes are now available: comfort for Equipe and CDX models, sport for SRi and SRi-V variants. The suspension layouts comprise independent front MacPherson struts, while the rear ends are torsion beams, with the sports models adding an extra Watts Link for improved dynamics.

The comfort and sport suspension tunes are completely new, tuned at Holden's Lang Lang proving ground and on local roads to deliver ride and handling suited to local conditions, and the difference is noticeable. For the sports suspension we're talking stiffer springs and improved roll stiffness, while the comfort suspension delivers better ride quality by sacrificing stiffness. The cars now feel more planted and secure on the roads with good ride comfort, and the switch from Kumho to Bridgestone tyres has also worked in the car's favour.

During his address to the media at the Cruze national launch in Hobart, Holden's managing director Mike Devereux stated: "If you don’t think this is the best handling car in that segment, I'd be really, really surprised."

It's not the best-handling car in the segment – the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Mazda3 are hard to top – but the Cruze has narrowed the gap (significantly) and comes up trumps in terms of ride quality and comfort.

PACKAGING
>> The missing link...?
Unlike the changes to the Cruze's mechanical underpinnings, the car's aesthetics are virtually untouched. Apart from new alloy wheel designs and three new colours – including the cheerfully-named "Regal Peacock" (a dark-green metallic hue), Fantale (solid orange) and Prussian Steel (silver) – there's only minor interior accent changes to report.

The sporty SRi models get a shiny new exhaust tip to denote their uprated power and there are a couple of trimming and instrument panel accent changes in the cabin according to Holden, but it'd take an eagle-eyed Cruzer-phile to spot them.

By and large the interior presents well, the controls are intuitive. Holden's Cruze is one of the roomier small cars on the market, with good rear seat room and a sizable boot for both sedan (445 litres) and hatch (413 litres). Comfort levels are par for the course and unlike the Pulsar sedan, the Cruze sedan has folding rear seats which makes it a more practical load lugger. That said, a tyre inflator kit is still standard issue, a 16-inch spare is optional.

What truly separates this car from the pack – for now – is the new MyLink system.

MyLink features two pre-installed 'apps' – Pandora and Stitcher – that can be paired with an Android or Apple smartphone (the free apps must also be installed on said phone). The MyLink system is controlled via the car's 7-inch colour touchscreen and uses your phone's 3G/4G data bandwidth to connect to the Internet and stream audio – so make sure you've got a decent data plan. Digital radio this is not.

I paired my iPhone with the car's Bluetooth system readily and, having never used Pandora or Stitcher before, found them easy to use. Pandora is similar to Spotify (one of the world's most popular music streaming programs) in some respects – it offers unlimited free music downloads and has millions of songs available. The difference is that the Pandora has fuzzy logic that allows it to continue playing different music without the user's input.

For instance once you've selected a song, it will recognise the artist and genre and pick similar songs thereafter. It's a shrewd system and though it only just launched in Australia in December 2012, it suits the automotive environment.

Stitcher is essentially the 'AM' or talkback radio equivalent, streaming podcasts, newsreels and comedy instead of music. It featured mainly US-based programs but Holden says more Australian content is being added.

One thing I didn't like about Pandora/Stitcher was that if you use an iPhone it has to be plugged into the USB port via the charging cable to use (something about iOS security). Android phones do not have to be plugged in to work with MyLink's music streaming apps. As such I ended up resorting to using a Holden-supplied Android-based Samsung handset when swapping into different cars. Also, if you don't have Telstra coverage or travel through remote regions and phone coverage falters, so does the audio streaming.

SAFETY
>> Eyes in the back of its head
Except for the addition of reversing cameras on some models and reverse parking sensors standard across the range, there's nothing new for the Cruze's safety suite. That means features like electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and six airbags continue as standard across the range, culminating in a five-star ANCAP safety rating. The Cruze's ANCAP safety points aggregate (35.04) placed it at the head of the class once, but it has been overtaken in recent times by the new Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30, to name two.

COMPETITORS
>> Big pond, big predators
The small car market in which Holden's home-grown hero lives is populated by three of the top five selling cars in Australia – the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla in addition to this car, the Holden Cruze. So naturally those are the two main rivals. Of course there are plenty of other challengers chomping at the bit for a scuffle, including the Hyundai i30, Nissan Pulsar, Mitsubishi Lancer, Ford Focus, the list goes on – including the Opel Astra that shares its Delta II platform with the Cruze. You can even add Volkswagen Golf to the list at a pinch, and perhaps the Cruze's biggest hurdle in this market is no singular vehicle, rather the sheer number of alternatives available to buyers.

The more powerful SRi-V models will be more than a match for cars such as the Mazda3 SP25; priced lower and delivering more power and torque Holden could have the warm hatch market cornered.

ON THE ROAD
>> Improvements across the board
I had the chance to drive three engine types on the launch drive in Tasmania and it's clear the localisation program has greatly improved Holden's small car. It's now a more planted, more predictable car that seems to respond better to what the driver's hands and feet demand.

Unlike previous Cruze launches the drive route was a testing mixture of roads, from smooth hot mix to decaying, patchwork country roads – even gravel roads – which really gave the suspension a work out, but showed just how much confidence Holden places in the recalibrated suspension.

What was clear from the two-day test is that Holden's chassis and powertrain engineers have earned their keep, making an average car feel alive and enthusiastic. The 2013 Cruze gearbox and suspension settings were only mildly tweaked versions of the Korean market car's, but the 2014 model finally feels like a true Aussie.

Even the entry-level Equipe with its 'comfort' suspension could be thrown into corners without too much protest, and while the ride isn't as cushy as its once was, it's still a compliant, bump-absorbing setup that dealt with deteriorating, heavily patched roads with surprising ease.

The steering in the comfort models – Equipe, CDX – is not exactly inspiring, with a rather dull, vague feel to the electro hydraulic steering system. The sport models – SRi, SRi-V (and also the 1.4 Equipe) – get an electric power steering system that delivers more weight, slightly more feedback and is a more endearing drive as a result.

Combined with the extra power of the 1.6-litre four-pot Euro-donk, wider tyres and sports suspension, the SRi models are a lot of fun to drive. They hook into corners purposefully, the firmer suspension works to generate ample grip from the Bridgestone Potenza tyres and the extra engine torque allows the sporty Cruze to accelerate promptly out of corners. Speaking of that, the change from Kumho to Bridgestone tyres makes a small but important difference across the range: better grip, better braking, more sure-footed generally.

What's surprising is that both suspension tunes are adept at tracking through low quality corners without getting nervous and skittish, something that can't be said for all vehicles in this segment.

On dirt roads I drove the CDX diesel model and the car was predictable on the loose surface, despite the woolly steering. The diesel engine is a fairly solid unit too, hauling strongly with three adult occupants and their overnight luggage thanks to its effortless 360Nm of torque, though unlike the rest of the range the oiler keeps the first generation six-speed auto gearbox which wasn't quite as nuanced and intuitive as the newer second generation autos of the petrol models.

Still, the diesel has loads of go and is a refined and quiet engine, inside and out.

The price-leading 1.8-litre petrol Cruze is still the weak link in the range, but minor changes to the internals of the engine extend the torque curve and together with the new gen six-speed automatic, the car is now more flexible and responsive to throttle inputs. It'll even hold gears uphill now and generally speaking the gearbox does less chopping and changing, though overtaking requires resolve and when revved hard the engine does get thrashy and loud.

In my opinion the pick of the litter was the $22,490 SRi manual model. The auto is pretty good too, particularly with updated gearbox, but what I really liked was that it's affordable, comes with a decent amount of kit and delivers plenty of poke via its warmed-up 1.6-litre 132kW four-pot powerplant.

Holden has delivered a vehicle that is more relevant to Australian buyers and better suited to local conditions; and though it's not perfect it's a much closer match for its Japanese rivals. Throw in lower pricing, more equipment and a few extra bells and whistles, and the Cruze looks set to have a good year in 2013.

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