HOLDEN has pulled something out of the hat with its new Australian-built JH Cruze range.
No, not the long-awaited five-door hatch, but a sweet little 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine that also comes with more sophisticated rear-end suspension and electric power steering.
Available for just $1250 over the improved but still dull 1.8-litre Ecotec CD (and standard on the sporty SRi and SRi-V), it elevates a spacious, safe, solid and well-equipped sedan of limited driver appeal to a breezy and involving bargain.
The fact that GM makes it in Adelaide is an extra bonus. Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai and even Volkswagen: you have been warned.
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Holden JG Cruze sedan
Released: June 2009
Ended: March 2011
Family Tree: CruzeDEVELOPED in Germany alongside the Opel Astra J that uses the same Delta II chassis architecture, the front-wheel drive Cruze was Holden’s very welcome replacement for the unloved JF Viva, a hastily reworked version of the Daewoo J200 Lacetti that was itself derived from the J100 Nubira from 1997.
Built in South Korea and powered by a choice of a 104kW/176Nm 1.8-litre Ecotec four-cylinder petrol or 110kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines, the Cruze was not renowned for its performance or refinement, but it struck a chord with Australians thanks to class-leading interior space, appealing dash presentation, keen pricing and sharp looks.
Two models were launched - the CD and CDX - with the latter offering a long list of standard features. Unlike the Ford Focus or Mazda3, the Cruze sticks with a torsion beam rear suspension system on the grounds of cost and space efficiency.
The manual was a five-speeder, while automatic buyers benefitted from a six-speed transmission.
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