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Back to September 2011 Motorsports News Archive
| 29-09-2011 at 14:00: ADM 2011 Holden Cruze Series II Test & Review | |
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But with something good there is always something better. The release of the Series II Cruze took this small car to the next level. Continuing with the popular CD and CDX, as seen in the first series, two new sports models were also released, the SRi and range topping SRi-V. The Series II offers three different engine types, 1.8 litre DOHC 16v 4-cylinderECOTEC petrol, 2.0 litre DOHC 16v 4-cylinder common rail turbo diesel and the one ADM tested a 1.4 litre DOHC 16v 4-cylinder iTi turbo petrol. The petrol turbo offers 103kW at 4900rpm and 200 Nm of Torque at 1850-4900rpm, giving a surprising amount of get up and go. A small turbo has been used to limit the amount of turbo lag however when putting the foot down in second from a slow roll there is a noticeable lack of power until the turbo boost arrives. Along with the three engine types the Cruze Series II offers three types of transmissions. The standard 5-speed manual is offered only on the CD and CDX with an option of a 6-speed manual if desired. The 6-speed is standard on the SRi and SRi-V. As the final gearbox the Cruze offers a 6-speed automatic with active select as an option over the range. The books say the 1.4 litre offers excellent fuel economy with 6.4 litres per 100km on the manual models. Driving the Cruze for the week we managed to get close to the figure but it’s hard to have such good fuel usage when you are having so much fun behind the wheel.  The lack of understeer was noticed and made for some easy cornering with wheel feedback offering a positive feeling. The handling is something this small car has down no matter if it is the CD or SRi-V, although the SRi-V has performance suspension. The setup is great and Holden have worked on removing the body roll from this series. As standard throughout the range, safety features include 4-wheel disc brakes including Electronic Stability Control (ESC) which includes Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Traction Control System (TCS). Front, side and full length curtain air bags offer piece of mind if the unthinkable happens. All of these features add to the comfort of the ride. Seats are a pleasure to sit in for short or long trips and the room around the driver is rather good. There is plenty of head and leg room and the door cards fit well when resting the right leg against them. A downfall found while driving is that no foot rest is offered for the left leg, it is more of a comfort thing then a need but would have been nice to have one. The driver and front passenger seat is 6-way adjustable and come in either cloth or leather (model variant) and as an added bonus the head rests are height and tilt adjustable. As a result of the safety in cars of today, the A-pillar is really suffering from oversize syndrome. In the case of the Cruze II the A-pillar is on the large side and makes visibility a tad difficult. As for the looking out the side and rear windows the vision is good. Standard options offered are great and plenty. The likes of cruise control, automatic headlights, multifunction steering wheel controls, multifunction electronic driver information display make this a great standard small car. The 2009 Cruze was given a full five stars from ANCAP with near perfect results across the board. As there has been no test of a series II there are no official results but nothing in safety has been left out. ADM Opinion The Cruze Series II offers plenty for a buyer. The trusted name of Holden and their three year factory backed warranty and the standard features you don’t get with most other makes. The ride is quality and the feel of the overall car is nice. The 1.4 litre turbo would be the best option in four cylinder petrol’s on the market for both fuel economy and power. Driven correctly and not playing in it every day will keep the fuel usage low. The starting price offered for the features included is well justified and deserves a look when shopping for a new small car. Feature Highlights Series II Holden Cruze CD New 16-inch wheel trims Series II Holden Cruze CDX additional highlights: New 17-inch alloy wheels Holden Cruze SRi feature highlights 1.4L iTi DOHC turbo petrol engine Series II Holden Cruze SRi-V additional feature highlights: Leather appointed seats Pricing Recommended Retail Pricing |
Holden have always produced good cars and it’s proven by their range and continued success with sales in Australia and the world. When the first series Cruze was released in Australia in June 2009, the small car was a hit as it shot straight to the top 10 best selling cars, and in one year Holden delivered more than 25,000 Cruze’s.
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