MY14 Cruze

[planetdavo]

The Mazda SP25 is a corker of a car. Holden offerings wouldn't hold a candle to the 25.

Unless you just want cruise mode, like most people do the vast majority of the time. Compare a Cruze, ANY Cruze, to ANY Mazda 3 on the course chip roads oh so common in Australia, and you quickly discover just how hellishly noisy they are compared to a Cruze...
They are not a refined small car.

[planetdavo]

All fair enough Davo and if you look at it rationally, it is really torque that you perceive as power when driven normally, and this is a 15% increase over the 1.4 turbo, it's not massive but it definitely is a worthwhile improvement, I hope they sell plenty, good for Holden and Aussie jobs. In some respects Holden may even attract some buyers of SP25 and Lancer VRX etc to an SRI and SRI-V. The SP25 and the VRX are pretty pricey, and an SRI maybe something like $10K cheaper, I fugure even an SRI-V probably $5K cheaper. I figure a lot of SP25 and VRX buyers simply want something a bit more powerful than the standard 2.0 litre engines and decently equipped. I also wonder what Opel are thinking given their Astra 1.6 turbo is a little bit less of a niche market now. Main thing I see as a downer for the Cruze is the looks department certainly not as good looking as an SP25 hatch for example. I agree they are no competition for the 2.0 litre turbos like GTI and ST, MPS and RS265, and realistically I think beyond the current Cruze body styles to compete in that market place. Overall well done Holden, this should sell, Holden should be shouting this and the Aussie made angle from the rooftops.

I agree. Torque is always more important than power to most drivers. It's what they feel as "performance". Not as impressive on a dyno sheet bat off though for those types.
Re the Opel vs Holden 1.6 question posed, I doubt the big GM boss would be that worried.
More likely to be worried if neither of them get the sale. Most buyers can't even find the engine dipstick or the windscreen washer bottle cap these days, so two cars having the same engine doesn't rate.
VW and Audi get a VERY special mention on this subject...

[macca_779]

Unless you just want cruise mode, like most people do the vast majority of the time. Compare a Cruze, ANY Cruze, to ANY Mazda 3 on the course chip roads oh so common in Australia, and you quickly discover just how hellishly noisy they are compared to a Cruze...
They are not a refined small car.

Buy a Subaru then. Far more insulated for NVH and capable/safe grip wise by a mile

[C4B]

Buy a Subaru then. Far more insulated for NVH and capable/safe grip wise by a mile

And resale values Holden owners could only dream about.

[planetdavo]

Buy a Subaru then. Far more insulated for NVH and capable/safe grip wise by a mile

My girlfriend has one of the just superceded ones, so been in it and driven it many, many times. It came out roughly around the same time as the first of the current shape Cruze, so she's had it for over 3 years.
Reckon Cruze 1.8 has "sluggish" performance? Drive an auto one of these. Barely any more engine output- but with two less gears.
Reckon VE has a plastic interior? Hard plastics everywhere in the Suby!
Shut the doors and listen for the hollow sounding thwang. They are one lightweight, hollow sounding door. Now shut a Cruze door. Impressively solid.
It is quiet though when moving- about equal to Cruze (and I've taken home every type of Cruze available). Resale on Subaru's is excellent.
Although not an issue in her car, the indicators often seem to have trouble working in many modern Subaru's though...

[whitels1ss]

The Mazda SP25 is a corker of a car. Holden offerings wouldn't hold a candle to the 25.

Yeah, I would have to agree, I reckon the Mazda 3 is a great little car

It is a great retail seller as well because it is such a great little car.

It would certainly be my first choice in cars around that size group.

[planetdavo]

Yeah, I would have to agree, I reckon the Mazda 3 is a great little car

It is a great retail seller as well because it is such a great little car.

It would certainly be my first choice in cars around that size group.

3 is certainly a worthy small car with, like all cars, positive and negative points, but one thing is rather interesting about Mazda.
Apart from Australia, they are a struggling company around the world, and it has nothing to do with post-GFC hangovers. We have access to as much production capacity as we want, and they have PLENTY of it available.
Trust me, those who know do indeed know.

[macca_779]

My girlfriend has one of the just superceded ones, so been in it and driven it many, many times. It came out roughly around the same time as the first of the current shape Cruze, so she's had it for over 3 years.
Reckon Cruze 1.8 has "sluggish" performance? Drive an auto one of these. Barely any more engine output- but with two less gears.
Reckon VE has a plastic interior? Hard plastics everywhere in the Suby!
Shut the doors and listen for the hollow sounding thwang. They are one lightweight, hollow sounding door. Now shut a Cruze door. Impressively solid.
It is quiet though when moving- about equal to Cruze (and I've taken home every type of Cruze available). Resale on Subaru's is excellent.
Although not an issue in her car, the indicators often seem to have trouble working in many modern Subaru's though...

I have an 02 2.5 Auto Outback. It's got 225 000k's on it now. Has successfully traveled to the roper river many times and still doesn't have any rattles. Also managed to drive from the NT to Melbourne towing a 7x4 with a gross of about 500kg plus all the shit in the car (camping equipment, fridge etc) and my family for days at upto 130km/h in over 40c temps with temp not ever budging off where it always sits at half. It's got enough power to do that so I can't complain. I don't know what you would call built for our conditions. But I can tell you right now you would be hard pressed to find an Aussie car that can do all that as easy as having a shit

[csv rulz]

I think this 1.6t is exactly what cruze's porky ass needed. Bloody hell they are a heavy bugger.
Iv driven both an sp25 and a cdx cruze both 09 from memory.
The cruze was quiter but that was the only area in my opinion it was better. I was disappointed by the interior plastics, the leather felt cheap and talk about a slug. I also use to have an 09 KIA Rio 1.4auto as a company car and the cruze would be as sluggish (dangerously so in some circumstances)
If it had been my money between the cruze cdx and sp25 my money would have been on the Mazda every day.
Hopefully that will change with the new motor.

[csv rulz]

In terms of subies my opinion is they have dropped the ball massivley. My old man had an 02 liberty, it was a beautiful car to drive, great quality. Made my Commodore feel like a tin can.
However last year when we were looking for a new car we checked out both brand new forester and outback. Both felt so cheap and tinnie we didn't even bother taking one for a test drive. We were really dissapointed as they were high on our list

[planetdavo]

In terms of subies my opinion is they have dropped the ball massivley. My old man had an 02 liberty, it was a beautiful car to drive, great quality. Made my Commodore feel like a tin can.
However last year when we were looking for a new car we checked out both brand new forester and outback. Both felt so cheap and tinnie we didn't even bother taking one for a test drive. We were really dissapointed as they were high on our list

Sounds familiar.
Honda dropped the ball too. Lost their "premium" years ago, to be nothing more than shopping trolleys in most cases nowadays.

[mickeyVX350]

I quite like the Cruze, in fact, if i had the cash my gf would be driving one. They are a bit lacking, but i expect that. The 1.8t starts ticking more boxes. I've just jumped into a Captiva,Craptiva, Daewoo, whatever and i love it. I'm also keen to support Australian manufacturing, even if i subsidise it via buying an import.

[super coach]

I'm going to buy one for the Mrs and support South Australia and also Australian Automotive Manufacturing!

[Smitty]

And resale values Holden owners could only dream about.

really..???? apparently not unless you go get another one.

One of my golfing buddies is chasing a new smaller car at present (yes he is interested in a new Cruze or even the wagon)
and his 7 yo Subbie is at about $8k for a trade in with 100,000kms (and he paid $35k for it new....ouch)
The Subaru dealer offered him $13k ...on a new Liberty.

[Marco]

Thread revival - has anyone bought or at least driven the 1.6T yet? Vectra is becoming a money pit so we are considering options. Cruze SRi would be top of my shopping list (wife has said not another Commodore, too big, you drive the SS daily and get me something smaller).