The Drive
So it looks good, and it’s practical. Those two boxes have been checked, but what of the third, the driving experience?
Holden sent us on our merry way through some of Victoria’s most picturesque roads around the Mornington Peninsula, where we got the chance to experience a broad spread of models in the Cruze lineup.
We started off in a Cruze CDX petrol automatic, the equal most-expensive variant in the range at $25,990. Aside from that towering stalk of a gearlever, the CDX feels reasonably upmarket – a sensation no doubt helped by the leather seats, leather-clad steering wheel, heated front seats and piano-black dash inserts.
Twist the key and the 1.8 litre Ecotec four-pot (the same motor that’s in the current Astra) fires up and settles into a quiet thrum. NVH suppression is pretty good, and, once we got up to speed, wind noise was nicely muted and engine noise wasn’t intrusive at all.
The automatic gearbox does take its time getting the Cruze moving though, and off-the-line performance is hardly brisk. The petrol engine doesn’t have quite enough cojones down in the bottom end of the rev scale to really make the Cruze hustle, but then again this isn’t meant to be a performance car.
Things improve markedly with the CD diesel manual though, with the bigger 2.0 litre turbocharged donk delivering 320Nm of torque (nearly twice as much as the petrol’s 176Nm) and 110kW of power (six kilowatts more than the petrol).
It produces these numbers at lower rpm too, meaning the diesel has some real poke to it and can accelerate away from traffic lights with much greater alacrity.
The manual gearbox as fitted to the diesel is a good unit. The ratios are spread reasonably wide, but that allows it to take advantage of the diesel’s torque and makes shifting a less frequent affair. The chunky gearknob also feels good and the shift throw is light, if a little notchy when hurried.
There are two downsides to the diesel however. Firstly, it costs more, with the diesel manual retailing for $23,990. Secondly, it’s noisier than the petrol, but only when accelerating under load.
You will save money at the pump though, with the CD diesel manual consuming 5.7 litres of the black stuff per 100km compared to the petrol manual’s 7.0 l/100km figure.
After experiencing the torquey delights of the diesel manual our next steed was a CDX petrol manual, which we were able to put to the test on some moderately twisty and bumpy roads.
Coming straight out of the diesel and into the petrol the smaller 1.8 litre felt positively limp-wristed by comparison; but the presence of a manual gearbox at least gave the ability to keep engine-speed high and in the meat of the 1.8’s powerband. It’s a sweet-sounding engine when given the beans and although you’re not going fast, the manual does offer some kind of sporting experience.
Unfortunately the brakes don’t. That doesn’t mean they won’t stop you in time (they will), but Australian-specification cars have had the brake hydraulics modified to be less grabby, with the end result being a pedal that needs to be pushed quite some distance during hard stops. Not my preference, but then again your average Cruze buyer probably won’t be driving one of these quite as hard as I did.
Suspension control on rough and undulating tarmac is superb, especially considering the Cruze forgoes the complex multi-link rear suspension layout favoured by most of its Japanese competitors. The ride is nicely compliant with damping force leaning slightly toward the ‘firm’ side of the spectrum, and it inspires confidence on choppy tarmac.
Turn-in is crisp and the steering rack’s ratio is ideal for both town and country. Cornering performance is also quite good for what is a relatively unsophisticated suspension set-up.
Lastly, we had a turn in a Cruze CD diesel automatic – the fourth and final drivetrain configuration in the Cruze lineup. Handling, braking and steering were identical to the previous cars we drove (indeed, it was hard to pick out a handling advantage between the petrol and diesel models), but this time the automatic proved to be a much better transmission when combined with the diesel.
If you must have an automatic in your Cruze, make sure you get it with the diesel. The extra torque works well with the six-speed slushbox, and where the petrol auto was lethargic the diesel automatic simply gets up and goes.
Mind you, the diesel auto uses a little more fuel than the diesel manual, with the automatic consuming 6.8l/100km compared to the manual’s 5.6l/100km.
The difference between the automatic and manual versions of the petrol models is much closer, with the manual using 7.0l/100km and the auto drinking 7.5l/100km. The lesson here is to opt for the manual and pocket the savings.
The Lowdown
At just $20,990 for the CD petrol manual the 2009 Cruze is a decent drive at a decent price, and although there are some shortcomings in terms of performance, Holden’s ‘30-something’ target market is unlikely to be bothered by them.
Neither will downsizing retirees, empty-nesters or first-car buyers with a little more cash to spend, all of whom will be drawn to the Cruze for its compelling list of standard kit, safety gear and solid packaging.
It’s an honest, unpretentious car and Holden – indeed, GM – deserves to sell as many as it can make.
Its detractors, unaware of its global-car origins, might point to the Korean origins of the first cars to go on the sale here as being a negative, but that would be selling the Cruze short. The Cruze, if anything, is proof of Holden’s place in the GM pantheon; when production starts here next year, that fact will be underlined.
The Cruze we sampled is screwed together tight and build and material-quality is high. It is a long way apart – dynamically and in overall appeal - from the underwhelming Epica; and while it may be inexpensive, it sure doesn’t feel like it.
Overall the Holden Cruze has made a great first impression. It’s an important car for GM, both here and globally and if Holden can keep the pricing sharp, there is no reason it won’t do well here. For that matter, it may also be one a few key models to drag GM globally back on the track to profitability.
We’ll be getting our hands on a tester to put through a proper road test soon. So stay tuned for a more in-depth appraisal of the 2009 Holden Cruze.
The Cruze goes on sale nationally in June, with retail pricing being as follows:
- Cruze CD 1.8 litre petrol manual $20,990
- Cruze CD 1.8 litre petrol automatic $22,990
- Cruze CD 2.0 litre diesel manual $23,990
- Cruze CD 2.0 litre diesel automatic $25,990
- Cruze CDX 1.8 litre petrol manual $23,990
- Cruze CDX 1.8 litre petrol automatic $25,990
2009 Holden Cruze CDX 
2010 FPV F6 E 
2010 HSV Clubsport R8
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The interior is superb for a car within that segment, but the rear seats require for cushioning
In the $20k price range we’re starting to see some bang for our bucks these days. I’ve been a big Mazda 3 fan since 2004, but the new shape doesnt tickle my fancy - so much so that I won’t be buying the new 2010 MPS (currently have an 07 MPS3).
All that aside, if I was looking to buy a 20grand car right now, the Cruze would have to be top of the list
Can’t wait to see the Australian made version of this and the related hatchback. I really hope HSV produce a ball-tearer version too.
No footrest? FAIL.
Will there be a wagon and hatch version too? I don’t see the point of targeting 30 somethings and offering a sedan. Where do they put the dog and the shopping from Bunnings?
Looks like a nice medium size car - but i wouldnt give up my VE SS COMMODORE for anything
no foot rest?so many other features and no foot rest!
The foot rest was removed to achieve points for a 5 star safety rating.
I wish them all the best with it. They’ll need it. The Astra has built up an excellent support base in OZ and it’s a darn shame given the spoiler pics of the next model that it won’t make it’s way down under. It might be made in Korea for now but the Cruze really does look Korean. Holden should know better and at least keep the Astra in the range (even at a price premium) to appease the fans of Vauxhall’s smart euro.
who gives a !@#* if theres no footrest this is one of the best looking cars on the market it looks sooooo much better than a fugly corolla and the other cars in this segment
It would give this car an edge over the comprtition if it were made here.
I actually bought this car on Saturday - it’s going to be my first car (i’m 17) and I’m so excited. I can pick it up in 2 - 3 weeks… I’ll let you know how it runs then
I think they look absolutely amazing. Especially the ice-blue one. So pretty. xo
Rebecca, thanks for highlighting the kind of buyer that this will attract. Someone with little or no driving experience or knowledge of real vehicle dynamics. Another Holden sale because “dad always had Holdens”.
——
jackson, you are kidding aren’t you? I guese it’s more exciting than a Skoda, but it’s hardly a work of art - 3/10. Let’s just see how the Daewoo engineering holds up after 12 months hey?
careful, remember the camira
Realist “Another Holden sale because “dad always had Holdens”.”
my dad is dead asswipe. and he didn’t drive holdens.
Comment by Realist
June 25, 2009 @ 6:51 pm = plain rude.
the cruze is a major step forward in design for ANY car in the 20k range and is to be applauded. production in one country or another misses the point for the consumer which is best value and proposition-for-the-money for $, and suitability for the driving conditions at hand. If this can be addressed by Cruze, it’s a brilliant “domestic” product that should be supported. it is simply not sustainable for the end-consumer for everything to be designed and built in any one country, so let’s embrace a bold global design that most probably suits many tastes in oz.
Rebecca…enjoy your new car!
Realist…way to go…pick on the young girl! My HERO!!!
i am getting one next week.
trully the best car i have driven
and the advertizment plan in aus is going great
the website for the cruze is great showing the features
and their was 30 of them at the dealer at the start of the month
but now there are only 6!
( im in australia and the cruze is being made here now also)
Enjoy your Korean designed and built Daewoos then.
Nice to know that it’s the young and impressionable or gullible that are the target market for this Holden badged Daewoo.
Just the facts, like it or not.
Ben - Holden are going to start building a Local version of the Cruze However its expected that they will build a 3 Door Hatchback which will be exported to other Markets.
And before anyone says anything - Holden are likely to be around for some time yet given that a US Judge has just given the go ahead for the Old GM to sell its assets [which includes Holden] to the New GM.
Having said that I still would have liked to have seen them build the Insignia here instead.. given the fact Opel looks like being sold off
When it is built here it would be of better quality, and slightly different design. The grille is also bland. And to the guy who said it was aimed at gullible people you are right. The people who are posting the pro-cruze comments are making several spelling errors, ie. the Required guy spelt advertisement and truly wrong. They clearly aren’t very well educated and don’t know very much about quality in cars.
Looks ok from the outside especially with the alloys. Diesel only has a SOHC with 8 valves which is a bit prehistoric. Also the interrior looked and felt very very very cheap. Didn’t like the new car smell either, if you have infants wind down the windows and let air for 6 months as to avoid toxic inhalation.
Thank you MotoWebbi.
Ben, your logic is not justified. I have not made one spelling error, I am pro-cruze as you say, and I don’t see how you can even connect that to “not knowing very much about quality in cars”. Merrrr. We all have different opinions, right? So don’t attack people who don’t share the same as you. That’s really childish and immature. If you know so much about cars, that’s great, why don’t you go design and build one? Until then, I think Holden has an edge over you.
I’m currently looking for a new car and the cruze was on the list, but not anymore. Sure it looks good from the outside and ok from inside, but. When I look at buying something I look for its history. I can not seem to find out any information about the diesel donk. I only know it is old tech. with its SOHC and 8 valves. The floor seemed to me to be a piece of board moulded with cheap felt like carpet which is another reason it is off the list. A few more bucks on a loop or nice plush pile carpet would improve its appeal. I’d rather an i30cw thanks at least they are made and sold by the badge name.
My sister purchased the CDX model of the cruze, and i can say for her to have upgraded from a 2001 Mitsubishi lancer gli, to a holden cruze, i was proud of her.. i would have preferred her to get the new honda city, which is what she initially wanted.. I can agree..but i have not told told her myself is that yes the leather interior is quite cheap looking and im wondering how long it will last till it rips, I was told that they were built in australia, though after reading this i am not happy that they are a daewoo rip but then again i guess this car after being engineered all over the world it could quite well live up to the value of $28 000 that her new loan is worth. I do like the cruze but beginning to not like the feedback i am hearing about it.. Oh well, what can you do? I haven’t seen many on the road, but i would much prefer a golf any day
@Spanner
It is VM Motori RA 420 SOHC
2.0 L (1991 cc) I4, with four valves-per-cylinder and common-rail direct fuel injection.
one can see the engine on the photo 19
I think Captiva got the same engine. Should work well in Cruze with reasonable fuel consumption
Reading your comments (realist/Ben) it was quite amusing, as all you so called now it alls, that are a full bottle on cars giving some poor girl a hard time about buying the cruse , what do you think you are going to get for 25 grand a HSV or maybe a BMW the very fact that you opened your mouths shows how little you really do now what your talking about.The fact that it looks good and has a 5 star rating which includes 6 airbags is enough that i would want my daughter to drive one. Rebecca you enjoy your new cruze and don’t listen to the negative morons.
Congratulations Rebecca on your new Cruze. I too am seriously considering buying the diesel model. Big deal no footrest, so what if it is manufactured in Korea, it was designed and engineered by a team of Germans and Australians to be built to the GMH level of quality. Fools , alot of cars are built in Asian manufacturing facilities even some well regarded european brands. Jealousy rears its ugly head in some strange ways, some people find it hard to admit that something is fantastic and that’s just all there is to it. Beats the corolla, ford focus and anything else around.
I just bought one
CDX in black. It was a lovely drive, cruzed up the winding hills with no effort at all, and it certainly took all that i was dishing out to it! Can’t wait to get it.
Funny thing is- i doubt the build quality will be any different at all when they start building them here, and in actual fact it’ll probably be worse, so i’m quite ok with the fact that it’s built in Korea. And i wonder if there will be a price increase as the dealers are suggesting…
I don’t under stand how quality could be better in South Korea ( please expain your logic behind that), It is also importaint to remember that that many Australian jobs are supported by the car industry and so in that sence it would be better made in Australia. Yes everyone has there own opinion but it is important buying local in times such as these.
Ordered one late June, told me that we get it in the first week of August - I have now been told that we will get it in arly November - i think i’m going to buy a Mazada!!
Have sold 28 since the June 1 release date and think that the ad campaign has been great. The build date for Australian manufacturing is slated for November 2010 and will be at the Elizabeth plant ibn Adelaide. The Cruze is based on the GM Delta platform which is to see a number of 4cyl cars designed off of, including we are all hoping the return of the Torana once up and running here in Adelaide. There is talk of a hatch variety from 2011 which should look great if the styling of the sedan is to go by and would like to see what HSV can do with the desiel engine that incidently does come from the Captiva. Hats off to Holden for a car that will rival any of the makes for the leading 4cyl small to medium market and if it means more jobs for the guys in Adelaide from next year, well I hope a good percentage of us Aussies support this new car.
I just saw an old Holden cruze yesterday….
there are a few of them in the country…
I think they were made by Suzuki
small boxy 4wd… Round tail lamps..
Haven’t seen a new one Yet…
pricewise its great…
but I still like the new Lancer…
Honda Jazz is made in Thailand I believe…
Holden and Isuzu partnership ended about 18 months ago..
Is the captiva a Daewoo ??
Congratulations Rebecca on the new car..
I don’t know how You can wait that long for the car…
it must be terrible waiting for it… lol
LEE
My Daughter in Law went to look at buying a New CRUZE yesterday but the salesman told Her not to buy it as its the first model and there will be lots of faults with it….??
Now looking at Lancers and Civic….
LEE
Can i [we] have the all new vastly superior Astra instead PLEASE Holden?
Cheers,
F-0
Looking to buy my first car in December. Also looking at Honda City and Toyota Corolla. For CDX, I was quoted $29600 and that has put me off. There should be some hidden charges here.
Just done my first 1000kms in our new CDX and am impressed but for absence of FOOTREST. Traded VZ SS ute to allow wife to share vehicle with me. She loves it. Looks, comfort,finish, proformance. All in all very satisfied. Good on you Holden.
I have had a Daewoo Nubira from new and although yes, it has a holden motor - it has not skipped a beat - 90,000kms and has run like a dream and oh so economical so am unsure why all the bad comments - so much negativity.
Hats off to Holden. The new Cruze is a fresh new look in the small to mid class section. The styling is great, the interior features and functionality are within expectations of new cars these days. So what if it is currently sourced from Asia, what small car on the current market isn’t these days. When Holden take on the task of building it here I cant see why the quality should go down hill either. I guess the real success story will reflect in the sales figures. If what I have noticed they should do well. Congrats once again Holden.
P.S. Does a “Footrest” really make that much differance????
@spider297
It makes a huge difference.
My son has just purchased the CDX 1.8 Cruze (manual). Fantastic car, leaves my daughters Astra for dead. Build quality is far superior than the European built Astra. I think people have preconceived prejudices against Korean built cars. I remember we used to refer to Toyotas as Jap crap.
Rebecca you will love your car, and yes I am a Holden dad and if my wife would let me I would buy one tomorrow, but she loves her Commodore.
The first car I had with a footrest was a TN Magna…
and it was one of the first things I noticed….
all the Lancers I’ve had have had one too… manuals too..
surely Holden could put them in as an accessory..
If wanted…. 2 or 3 self tapper screws to hold it in place…
Lee
Good on you Rebecca, you make me proud to be an old Aussie. At 17 you should be very proud of yourself to have the ability to purchase a new car and to come to the decision that you are content with said purchase. I have been driving for over 42 years and purchased new vehicles every 18months to 2 years and with my purchasing and driving experience I know you have made the correct decision Congrats again and enjoy your new GM world car that WAS designed at OPel in Germany not Korea as stated by some of the contributers with chips on their shoulders.
My wife & I have been looking & test driving all the mid range cars (up to $35K) for the past 7 months & I haven’t found anything that matches the Cruze CDX. Since I am a rep that drives all over QLD, I need something that covers style, performance, saftey & reliability. My wife loves a manual car but has DVT and this makes it difficult with all the heavy / clunky manuals we test drove. The Cruze CDX has a feather light clutch which is perfect for her! I haven’t owned a Holden since 1994…but I have been converted back to GM after test driving the new CDX Cruze 1.8 ltr Manual. Simply put…WOW! Smooth to drive, tonnes of saftey features I would never have expected on a car this size yet with enough zip when you need it. Bundle that into a stylish mid size car under $28k (inc full on roads) and there is no way you’ll look at a Holden the same way again. Rebecca, welcome to the club of “Smart buying”. We can’t wait to take delivery of ours (yes we both bought one each), in November!
Well we done it….My wife and I have just driven both the 1.8lt and 2.0lt diesel. In our opinion the diesel wins hands down. My wife has slight RSI in her wrists so a manual is out of the question. After taking the turbo diesel for the same test drive the performance was unbelievable. The old diesel knock was non existant once you got going and the sound system blasting away. The wife was set on the 1.8CDX but she soon changed her mind after the drive. So we went ahead and ordered our first brand new car. Sad thing is we have to wait untill November for delivery. We also added some little extra’s which will bring it almost up to CDX spec.(we dont need heated seats up here in QLD anyway).
I was a bit sceptical on the service costs for the diesel, so the salesman printed us out the price lists for both petrol and diesel and there was only about $100.00 differance which is fine by me.
As I said in my earlier post i think the sales figures will see Holden holding it’s head a bit higher now. Happy motering everybody.
BEWARE and be prepared to wait….and wait….and wait!!! We ordered a Cruze 10th July, originally to be delivered 8/8, then 9/9 now 1/10 – Rubbish! A Mazda3/Corolla/Focus/Civic/anything is better than waiting indefinitely. Go Holden
I’ve had the 1.8 CDX for 4 weeks and its a great car to drive. Has been comparing to other cars in the $30,000 range but nothing could compare to the Cruze’s feature’s:- heated front seats, reversing sensors, 6 speed auto, 17 inch alloys etc. Doesn’t have much power compared to the Astra but I’m happy with the purchase. I waited 3 weeks to get it and to all of you still waiting, it’s worth the wait.
It seems to me that Korean cars are the only cars that offer a 5 year warranty… that sounds OK to me.
The footrest issue is a bummer, but I suppose we should prioritise safety over comfort.
November… Damn.
Mitsubishi have had the 5/10 year warranty for many years
10 years on the drive train.. 5 years on the car
also free road service…
My Son just bought a new Lancer 2.4L VRX..
still not many Cruzes about..
last shipment of Astras has already arrived in Australia…
LEE
Rebecca, I brought the ice blue CD manual Cruze 2 weeks ago and I love this car. This is by far the best car I have driven yet. We also brought a second hand car from a Honda dealer today and the sales lady advised honda are losing alot of sales to the Cruze because of the value for money. She was very keen to look at my Cruze and liked everything she saw. The new holden Cruze is a beautiful car and when driving it, it’s very easy to forget this car didn’t cost the earth. Don’t listen to all of the critics unless they’ve actually driven one of these cars. Seeing it in ads or on websites is not a way to judge a car. To all the critics I say take it for a spin and then I’ll place value on your educated opinion. Good on you Rebecca and I hope you enjoy your car as much as I do.
Wendy
Hi guys. I’ve had my cruze (and they delivered it earlier than was expected, yay.) for about two months now - it is amazing. I’ve had no problems with it, and I rarely even have to fill up the petrol. I’ve done almost 1000 k’s, and I’m so happy to have bought the Cruze. My satisfaction is filled.
Congrats Wendy & Rebecca!
Our delivery date has been pushed from November to December for 1 of the 2 Cruzes we purcahsed and the other will arrive in January because there were no Pewter Greys left on the December shipment.
Wendy I agree with you, our dealer let us have the car for one day while we decided between the Diesel and the Petrol and I found very few cars come close to the value for money. The class, comfort & saftey really did translate into a better car whislt driving it. I used to be a conciegre and have driven everything from old clankers to top of the line Ferrairs and Mercs, etc. In my opinion the Cruze “feels” more like a BMW than a Holden. I know the wait is going to be worth it but I do hope it comes sooner rather than later!
I read today that the US General motors is depending on the Holden Cruze [not yet for sale in the US] to keep them going…
its the Chevrolet Vruze in the USA…
LEE
Sorry
that should be Chevrolet CRUZE
LEE
I ordered the CDX in late July said it would be here mid Sept. Now saying Mid Dec. How can they turn a 5 week wait into a 4 mth wait. NOT HAPPY JAN
“In my opinion the Cruze “feels” more like a BMW than a Holden” That statement is terribly amusing. Most of you don’t realise that the Cruze is a dressed up Daewoo. Yes, it is. Made in Malaysia and as with the Epica, Viva etc.. Holden have gone cheap and dressed up a car that isn’t as good a quality/value than you think. + The engines are dogs… slow compared to the class leaders(Focus,Mazda3 etc). Holden thrive with marketing, they are in fact the champions at it. If this car had a ‘Daewoo’ badge(that’s all it is), none of you would have bought one. Congratulations for being fooled in to buying an inferior product.
Hey Flex, read the reports of the people above that have driven and own the car, read the road test results. The safest car available in Australia for the price. Good looking design a reliable, proven motor, best equiped car for the price (including many expensive cars) Like the man said, he has driven many prestige cars and if he says it feels like a BMW. I wouldn’t call him a liar. You mention Ford Focus, have a look at it, you.’ve gotta be kidding, old European design and made in Africa, just does not compare to Cruze. By the tone of your blog you sound anti Holden and by the way the car is not manufactured in Malaysia as stated by you.
@Flex: Nice trolling.
Whether it’s a Daewoo or not, the reviews are positive and the customer comments are overwhelmingly positive. So who cares?
The Cruze, in whatever form it is called, is GM’s all new compact car platform. Indeed, the 2010 Opel Astra is also based on the Cruze and will continue to be produced no matter whether GM keeps its stake in Opel or sells some or all of it off.
Feel like a tool now?
it looks like OPEL and Vauxhall have been bought by a Canadian company called MAGNA..
they will probably still produce the CRUZE
same as Chevrolet in the USA…
and Holden in Australia [in the future]
there seems to be no problems with old Daewoo cars sold in Australia either..
and I believe the Daewoo factory is in South Korea…
have a look at the new Kia’s made in South Korea…
Lee
PS: I’m Not a Holden or Daewoo fan either..
LMAO @ Flex. Too many people are misinformed like you and don’t have all their facts correct, either that or you’re are a Ford man? Bring yourself into the 21st century, times are changing and scaremongering to the informed really makes you look silly. Old prejudices on imported car manufacturers these days are really sad. I bet none of the negative critics on here have even been near, let alone inside, a manufacturing plant or even test driven the Cruze. I wonder if they are afraid that they might actually be impressed if they did take one for a spin?? lol
My last post was “My Opinion” and to attack that is like attacking smoke. If my opinion is informative then this it the right place to put it. If you have you own opinion, based on correct facts, a test drive & personal feedback then post “Your Opinion” as you are entitled to one. All you did was make youself look silly to the rest of us. ohhh… btw, did you know Mercedes now sources 17% of their parts out of Malaysia…? I guess they’ll be a heap of junk before we know it too. lol
TY Steve & Hans, your support and honesty is really refreshing. No car is perfect but this is ideal for me and I stand beside all the positive coments I have made previously.
Happy “Cruze”ing all.
Hello everyone and well done to all the Cruze owners. After driving my cruze 1,200km ( 4 weeks later )there was a bad smell & steam was coming out of the vents, later my heater stopped working and water was leaking. I found out that it was the heater core which needed to be replaced. Its been 2 weeks and they are still waiting for the part to arrive. The good news is that they have given me a brand new SV6 sportswagon to drive til my cruze is ready. I wanted to share this information to the cruze drivers just incase they come across the same problems. Overall it is still a GREAT car and every new model of any make will always have a problem which will get fixed. To all you still waiting, just hang on. I spoke to the salesman the other day and was told they have increased the price by $500 and that they are selling heaps.
Well, for those of you who continue the to-and-fro bickering, why doesn’t someone put the actual facts up on here for all to see, instead of arguing back and forth. To attack someone’s opinion (and for that matter, their spelling) is getting a bit personal for a blog page, I know us Aussies love our cars, but guys, come on. I currently have a Toyota Corolla that is almost 8 years old, my family have always been Toyota fans, but considering my husband and I are considering having children in the near future, the safer the car I can put them in that is in my price range, the better. To my knowledge, there is no other small/medium sized car that is in the same price range as the Cruze that holds a 5 star safety rating. Considering the Japanese/Korean/Chinese are always ahead of everywhere else in the world when it comes to new cars (as well as many other things), I think we can trust their manufacturing of a car that us Aussies and many other people around the world are driving in. I am hopefully going to test drive the 1.8L Manual today, so I will keep you guys up-to-date with what I decide to do. I was thinking about buying the Diesel, however the cost of repairs on a Diesel would (I think) outweigh the benefits, but I’ll see how I go. Take care, happy driving!
Kim, China doesn’t have any recognisable cars.
And I agree with Mel and Wardy, “I think people have preconceived prejudices against Korean built cars. I remember we used to refer to Toyotas as Jap crap.” “Old prejudices on imported car manufacturers these days are really sad.”
because I’m running my (bought new) ‘04 Hyundai Accent, 150,000ks, and had NO PROBLEMS (is crazy i know…). People just need to look after their cars I think.
@Rebecca: I’d be sooo jealous of you if I was 17. First car, a New Holden Cruze?? Lucky! Take care of it. (Mine was a $500 Toyota Corolla)
Hi Kim,
I don’t think there any bad things with the holden/chevrolet/Daewoo
Cruze… the diesel engine will last longer… much much longer…
and the difference these days between repairing a diesel and multi valve timing petrol engine would be minimal if any…
Daewoo is a Very Large Company and has been making cars etc for many years… they are probably made as good as they would have been, if made in Australia.. maybe better as the costs to produce the car overseas in Korea or Malaysia is much less than if made in Australia..
and the base pricing is excellent… for a car this size..
My Son just bought a Lancer that cost $34,000
His wife was told by the Cruze salesman not to buy it as it was a totally new car… and they would have to expect problems…
[now wouldn't Daewoo learn from making all those other millions of cars??]
cheers
LEE
To tell you the truth I don’t really care where its made and by whom its made.
Its awesome car for its price. Maybe the haters should just keep their opinions to themselves because its seems pretty simple to me…
If you don’t like it, DON’T BUY ONE!
mine’s on order.
Has Korea ever made a good car? No. Why should this be any different. And It’s ugly.
@Adam F - You could the same about Skoda so your point is completely invalid.
I love the fact that people are still commenting on this! The car really has polarised people. I, for one, am not even vaguely interested in the proposition or the way that Holden are pitching it. By pitching it, I mean that they are trying to sell a lower end product into the middle of the market. The Cruze is designed as a cheap vehicle and, in global GM markets, is being sold as just that. Lots of bang for your buck but nothing special. In most of these markets GM are still offering a mid segment higher quality small car (e.g. Astra). Holden are the exception. They have replaced a higher end product with something designed for the lower end. They are still charging the higher end price though and think that marketing to the max will turn a sows ear into a silk purse. It’s disappointing that theyv’e opted to go down this path - the Barina is another prime example. I think that there may have very well been an argument for retaining the Astra as a higher end product and am surprised that they didn’t do so. The car was, after all, the only volume selling small model theyv’e managed to pull off since the Gemini. According to their research it also brought more new buyers to the Holden brand than any other product (vital for long term stability!). I doubt very much that these buyers will stay without the quality euro tag at an OK (could even be higher!) price lure. I do need to point out that I’ve had 2 Astra’s - a TS CD and, currently, a CDTI (brilliant car!). They have both stung me with expensive repairs that can largely be attributed to Holden’s charge like a bull pricing and the reality that Euro cars just don’t have japanese reliability. This is counterbalanced with great driving dynamics and a solid euro panache in all that they do. If I hadn’t bought Astra’s then I wouldv’e saved up and bought a second hand BMW. An Astra or the old Barina were the only Holden cars that we would have considered so in future we’ll just need to shop elsewhere!.
Some Korean cars have been OK, but the main problem with selling cheap cars is they still need to be maintained and serviced..
Many people are buying these cheap cars and NOT servicing them and in fact many of the people who bought these cars knew had never had a new car before.. and just drove them into the ground…
or until they run out of oil etc…
I think the CRUZE looks great….
[Now Skodas also do look ugly in My opinion... ]
the CRUZE may not be as good as a Japanese made car but for the price… WOW.. look what you get….
LEE
Have bought the 2.0L Diesel automatic - still waiting (should be here end of October).
This car was excellent to drive when I test drove it - heaps better than the automatic petrol version. Its also very comfortable and seems to do what i need it to do. I’m not concerned over the lack of footrest as i rarely use the one in my current car anyway.
I am replacing an Astra with this vehicle as i am over the ridiculous service costs of the Astra.
I went to have a look and a test drive of the entry level Cruze today 2/10/09 in Perth,
Dealer said petrol 1.8 auto was $25,990, seemed a bit heavier than a Corolla Accent and a bit sluggish as well.
I feel they might be price be gouging because this page says;
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/32039/2009-holden-cruze-first-test-drive/2/
Has anyone bought any one of the models in the Cruze line up close to or better than the prices on the above site?
I have just bought a CDX for $27000 inc all on road costs and the ice blue metallic paint… can’t wait, i have been told it is due in around early december!!
We brought our metallic ice blue cd cruze, manual petrol for $24990 including on road costs. We’ve had it for almost 2 months now and I still love it just as much as when we first brought it. Beautiful car.
I just got my Black CDX Cruze back yesterday from the dealership after 7 weeks waiting for the part. I’m soooooooooooo glad to be driving it again. I have been driving the latest Astra which Holden had given me for the time being and it is so basic and boring to drive compared to the Cruze. I kept on looking at the photo’s of the Cruze on this site to remember what it looks like. To all of you wanting to buy one ” Just Do It ” you won’t regret it. Black duco with dark window tint looks GREAT. Like they say, wants you go black you cant go back lol
“I just got my Black CDX Cruze back yesterday from the dealership after 7 weeks waiting for the part. I’m soooooooooooo glad to be driving it again”.
This is pathetic a 7 weeks for a part, I ordered a part for another vehicle from a supplier in the UK I was given a tracking number and it was delivered to my door in Perth Australia in 6 days, even though for some reason it was sent to Denmark for 24 hours then back to the UK then to Australia.
I’m starting to think I’m glad I didn’t opt for the Cruise and the couple of month wait for delivery.
brought new CD manual cruze 3weeks ago, found it abit heavey on fuel.may be the body work might be a bit big for the 1.8 motor ,other wise it run smooth handles great nice interior , cheers
My daughter ordered a black CDX Manual Cruze, paid a deposit and was told 26th October, which was verified over and over again, then she gets the call; now its mid November, after a couple more calls, she then gets told mid to late November. . . the latest, December when she gets it, Not happy Jan!! She’s 22 and was ever so excited to be getting a new car, is this fair?
NO, I cannot see the logic of taking someone’s money and Verifying that the car is Hers.. Now… all the cars allotted on the ships have numbers etc and WHO is getting delivery of those cars.. her car should have been the color etc She requested -
Once they leave the factory they are allotted that number .
and its not usual if possible to change the name …. depending on the computer program naturally…
it seems that Holden isn’t playing by the rules…
If a car was “really” allotted to Your Daughter and it arrived here in October…. OK… Where is it Now.???
I would contact the ombudsman and complain..
maybe the Fair trading mob could help too…
Something isn’t right….
Maybe Holden just ship then in by the boatload…..
then once they arrive they try to find one that suited Your Daughters order…????????
If one isn’t there….. come back next shipload…
Thats no way to do business in a world where everything is on a computer …..
Neither of those answers makes any sense to Me….
LEE
I agree with Lee. When we placed our orders in August we were told up front by our dealer that they would be delivered in early December (only because of the color we chose!). “If” they came in any earlier they would let us know.
The old addage of under promise & over deliver springs to mind, but it looks like this dealership got it back to front. Have a dig at your dealer by presenting them with a formal letter of complaint and then file the same thing complaint to Holden Head Office. The Department of Fair Trading should also be informed of this practice as it is unethical.
If it there are “true” circumstances you would expect it to affect every dealership in Australia & not just them. Ask them for some extras on the car for the inconvenience. Paint protection, tinting, $500 fuel card voucher, etc.
On a brighter note, tell your daughter that anticipation can be a good thing too… turn the negative into a positive so it doesn’t leave a bitter taste. Good Luck
It maybe because the rate of government duty is about to drop in January to only 5% and should mean a savings of $900 to $1,000 to the new vehicle purchaser.
Already Mazda are bringing their prices into line and advertising $900 off because of the drop in Duty so if delivery is delayed again into January you should get the price lowered.
I would anticipate a further delay, write a letter making “Time the essence of the contract” point out that you expect them to pass on the savings in Government Duty if delivered after December 31, 2009.
Also if delivered after January 1, 2010 make sure it has 2010 Compliance plate because this will also affect the price, because every other new vehicle with 2009 Compliance plates will be discounted in price.
Been driving CD diesel for 4 days now. It kicks ass. Also put some 18″ alloys on and it looks nice. Best way to drive is using the tip-tronic. if someone wants one straight away, let me now. I know a dealer in melbourne that can get them quick. Go for Black one with 17″ or 18″ holden alloys.