ADM Holden Cruze Test & Review

Diesel is not new to small cars, but a sporty feel, a semi-powerful engine and handling that helps you enjoy the drive to work all comes in the Holden Cruze CDX diesel.

The Cruze was released in Australia in June 2009 and became Holden’s new icon car for anyone wanting a well priced and reliable small sized car. The rush was there because the Cruze became the 10^th best-selling passenger car in its first full month on the Australian market.

In just on a year Holden sold their 25^th thousand Cruze. The GFC did not seem to slow the sales down and along with the Commodore Holden is making a comeback in the market.

Holden make this car a very attractive buy for a young person wanting a new car without the big costs. Something that catches the eye is the fact that there is a diesel in a small car that still offers great power.

Available in two models (CD or CDX), Cruze offers Electronic Stability Control, six airbags, a six speaker CD system with steering wheel mounted audio controls and cruise control as standard across the range. Storage, functionality and convenience applications include 60/40 split rear seats, seatback pockets, centre console CD storage, shopping bag hook and six cup holders.
Under the hood lies a 1.8 litre petrol or 2.0 litre turbo diesel which comes with a choice of a five speed manual transmission or six speed automatic transmissions with Active Select.

Available as a CD or CDX, the 1.8 litre ECOTEC petrol engine produces 104kW of power and 176Nm of torque with 90 percent of that torque available between 2200 to 6200rpm ensuring quality driveability even at low engine speeds.

The 2.0 litre common rail turbocharged diesel engine is available in both variants and produces 110kW of power and 320Nm of torque and 90 per cent of the torque is available from 1750 to 3500 rpm.

Driving the Cruze in the city is no problem at all. It has plenty of power and the lag was not much of a worry. Being automatic I was expecting more time between putting my foot down and going forward, but I was pleasantly surprised. Parking was easy and visibility was no problem apart from behind the centre mirror where it has a large and annoying black section. This was not noticed early on but once we saw it, it was a bother the whole time driving.

The six-speed automatic really feels tight and when cursing at above 100kph the sixth gear really helps keep the fuel costs down. Sports mode is fun and makes driving a diesel less boring and really gives the control back to the driver.

Cruze boasts one of the most advanced interiors of any small car on the market, offering exceptional quality and functionality, however for a larger person or a taller driver the room is small when either a driver or front seat passenger.

The sport seats are firm and a little over the top for a small car but the dual cockpit design which houses an advanced integrated centre panel with graphic information display and CD with MP3 functionality is a good look. An integrated centre stack houses the infotainment display, radio and HVAC controls, but the owners hand book is something that needs to be read before attempting to change any settings.

Unlike many other small cars, Cruze offers generous rear passenger leg, head and shoulder room and will comfortably seat five medium sized adults.

Occupant safety was an overriding objective in the development of Cruze which has resulted in Cruze achieving a maximum five star ANCAP safety rating.  Significant advances in structural strength and a full offering of active and passive safety systems combine to make the Cruze among the safest in its class.  Safety features include seatbelt retractor and lap pretensioners with seatbelt load limiters, a collapsible pedal assembly system and six airbags including curtain airbags.

Fuel economy of the Cruze is better than many segment competitors with the diesel taking its time between petrol stations.

Fuel economy (ADR81/01) figures are:

7.0 litres per 100 kms for the 1.8 litre petrol manual (CD and CDX)

7.5 litres per 100 kms for the 1.8 litre petrol automatic (CD and CDX)

5.7 litres per 100 kms for the 2.0 litre diesel manual (CD only)

6.8 litres per 100 kms for the 2.0 litre diesel automatic (CD only)

The 1.8 litre petrol and 2.0 litre diesel engines comply with Euro IV emission standards:

CO2 emission levels for the 1.8 litre petrol manual are 166 g/km

CO2 emission levels for the 1.8 litre petrol automatic are 179 g/km

CO2 emission levels for the 2.0 litre diesel manual are 149 g/km

CO2 emission levels for the 2.0 litre diesel automatic are 180 g/km

Warranty is the same as on all Holden vehicles. With Holden’s New Vehicle Warranty, the vehicle workmanship and materials are covered against defects for the first 3 years or 100,000kms, whichever comes first. This factory backed warranty includes coverage on the engine, transmission, clutch, interior and exterior components including corrosion.

The colours available for the Cruze are listed.
Solid colours:

-           Arctic White: classic white core colour

-          Chilli Red: bright punchy sports red

Metallic colours:

-          Carbon Flash Black: striking black with a coarse metallic highlight

-           Mercury Silver: lustrous metallic light silver

-          Moroccan Blue: highly saturated bright performance inspired blue

-          Iced Blue: glacial blue with a fine icy silver highlight

-           Pewter Grey: dark mechanical silver grey

-           Light Gold: warm sophisticated gold metallic

The Recommended Retail Price for the CD petrol manual model Cruze is $22,990 drive away. This is a great price for a car with so much safety.                Correct at time of publication.

Product line-up

Cruze will be offered in CD and CDX models.

Holden Cruze CD standard features:

16 inch steel wheels

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

Traction Control (TC)

Brake Assist (BA)

Six airbags including:

- Front airbags for driver and front passenger

- Front side impact airbags

- Side curtain airbags

Collapsible pedal assembly system

Body coloured door handles and mirrors

Automatic headlamps

Six speaker audio system with MP3 compatible in dash CD, radio and MP3 functionality

Cruise control

Steering wheel audio and cruise controls

Trip computer

Power windows, front and rear

Holden Cruze CDX includes all CD specific feature highlights plus:

17 inch alloy wheels (4)

Front fog lamps

Leather steering wheel

Leather appointed seats with heated front seats

Rear parking sensors

Body coloured door handles with chrome inserts

Interior sports accents

ADM Opinion

To be honest this car can be fun to drive and has enough power (in the diesel) to get you into and out of trouble. The seat position is very average and the visibility out the front is not the best with the annoying black spot behind the interior mirror.

Reliability is good and being a diesel the time between using the credit card at the petrol station is few and far between, which means less chocolates and junk for you to buy.

With the petrol being only 104kW it leaves you wishing you bought something with more power, however, the diesel has the power and fuel efficiency to keep you wanting to drive.