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EXPERT RATING
6.0

Likes

  • Decent legroom
  • 5 star safety rating

Dislikes

  • Oil leaks are common
  • Subject to a number of recalls
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
1 Apr 2016
5 min read
1 Comment

Holden did much to improve the fitness of the Barina but some horror stories persist.

New

Holden had a lot of ground to make up when it launched the TM Barina in 2011 — the previous model had been widely panned for its poor quality, reliability and safety.

About the only positive thing you could say about the TK Barina was that it was cheap but thankfully things improved with the TM and it's a better device than its unloved predecessor.

The new model was available as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatch, there were different levels of standard equipment, starting with the entry-level Barina, followed by the CD, CDX and a sporty RS.

The cabin was one of the roomiest in the class with decent legroom room for front occupants and enough room for those consigned to the rear seat not to feel too uncomfortable.

The boot was on par with other small cars but folding the rear seats doubled the space if needed.

On the road the Barina was pleasant rather than thrilling

All variants were powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, carried over from the previous model, but with additional and much-needed power and torque.

Another critical improvement was the introduction of a six-speed auto in place of the previous model's four-speed.

The extra ratios made a much better match with the engine, turning the TM into a more agreeable drive.

On the road the Barina was pleasant rather than thrilling, but few people buying a car for point-to-point transport would look for sports car-style handling.

The previous model had copped just a two-star ANCAP rating, putting it on the nose with shoppers, so the news of a five-star rating for the TM was welcome all around.

The top-of-the-class safety tick came courtesy of dual front, side and curtain airbags, pre-tensioners for the front seat belts, anti-lock brakes with emergency assist and electronic distribution, and best of all, electronic stability control.

Now

Despite the improvements the horror stories continue to flow from disgruntled owners. It seems a case of love it or loathe it, as some owners say they are more than happy, even delighted with their cars.

The message for anyone shopping for a used Barina is to be very careful and thoroughly check any car you're considering buying. If you aren't confident in your own ability to carry out the check, have a mechanic do it for you.

Always check a car's service record, it's a good guide to how it has been treated.

One of the consequences of being bought because it was cheap can be that an owner on a tight budget can be tempted to skimp on servicing.

The recommended service intervals for the TM are 12 months/15,000km and the cam timing belt should be replaced at 10 years/160,000km.

Always check a car's service record, it's a good guide to how it has been treated. Skipped services should be a warning that a car has been neglected.

Mechanics report oil leaks as being common and also say that despite its size the Barina can be quite hard on brakes and tyres. Check that all switches and electrics work.

The Barina has been subject to a number of recalls, the latest in January, for an incorrectly sized fuel pump O-ring seal that could result in a fire.

A recall two years ago was for a worn ignition key cylinder that could cause the engine to crank even when the key is in the off position. Another in the same year was to correct a fault whereby the brake lights could come on when the brakes are not applied and switch off the cruise control in the process.

Before buying a Barina check that all the relevant recall rework has been done.

Holden Barina 2011:

Engine Type Inline 4, 1.6L
Fuel Type Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 7.6L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $4,400 - $6,490
Safety Rating

Verdict

Smithy says

Improved but horror stories from owners suggest buyers should be wary.

Owners say

John Evans It's attractive, roomy and nippy. In two years it's given no trouble at all. Love it.

Mat Billings It's a gem. Surprisingly spacious inside, holds its own on the highway and has been very reliable.

Dean Jeffreys Our 2013 CDX has done 60,000km. It vibrates, is noisy, isn't nice to drive and the engine has a flat spot the dealer can't fix.

Lauren Vela A lemon. Unsafe, unreliable, rubbish.

Andrew Walker It looks good, it's economical, roomy inside, and has all the features I want.

At a glance

Price new: $15,990-$17,990
Price now: 
Barina - $7000-$10,500
CD - $8500-$12,500,
CDX - $10,500-$14,500
RS - $12,500-$17,000

Safety: 5 stars
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl, 85kW/155Nm
Transmission: 5-speed man, 6-speed auto; FWD
Thirst: 6.8-7.3L/100km

Also consider

Nissan Micra 2011-14 - 3 stars - Not particularly outstanding in any way but does everything quite well. Pay between $5500-$13,500.

Kia Rio 2011-14 - 4 stars - Ticks the boxes in the light car class, should be on your shopping list. Pay between $6500-$15,000.

Suzuki Alto 2011-13 - 4 stars - Good option if you want a reliable and fuel-efficient runabout. Pay between $6000-$10,500.

Coming up

Do you own or have you owned a Holden VF Calais? Share your experience with other CarsGuide readers by sending your comments to Graham Smith at grah.smith@bigpond.com or write to CarsGuide, PO Box 4245, Sydney, NSW 2010.

Click here to see more Holden Barina pricing and spec info.

Pricing Guides

$9,173
Based on 93 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$3,800
HIGHEST PRICE
$14,990
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
With a passion for cars dating back to his childhood and having a qualification in mechanical engineering, Graham couldn’t believe his good fortune when he was offered a job in the Engineering Department at General Motors-Holden’s in the late-1960s when the Kingswood was king and Toyota was an upstart newcomer. It was a dream come true. Over the next 20 years Graham worked in a range of test and development roles within GMH’s Experimental Engineering Department, at the Lang Lang Proving Ground, and the Engine Development Group where he predominantly worked on the six-cylinder and V8 engines. If working for Holden wasn’t exciting enough he also spent two years studying General Motors Institute in America, with work stints with the Chassis Engineering section at Pontiac, and later took up the post of Holden’s liaison engineer at Opel in Germany. But the lure of working in the media saw him become a fulltime motorsport reporter and photographer in the late-1980s following the Grand Prix trail around the world and covering major world motor racing events from bases first in Germany and then London. After returning home to Australia in the late-1980s Graham worked on numerous motoring magazines and newspapers writing about new and used cars, and issues concerning car owners. These days, Graham is CarsGuide's longest standing contributor.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$3,800
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data.
For more information on
2014 Holden Barina
See Pricing & Specs

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