Buying a used Holden Cruze (2008-2016)
Here’s your guide to buying a second-hand JH Series II Holden Cruze (2011-2016), which brought an appealing design in a competitive market segment but…Short history of the Holden Cruze
In 2008, the Holden Cruze underwent an extreme makeover, transforming from an ungainly compact SUV sold from 2001 into a small car designed by Daewoo but bearing the same name.
It appeared on Australian roads in 2009, shortly after being adopted by General Motors’ Chevrolet division as a replacement for several US models of similar size.
Locally, the JH Series Cruze was immediately successful, falling only 1500 sales short of bumping Hyundai’s i30 from third spot in the 2010 small car sales race.
In March 2011 and accompanying the launch of the updated Series II version, production moved from South Korea to Adelaide and the choice of local variations swelled.
The Holden Cruze II was immediately available as a sedan, with the range expanding in November to include a five-door Equipe hatch. Both versions were available in four levels of trim and with petrol or diesel engines.
New to the locally-built Cruze was a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine which with 103kW produced less power than the 1.8 petrol.
Late 2012 saw the range grow again to include a station wagon; this time fully imported from South Korea and with 1.8-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engines.
A 2013 upgrade didn’t change the look or dimensions of the Cruze but did improve it dynamically while adding equipment and sharpening the pricing.
A fired-up 132kW version of Opel’s SRi 1.6 Turbo engine was available as well, with prices for this engine in an SRi sedan starting at $22,490.
2015 brought new front-end styling to the end-of-line Cruze, which dropped the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine and the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.
Less than two years later, Cruze production in Australia ended, accompanied by news that it would be replaced by an Astra sourced from Germany.
Buying Used: Holden Cruze JH II 2011-2016 – Quick Checklist
- Coolant loss and overheating result in head gasket failure. Check for contaminated oil.
- Avoid any car with automatic transmission that wants to surge when stationary in Drive and with the brake applied
- Ensure the air-conditioning is working effectively over all settings
- Sluggish, hard to start diesels could be suffering with a clogged DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)
Holden Cruze JH II – Overview of updates, engines and equipment
Announced in March 2011, the JH Series II Holden Cruze was sold in four trim levels and with three very different engines.
Most basic was the CD sedan with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and manual transmission. It cost $20,990 and with its light weight and spritely gearing was a good performer. Although few were sold, they still bring solid money in the used market.
Automatic CDs remain popular too, but these are overshadowed by virtue of equipment levels by the CDX. As a 1.8-litre automatic the CDX cost $26,490 and came with 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, extra interior chrome, heated seats, fog lights and rear park assistance.
CD and CDX versions could also be specified with a 1.4 turbo engine or a 120kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.
Spend $24,990-plus on an SRi or SRi-V and the benefits were primarily found beneath the bonnet and out on the road.
Uprated suspension combined with the turbo-petrol engine would assuredly deliver higher levels of driver involvement and for not a lot of extra money.
SRi-Vs maintained the basic car’s sporty attributes then added CDX trim, parking sensors, a 7.0-inch dash display and enhanced entertainment system. Those with an automatic transmission cost $30,490.
Late in 2012 came the first JH II update, accompanied by changes to model designations, alterations to the suspension and some price tweaking.
Proving that cars built in Australia didn’t need to be under-equipped or over-priced, the new entry level Equipe was priced at $19,490 (manual) and included alloy wheels, the 7.0-inch touch-screen, Bluetooth and fog lights.
A new six-speed automatic transmission became available, featuring Performance Mode Lift Foot function that stopped the transmission selecting a higher gear if the throttle was momentarily lifted while climbing a hill.
Suspension changes were intended to tame a somewhat harsh ride but didn’t hurt handling too much. They also allowed for the use of higher-spec tyres with more grip and less noise than those fitted to earlier versions.
2013 brought a fully imported Cruze Sportwagon to flesh out the range, with the 1.8 petrol engine and automatic transmission in CD or CDX trim. Diesel power was available too, but only in a CD auto at $27,690.
By 2015 the fate of the Cruze and its locally-built relatives had become terminal, but that didn’t stop Holden hanging a bright new nose on its small car and trying to squeeze some final sales out of a diminishing passenger sedan market.
The last cars to carry Cruze badges featured double-deck grilles, revised lights and a new bumper. The 1.4-litre turbo and diesel engines both disappeared, leaving buyers to choose from the ancient 1.8-litre or more expensive Turbo 1.6.
Equipe, CD, CDX and SRi-V versions remained available, with the SRi-V auto sedan a bit of a bargain at less than $30,000 while featuring suede seat inserts, 18-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers and remote start.
Holden Cruze JH II 2011-2016 – What they are like to drive?
On paper and in the metal the Holden Cruze is roomy, well equipped and amiable. You want to like it but after delving through a litany of manufacturing faults and design flaws that first impression fades.
Inside and even in the back, the Cruze delivers loads of room for a car of its size. The wagon won’t match a Commodore Sportwagon for space but still carries plenty.
Even in basic models with cloth seats, the accommodation is comfortable and the view forward is interesting, due to a dash design that doesn’t follow Korean convention.
Depending on which engine/transmission you choose the Cruze driving experience can differ markedly. 1.8-litre automatics are unremarkable, but if all you want is a car to potter about without asking much of the machinery or yourself then it fills the brief.
The same engine coupled to manual transmission is said to provide some enjoyment but still won’t be a magnet for vigorous drivers.
That mantle falls upon cars with the 1.6-litre 132kW turbo-petrol engine. These are most commonly found with six-speed automatic transmission and work just fine in that configuration. However, to exploit the turbo engine’s potential you probably do need the six-speed manual.
Given the upfront cost of diesel cars and relatively minimal differences in economy, owning an oil-burning Cruze from new wasn’t an attractive prospect and no easier to justify now, even against a background of uncertain fuel pricing and supply.
If you intend travelling big distances including a lot of highway work though, a 2.0-litre car is worth a look.
In these days of robust passenger cells and airbags that deploy in all directions it’s hard to find a passenger model built during the past 10 years that doesn’t qualify for a five-star ANCAP rating from launch.
The entire Cruze range did and after watching video of one crunching a barrier without deranging the occupant area at all, you can understand how they scored so highly.
Fuel economy from turbo-engined cars isn’t going to be flash, mainly because they encourage use of the throttle pedal more than 1.8 or diesel versions. That said and unless you are a total leadfoot, 9.0L/100km from the 1.6 manual isn’t bad. 1.8 autos driven conservatively are said to achieve 7.4L/100km and the 2.0-litre diesel on the highway can manage 5.6L/100km.
Holden Cruze JH II – What to check when buying used
- The locally-built Cruze suffered from design flaws and component defects which resulted in numerous recalls. Most serious was a fire hazard due to oil leaking onto the engine manifold and affecting pre-2014 cars with turbo-petrol engines.
- Driveshaft failures affected some 1.8-litre cars with manual transmissions, with a similar fault also causing the right-hand shaft in early diesel cars also to separate
- Serious engine failures have been reported and are attributed to coolant leaks and thermostat failure. These problems mostly affect 1.8-litre petrol and the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engines and are rarely predictable. Check coolant and oil levels frequently and watch the temperature gauge.
- Transmission failures are sometimes preceded by symptoms including reluctance to engage reverse gear, slip or ‘flare’ when accelerating and vibration as the transmission downshifts.
- A loose battery cable clamp could cause problems including failure of the electric power steering. After the affected cars were recalled, a revised attachment was substituted, including a small bolt to secure the cable.
- Again, the dreaded name of Takata must be mentioned in connection with the Cruze. Suspect airbags were reportedly used in some MY11-16 models, resulting in a 2018 recall to check all cars. Make sure if the Cruze you are considering is in that age range it has been inspected.
- Various other issues, ranging from air-conditioning faults, clogging of DPF filters in diesel models and dislocation of underbody splash guards have also been reported. A professional pre-purchase inspection is vital to ensure you don’t buy a car that is harbouring major problems.
Used vehicle rating for Holden JHII Cruze 2011-2016
Design & Function: 10/20
Safety: 15/20
Practicality: 15/20
Value for Money: 10/20
Wow Factor:10/20
Score: 60/100
Also consider: Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Mazda3, Toyota Corolla
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