Road Test : 2012 Holden Barina Hatch

Review by Tristan Tancredi - 1 February 2012

The Holden Barina has undergone drastic changes since its inaugral 1985 model. The 2012 Hatch delivers a bold design with more attitude then its predeccessors.

With noticable exterior changes, the Barina has also upgraded its performance with a 1.6 litre DOHC 16 Valve, 4 cylinder petrol engine.

First things first, will the latest Holden Barina get you from A to B? Yes. Will you get there safely? Yes. Will you enjoy the ride from A to B? Probably not. Will you get there in style? Not really.

Treat the Holden Barina like a two sided coin. On one side, it is fuel efficient, its cheap with low running costs and gets you where you want to go with minimum fuss. However on the other side it's simply not that fun to drive.

So, do the pros outweigh the cons? Let's take a closer look.

Drive: 3/5

The first thing to mention is that combined with a 5 star safety rating, the Barina is a simple, easy-to-drive car.

Basically, there are two categories that should strongly look at buying this car -  New drivers aged 18-20 and Experienced Drivers aged 65+. A small, easy to drive, easy to maintain car is a perfect, stress free form of transportation.

The drivers seat is well positioned, with no problems surveying the road ahead.

Despite being an simple, user-friendly car, the Barina will struggle to get the heart pumping. Simply put, it's pretty plain.

From the get go, you can feel the revs pumping to hit any decent speed, especially on inclines. For example, in auto transmission: Gently increasing the throttle and the gears drop back in a far from smooth way making for a fairly disappointing throttle response.

The car holds its own into corners and has a strong grip on most surfaces. A great turning circle makes city driving and parking a breeze.

Engine: 3/5

A 1.6 litre DOHC 16 Valve, 4 cylinder petrol engine powers the Holden Barina.

Delivering 85 kW of power at 6000 rpm and 155nM of torque at 4000 rpm, the folk at Holden boast of superior performance compared to its competitors.

Even though the claim may be spot on, this doesn't deter from the fact that the Barina really does struggle at times in certain conditions.

The engine noise purrs along quietly and is barely audible from the cabin.

Available in 5 Speed Manual and 6 speed automatic transmissions, fuel consumption is generous on the back pocket and sits at 6.8l per 100 km for the manual and 7.3l per 100km for the automatic.

Exterior: 3/5

This latest release is a totally revamped looking Barina.

The wheel arches are more pronounced than its predeccessors as the typical Barina style from yesteryear is a distant memory.

Fitting neatly under the arches are 15 inch Alloys that blend perfectly with the clean exterior style.

Rear door handles are hidden away, so well in fact that one of my passengers climbed through to the back seat like a 3 door hatch. Much to my amusement.

Giving the impression of a 3-door car, the rear door handles are disappointingly made from a material which cheapens the exterior look and make it hard to keep clean.

Despite this minor flaw, the compact 5 door hatch is the perfect size for city driving (and parking).

The grey Barina we put to the test featured a stark red outline around the headlights. This design added some attitude and sportiness to the Barina to persuade folk from both sexes to have a look. (Although one comment from a passenger did involve the word "tacky").

Safety: 5/5

The best feature of the Holden Barina is its 5 star ANCAP safety rating.

With tests proving that the Barina has a solid frame structure, specifically engineered to best protect passengers in any unfortunate scenarios.

Six airbags fill the cabin and are positioned to offer maximum protection. Front and side impact airbags for the driver and front passenger as well as full length side curtain airbags for both front and rear passengers are placed within the cabin.

TCS (Traction Control System) maximises the cars grip on different surfaces and kicks in when the front wheels start sliding.

Electronic Stability Control and Anti-Lock Braking System are also standard safety features.

Interior: 3.5/5

The Barina is basic, yet modern and well presented.

The plastic that fills the interior doesn't quite sit right, but for the asking price, you wouldn't expect anything more.

The plastic I am referring to is the Motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster. It's position is questionable as it doesn't blend with the style of the dash. It kind of stands out like a dwarf at a midgets convention.

The rest of the interior is well designed and gives the Barina a modern, fresh look exemplified by the silver metallic finishes and sporty ice-blue illuminated LED displays.

Credit must go where credit is due. The front and back seats are surprisingly spacious despite the cars small stature. There is enough leg room in the back to kick back and relax comfortably.

However, take a long stint on the road and those comfort levels decline. The cloth trimmed seats don't offer terrific body support, so eventually, you will find yourself moving from side to side for some relief.

The Barina has Ipod and Bluetooth connectivity strapped to a 4-speaker audio system which lacks everything a sound system should have.

Let's be honest, the Barina is targetted at a youthful audience. A group known to indulge in loud music from time to time. The Barina sound system should be top notch, yet it is well below par and is sure to frustrate buyers.

The steering wheel controls are well placed and user friendly, allowing access to operate the audio system, cruise control and Bluetooth. The cruise control is very simple and easy to operate.

Overall: 3 / 5

Ultimately the Barina is an easy car to drive and maintain. At a cost of $16,990 you just can't expect too many luxuries. 

A refined, fresh looking interior is scattered with plastics lined with silver metallic finishes and illuminated LED displays. Despite its small stature, there is plenty of leg room and boot space available.

Coming with a 5 star ANCAP safety rating and a fresh, bold looking design, the Barina is a simple little hatch.

Slow throttle response times dampen the driving experience as the car struggles to maintain speeds heading up inclines. The small hatch is better suited for city driving.

If you want to sacrifice an enjoyable driving experience, for a basic, safe, A to B car, check out the Holden Barina Hatch.

* Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised Holden dealer.