Super TestCar reviews - Holden - Barina - hatch rangeHolden modelsOverviewHolden's Korean-built Barina falls short of its Euro forebear, but costs under $12K13 Oct 2005 IT’S SHREWD business sense to reduce costs by importing a vehicle from a cheaper source in order to compete against rivals who specialise in low, low pricing. And here the new TK Barina scores a king-hit: $12,990 with air, two airbags, three rear head restraints and five lap-sash seatbelts – all with the reputation and back-up of Holden. But is the company short-changing Australian consumers who are becoming increasingly more sophisticated, or will the South Korean-built 2006 Barina from Daewoo end up as a landmark light car by virtue of its sheer accessibility? With the controversy that’s likely to rage, the fact the baby Holden is perfectly adequate almost seems to not to matter. Model release date: 1 December 2005 to 1 January 2011 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelReplacing a car renowned for its low quality and dud dynamics, the Opel-sourced 2001 XC Barina made good with high levels of comfort, refinement, value and driveability. Available in three or five-door hatchback guises, it felt like a TS Astra, only smaller. Power came courtesy of a 66kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder tied to a four-speed auto or five-speed manual. Fluctuating currencies meant that Holden had trouble keeping the XC prices competitive against ever-improving cheapies like Hyundai’s Getz. |
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