2012 HOLDEN Barina Sedan 1.6L 5MT (116 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After a few generations, when it used an Opel/Vauxhall platform for its smallest family member, Holden built the sixth generation of the Barina based on the Chevrolet Aveo sedan.

When GM bought the Daewoo remains, it also got a new platform that was almost ready to enter on the assembly lines. It was a small-segment vehicle, and the American carmaker used it for several markets. In Australia, it made it as the sixth generation of the Holden Barina. The four-door sedan was a decent choice for an urban environment.

The initial design was signed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and enhanced afterward by GM’s styling department. Its three-box sedan shape was not part of the initial plan, but adding a trunk was not a bad idea for specific markets. In Australia, it was just another econobox on wheels. The Barina’s front fascia featured four round headlights that formed an aggressive look together with the squared grille between them. On the bumper’s lower side, the carmaker installed an additional grille. On the profile, the Barina featured sculptured door panels, with an ascending line that crossed both side doors towards the rear wheel-arches. At the back, the taillights were big compared with the car’s overall size.

Inside, the Barina offered enough room for four adults or five if the rear ones didn’t mind staying cramped. The instrument cluster carried over the same design as the Chevrolet spark, with a big dial for the tachometer and a side LCD for other information, including the speed. The trunk could host up to 502 liters (17.7 cu-ft) of luggage.

The engine ranged from a small, fuel-efficient 1.2-liter gasoline unit that offered 75 hp to a top version 1.6-liter displacement, which offered 115 hp. A 1.3-liter turbo-diesel in two power options was available as well.