2006 Holden Barina 1.2L 5MT FWD (73 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In late 2005, Holden abruptly ended the fourth generation of the European-based Barina and replaced it with the fifth generation of this nameplate based on the Korean Daewoo Kalos in all shapes.

When General Motors bought the remains of Daewoo Motors Corporation in 2002, it inherited not just the factories but also the projects and the already-developed platforms. Among them was the small-sized Daewoo Kalos, which was designed as a three- and five-door hatchback or as a sedan. The latter was chosen by GM to be transformed into the fifth generation of the Holden Barina. Previously, the Barina was built on the same platform as the European Opel/Vauxhall Corsa. However, since the Korean-built vehicle could be produced at a lower cost, it took the Australasian market by storm and entered the scene as a contender in the small-sized sedan market segment. At the same time, the car was sold in the U.S. as the Chevrolet Aveo or as the Pontiac Wave in Canada.

The small-sized sedan tried to impress its customers with a front fascia dominated by big horizontal headlights with sharp inner lower angles and rounded upper lines. They flanked a grille that had a black horizontal slat where the brand’s badge took center stage. To make it look more upscale, the automaker enhanced the look of the 2005 Holden Barina with a chromed trim above the grille. At the same time, the lower bumper had a center air intake adorned by a slim horizontal slat and two fake side scoops.

Daewoo’s design department teamed up with the Italian design institute Italdesign Giugiaro when it penned the 2005 Holden Barina. The car had an ascending waistline that created a visual connection between the headlights and the taillights and was available with color-keyed door mirrors and handles. The base version came fitted with 15-inch steel wheels and caps, while a 15- or 16-inch alloy set was available at extra cost. At the back, the automaker placed corner-mounted triangular taillights that flanked the trunk’s wide opening. Holden offered the car in five exterior colors.

Creating a spacious cabin to fit four adults in such a small-sized package was challenging. However, the GMDAT R&D center from South Korea managed to do that. The cabin of the 2005 Holden Barina provided customers with all the necessary features for a vehicle. A curved-shaped dashboard featuring a sloped center stack that housed a pair of round vents, the HVAC control panel, and a stereo made the vehicle look larger from the inside. At the same time, the four-spoke steering wheel framed a four-dial instrument cluster where the automaker installed the large dials for the speedometer and tachometer flanked by the fuel level and coolant temperature gauges. The front bucket seats were cloth-covered. In the back, the narrow bench seat was marginally enough to fit three adults there, albeit just for short jaunts.

Despite being a small-sized, budget-friendly vehicle, the 2005 Holden Barina came with a peppy 1.6-liter dual-overhead camshaft engine that produced 105 PS (103 hp). GM offered the car with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic that sent the power to the front wheels. Thanks to the front McPherson struts and the torsion beam with trailing arms in the back, the small-sized sedan could provide enough comfort and low running costs for its customers.