Holden Cruze Reviews

Black plastic on LH mirror is starting to fade.

6 speed manual is quite zippy, with little turbo lag.

Fuel economy is good at 5.9 L/100km freeway/outer metro, 6.2L/100km around town, and at open road speeds with 5 people on board (Perth to Dongara with the family of 5 and all our luggage).

Towed a tandem trailer to Dongara at Christmas with a heavy fold out couch on it, plus 5 in the car and our luggage. Averaged 8.2L/100km sitting on the speed limit. Held 100kmh up the hills no problems in 6th gear at 1400 RPM. Fuel usage was less at this low rev than at 1700ish in 5th. I was impressed.

Ride and handling are good enough for me. My wife accuses me of driving it like a sports car. Sits well on the road at high speeds. I suspect it would feel nice and stable at 180kmh, and still pull well at this sort of speed, but I would never do such a thing on a public road, so I am just guessing...

Seats are hard and uncomfortable. Budget for some sheep skins if you are considering one of these cars. The middle back seat is particularly hard and unpleasant. The front seats are narrow, and the side supports are high and hard and dig in to your leg. I am 5 foot 10 inches tall and 73kg, so not a big bloke my any measure. The i30 I bought for the missus is way better laid out inside, and far more comfortable to drive.

Air con fan speed knob gets hit by your knee, if you try and relax a bit on a long trip.

Chrome grille has peeled.

ABS light on.

Driver's heated seat doesn't work.

One remote key hasn't worked from new.

One CD has jammed in the stacker.

A very smart looking car. It is Korean, although now built in Aus. Not sure if my rubbish example was made in Aus or Korea.

From the first day I had the vehicle, it has had issues. I test drove a manual CD petrol, which was quite nice, although I wish my dealer had had a CDX at the time, because this car has been a total disappointment from day 1. The horrible leather seats are so uncomfortable I have fitted sheep skin seat covers to add comfort. Back support is equally hard. The driver's seat heater worked twice, and now does nothing. Holden continue to feud with me over it being a warranty issue; they reckon I was rough with the button! How the hell would they know how I press my buttons!

It has a 6 CD player, but is now 5 on account that one is stuck in there and won't even play it. Radio reception isn't that flash either

Have had ABS sensors in the front replaced under warranty after 3 warning light activations. Performance is fantastically pathetic! The engine revs, even to the point it makes the car vibrate everywhere, but produces very little power. This does not feel like a motor that makes 103kw. Passing anything going faster than 80 is damn near impossible. Show it a hill and it wets its pants

Fuel economy at best is around 500kms a tank, which for a car with 6 gears is rubbish; a shame as it looks good and handles reasonably well. Quality of fit and finish OK, but the word quality does not describe this vehicle as a whole, nor does that word go anywhere near the electronics fitted to this vehicle.