2002 Holden Cruze 1.5L 4AT FWD (110 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Holden introduced a budget-friendly crossover on the Australian market in 2002 named Cruze, which was a joint project developed by General Motors, Suzuki, and Subaru.

Since the market started to shift towards crossovers and SUVs, the Australian brand needed a quick fix and provide something in that segment to its customers. Holden had just 12 weeks to create a new design for the already existing Suzuki Ignis, which was launched in 2000, and launch the vehicle in October 2001 in Japan, branded as Chevrolet Cruze. However, the same vehicle was sold under the Holden badge but with the same nameplate in Australia and New Zealand. The car was produced in Japan for the Australasian market and raised some interest from customers. However, they couldn’t be tricked, not knowing that it was a badge-engineered version of the Suzuki Ignis, even though the design was made by Holden’s design department led by Peter Hughes.

At the front, the small-sized crossover featured vertical, swept-back headlights that flanked a black grille where the brand’s badge took center stage. The wrapped-around plastic bumper featured an additional broad air intake on the lower side and integrated the available round fog lamps. As an option, customers could option the vehicle with a rock-slider-like aluminum shield below the apron, emphasizing the car’s adventurous character. However, the 2002 Holden Cruze was not meant for conquering wild territories but for curbs and potholes.

From its profile, the short nose of the car was followed by a steep panoramic windshield that created the tall stance of the greenhouse. Furthermore, as an option, the 2002 Holden Cruze could be fitted with a set of black roof rails. To create a sportier image for the small-sized crossover, the Australian automaker blackened the B-post. However, the budget-friendly nature of the car was revealed by the black door handles, even though the door mirror caps were available in body color. To make the vehicle look like it had a higher ground clearance, Holden installed black side sills, which could be adorned with aluminum accents. At the back, the fresh and youth-oriented vehicle featured a set of smoked taillights mounted on the upper side of the D-posts, flanking the tailgate. Lower, the automaker added two sets of dual red lamps on the bumper.

Inside, there were many contact areas covered by hard plastic materials. However, Holden managed to create a fresh ambiance thanks to the black and silver colors on the dashboard. Fronting the driver was a half-rounded instrument cluster that sported large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, which were flanked by the fuel level and temperature gauges. The odometer, on the other hand, was digital, shown on a small LCD. Since the 2002 Holden Cruze used high-mounted seats, there was enough room for four adults inside the cabin. Those at the front could even enjoy some side-bolstered areas. At the same time, in the back, the car had a split-folding (50/50) bench seat that could extend the otherwise tiny trunk space.

Under the hood, the 2002 Holden Cruze was available with a choice of two gasoline engines provided by Suzuki. They were paired with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to the front or in all corners via an all-wheel drive system developed by Subaru. Even though the car wasn’t a champion on any drag strips, it was an excellent daily driver, able to easily do school runs. At the same time, it was fuel-efficient and could tackle some unpaved roads, especially the AWD versions.