Hi just wondering what people think of the Holden Cruze, whether this year or used. How do they perform? Pros and cons. Would you recommend or not?
Holden Cruze
LScorpiogirl on 13/05/2015 - 23:06
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LOL I drive a Mazda. It was actually for a friend. I don't mind Goldens but i am thinking they are cheapish for a reason. Wondered why?
Ive driven a cruze, There not bad. Guess it all comes down to what you like and what you can afford. Though love the new mazda 3's ;)
Or Holdens . Oops
Hi,
I was looking at a holden cruze and was really close to buying one - the hatch version.
However I decided to speak to a couple of owner and the feedbacks were…. terrifying. Range from unreliable, clunky, rattling noise , underpowered you name it.
So we bought a Mazda instead LOL
underpowered? I think this is mis-quoting
there are a 3 diff ones
2.0 N/A
1.6 T
and a dieselThe 1.6T is not a bad engine… that aside… quality is substandard…
The rebadge-ed Opel Astra are not bad… or you can find a few 2013 (but new) Opel Astras in W.A. very good value too
the 1.8 litre naturally aspirated four is hot garbage
the diesel may be good but its $4,000 option, no thanks
the 1.4 turbo is ok but you may as well get the 1.6 turbo which has class leading power
the sedan looks horrible IMO
I dont mind the look of the hatch, many hate it
The wagon looks great IMO but its not available as a turbo petrol so overall… kind of a waste of time unless you like the hatch.
the 1.8 litre naturally aspirated four is hot garbage
Actually not bad with recent revisions to the auto gearbox
the diesel may be good but its $4,000 option, no thanks
No it's not, it's not available on 2015 Cruze
the 1.4 turbo is ok but you may as well get the 1.6 turbo which has class leading power
1.4L isn't available anymore either. 1.6T is a very spirited engine.
the sedan looks horrible IMO
I dont mind the look of the hatch, many hate it
To each their own
The wagon looks great IMO but its not available as a turbo petrol so overall… kind of a waste of time unless you like the hatch.
Wagon is a pure import, without any Australian refining, so actually not as refined as the sedan/hatch
OP and the tone of the discussion is Cruze as a new AND used option.
Also no matter how good the gearbox, if the engine is shit, the car is shit. The 1.8 is only good for rental fleets.
If they made the wagon with the 1.6 turbo you'd have a winner on your hands.
I'm not interested in esoteric discussions of 'refinement'. What does that even mean?
Its a cheap c segment hatch, not a sports car or luxury saloon.
OP and the tone of the discussion is Cruze as a new AND used option.
You're the one talking about the cost of upgraded engines in new cars… irrelevant costing if those engine upgrades aren't available new
Also no matter how good the gearbox, if the engine is shit, the car is shit. The 1.8 is only good for rental fleets.
And why do you say that? Power/Torque: Cruze 1.8 - 104KW @ 6300RPM/175NM @ 3800RPM Mazda 3 2.0 - 114KW @ 6000RPM/200NM @ 4000RPM
Not exactly miles apart, and comparing 1.8 vs 2.0If they made the wagon with the 1.6 turbo you'd have a winner on your hands.
I take it you don't know how many wagon buyers there still are out there… or lack thereof
I'm not interested in esoteric discussions of 'refinement'. What does that even mean?
Its a cheap c segment hatch, not a sports car or luxury saloon.
Sigh You just want to argue for the sake of arguing. Something can be more refined that something else. Something can be better than something else. If you don't know the difference between the import and the locally tuned, or say between a 2010 and a 2013, then I'm not even going to bother. May as well be talking to my 3yo.
Well said. :) Not well said. I am confused lol.
May i ask, have you actually owned one or driven any for some period of time? What do you base your opinions on? Just hear say or…? When it comes to cars i think of the cost of the car and what you get for it? It's resale value and popularity also. I personally do not know one person who has anything bad to say about them. I know people who own them yes.
I mean i owned a Toyota a LONG time ago and it was my one and only lemon car. This car was not chosen by me and thart was my biggest mistake. I never looked at any Toyota again. This does not mean i think all Toyotas are crap.
I have a Cruze 2012. Quite a nice car really, haven't had any issues.
It depends what you're looking for in a car and how you drive - they are quite efficient (probably where the underpowered remark comes from) - at the time I purchased they were about 2L/100km better than the Mazda 3 equivalent - having said that though I have no performance issues with driving and for what would be considered road legal driving I feel it hits the mark. One thing that does annoy me though is the turning circle which is quite small - this may of been corrected in the later model.
In general advice though take people's car recommendations with a grain of salt - everyone (like everything) are so brand bias.
Thank you for your thoughts. Every one has a different opinion doesn't mean it is right. Best way is to drive and own one. Treat a car well and most likely you will have a good car.
We have one - My partner bought it new a few years ago. I think it's a terrible car.
It has really poor visibility so I find parking a nightmare. It also has really poor acceleration from standing - I am always getting beeped at for taking ages to turn on to busy roads - but when I do take my chance with a gap in the traffic the car is so slow I feel like I've cut it too fine (no crashes yet, thankfully). I haven't driven a huge range of cars in the past (probably only driven 5 or 6 different makes/models of cars regularly before) but I have never had problems with these 2 things before so I think it's the car not my size (wrt visibility) nor driving ability (wrt turning onto a busy road).
My partner claims he doesn't have these problems with the car.(Let me start by saying I work for Holden, lets get that out of the way, it's in my post history)
Post 2010 good, pre 2010 bad (going into more detail, the earlier ones were just direct imports, and the auto gearboxes are pretty bad! They have definitely fixed that up over recent years). Beware of ex-rentals in the market, unless your friend wants to save a few $$s (ie 1 year old with 30-40,000kms). Brand new to a year old, good car for the price. Noticeably quieter inside than a Mazda 3, and the Holden MyLink is very easy to use, and has everything you need. Cheaper servicing than a Mazda 3 also (Holden have had CPS for a little while now, Mazda only with the very latest model).
Sister owns an older Mazda 3, has had to service it every 6 months as per log book, and since it's not CPS it costs an arm and a leg!
See what your friend thinks of the leather, personally I'm not a fan, its just not very soft.
Drivers seat rail is 1.5x normal length. I'm 6'3 and can fit in 1 easily.
Quite often deals on the car.
Nice colours available (all the colours of the Commodore range).
I thought Mazda has CPS for all models now?
Well according to my research, it seems to be.
Cheaper servicing than a Mazda 3 also (Holden have had CPS for a little while now, Mazda only with the very latest model).
Skim read huh? :P
Hehe what do you mean by latest model ?
I know a friend who owns a 2009 Mazda 6 and they have CPS :)
6 years later, I don't think so…! Unless it was through the dealership they bought from or something.
https://www.mazda.com.au/owners/servicing-ethos/
2014 onwards for the Mazda 3You're right ! Certainly strange!
Post 2010 good, pre 2010 bad
So is MY10 good or bad? A friend of mine bought a Cruze diesel brand new back in 2010. It started out well but recently the repairs and services have been quite expensive. Not too bad he reckoned, but I guess that's because he was comparing that to his previous French lemon.
Its just that the auto boxes aren't nice, long delays between gears and a few other things. Used to cop a lot of comments from it during test drive on used cars, and rightfully so, even we noticed the delay etc.
Not too sure on the diesels, dont see enough to form a generalised opinion!
Get the Kia Cerato —I bought a 2015 S just a superb bit of kit , i think still on sale with auto for $19990 7 yr warranty
or the hyundai Elantra
Holden cruze = daiwoo
Daiwoo? I remember the Daiwoo hatches. Enlighten me'- how? I so don't think so but i am open to learning. Resell a $20000 Kia and a $20000 Holden. I may be wrong but i would choose the second in the Used car market.
yes— you may be wrong
btw im 6'3" & have more legroom than my VX commodore
Check out john cadogen's autoexpert.com.au in depth review on Holden Cruze
As a newbie i want to thank you all for responding. I really appreciate it. I drive a Mazda and i cannot fault these cars. My previous car was a Holden Commodore, few years from new. Great car, i looked after it really well. Less need for a larger car, went to a hatch back. What you get in a Mazda is what drew me to it. Zippy little things also. I would hate the lag in a Holden Cruze but i am not talking about speeding but i do prefer a bit of oomph.
Few years down the track i am missing that larger car. Thinking about the Holden Cruze had me looking at them with my friend on the weekend also, but i know it is on the small side still. Appearance is one thing but the possibility of a lemon is scary. Safety wise and financially. The thing about Mazdas is what you get in them compared to other cars, especially in used ones. I know quite a bit about cars but know no one who owns a Cruze to get feedback from.
I looked at Cruze's on the weekend with my friend. I have driven and i don't mind the look, prefer the fog light ones myself not this years model but i thought it was just a rebadged car and salesman seemed to know little compared to my own knowledge, especially regarding the recalls lol Think i left them lost for words.
Talking to real owners is helpful. I watched the you tube link. Thanks for that. Why Holden would want to sell this i do not know. Kind of embarressing. Cheap or not. Things you read online aren't too encouraging and this video confirmed what i thought. Knowing my luck i would get the lemon one. To spackbace or anyone, could you recommend a used holden from the range available or any car in the $10000-$20000 range. No older than 2008 perhaps. Not small cars like Barinas etc. Any help would be appreciated? I have been thinking of a larger car again myself. To do that with Mazda may be too expensive for my liking or i most likely would. Again thanks.
Mazda 6 (2011, 2012 model, <80k kms) are approximately 18k.
Honda Accord (2011, 2012 model, <80k kms) are approximately 18k.
Huyndai I40 (2011 - 2013 model, <80k kms) are approximately 16k.
Subaru Liberty (2011 - 2013 model, <80k kms) are approximately 18k.Sorry I know they're not Holden but just thought I'll point out. :)
Hard to go past a 2013-2014 Commodore Evoke for around the top end of your budget, or pushing it a little to get the SV6. VF Commodore is noticeably better than the older VE, and the value for money it represents is significant.
Have a look around for 2013+ VF Commodore, Evoke or SV6, see what they're going for in your area.
My first car, yes a long time ago, was a 1974 Honda Civic. A great car, engine caught on fire. It was the fact the oil was like a siv and i killed the poor thing but to have a new car( as seen in video) or nearly new catch on fire randomly, if that is the case… Wow scary! Thanks for alternative solutions.
Thanks. Love many cars. Open to new ideas also.
I have had both diesel and petrol versions of the Cruze if i was going to buy a secondhand one i would go for a diesel manual.(diesel is no longer available new) The diesel has remarkably more power and great fuel economy.
What do you mean by 'larger car' - the Cruze is rated as a small car I think (although really its medium, but whatever) alongside the Golf and Mazda 3 and Corolla etc.
Then you get to the Camry, Mazda 6, Liberty size (medium)
Then the Commodore, Falcon size. The Mondeo is probably this size as well although its classified as medium..
Anyway.
tomleonhart suggestions are good for the medium size; probably add the Camry in there (not exciting but does everything competently). The Accord is a good choice if you want something larger but not too large.
For a bigger car, the VF is great but I'm not sure if they are under $20k yet. The VE not as good; but the older Falcons remain excellent value and are basically the same as the current ones (well, there have been minor refreshes). For a good value for money car - the MC Mondeo is well worth a look.
For smaller car, you can get a 'larger hatch' like the Cerato or the Impreza (spacious inside - more room inside than say the Mazda 3 - but still not a particularly large car really).
Thank you for asking and replying. As mentioned, of the cars i have owned, the Commodore i found great in every way and now i have a Mazda 3. Larger as in not a car like a Barina or Yaris for eg.
I know the cruze is called a small car. Test driving one it feels a little bigger especially great boot space but yes it is smallish. By larger, for eg i think my Mazda is good for 1-2 people not 4 or 4 with shopping or luggage etc. I think leg room in the back is important. A lot of small/ medium cars for everything they offer in most the back leg room is squishy, shall i say, made worse by someone like me who likes the drivers seat back. Economical, modern features and a bit a zip (technical term there ) are good also. I hope that answers your question. If not, let me know. Taking in all this advice and it is helpful btw.
especially great boot space
Try packing the boot with those stupid hinges protruding 8inches deep into your boot space. You cant even drop of 2 full pack hikers in a cruze without them having to repack at the drop of point .
Well that is why it is good to ask 'real' people who are owners of these cars. Looked at boot, never used one, and now i see what you mean.
Yes it is not something you would even think about looking for but the boot hinges really restrict your usage of the boot.Two 70ltr hiking packs really struggle to fit in.
If you want to just fit 4 adults in reasonable comfort, there are some larger hatches that could be ok - Impreza, Cerato and Pulsar are the largest. However, none of them have particularly large boots, so 4 adults + luggage is a bit of an ask. Of these I would probably go with either the Cerato (cheapest and longest warranty) or the Impreza. There are plenty of other hatches that are arguably better than those, but they are smaller inside or have low rooflines (eg Civic) or aren't reliable as second buys (Golf)
One option is a 'hatch wagon' ie a small wagon. There are a few new ones around nowdays but for your price range probably you are looking at a second hand i30cw. Its not a bad car. Renault and Golf also have wagons, but may not be within your price range or are a bit suspect reliability wise given the age they will be. There is also a Cruze wagon in diesel which seems ok but I haven't heard whether it suffers the same issues as the Cruze sedan.
If you move to bigger cars, the Accord Euro is a drivers car but the back seat is a bit squishy; bigger boot though than the hatches. The Accord (not Euro) is bigger, more of a Camry type car. The Elantra I think isn't huge but has a reasonable boot (don't know much about it, but its essentially an i30 in sedan form)
The Mazda 6 is next size up and a good choice, although if you are happy with a wagon then the Outback is also reasonable (fortunately for your price range you will have to go back a couple of generations, when the Outback wasn't as ugly as more modern versions). Mazda 6 wagon is also good; the Subaru Forester is a slightly different style but worth a look.
The Camry is a very solid choice. Large inside and huge boot. Not a great 'drivers car' but its not terrible and does everything competently.
The bigger cars are the bargain level: the Falcon (the XR6 in particular is a fantastic bargain second hand) and the Mondeo (although its more common in a wagon I think). They are obviously bigger and use more fuel, but if you save on the purchase price then you may well come out ahead. These cars are a bit dated inside, but if you want the latest gadgets then you have to have a bigger budget or get a smaller car.
There are some 'outsider' cars that are interesting, particularly from Skoda (Yeti, Octavia, Superb). Their older models/now second hand are good bargains but are a bit rough/downmarket - not up to the standard of their current models; plus they all have the DSG if you are going automatic and that gen of DSG is a bit suspect.
Throwing lots of cars at you! All of them will do the job, I guess you need to choose whether you want something like a Falcon or want to stay smaller; whether a 2010 or 2011 model is ok or something closer to 2014.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Good read. Hmm Holden, why couldn't you have something more decent than the Cruze he is talking Ford!;) Finding that not to big a car but still with leg room in the back and boot space is tricky. Figure you pretty much got to pay more or buy used. Buy small get the newer mod cons or older and same if lucky.. Since this topic started it has sparked my interest in cars i wouldn't have bothered with. Any owners who own a Commodore 2008 and after? What is the 'best' in terms of value and resale? My last commodore was just before that. As i said i have a Mazda 3 at present. Great car. Miss the commodore however..Mazda i dont mind driving alone or with 1 but it feels squishy. Maybe just me..
Dtc.. throw as many cars at me as you like? Real ones even better :)
Btw…The newer the better but i am aware buying brand new you lose thousands as you drive out. Pre loved sometimes just as good. Loved being the important thing, as in looked after well.
Some of the earlier ones weren't that great, apparently. I think there are better cars. Used Corolla is hard to beat.
Get a MAZDA instead!