- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.8i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
104kW, 176Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
New car review: Holden Cruze Sportwagon
Holden's Cruze has been quietly kicking goals, outselling all but two of its small-car rivals (the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla) in 2012. That makes it an important car for Holden, especially since it is threatening to overtake the Commodore in the sales race.
The locally-made Cruze sedan and hatch have been joined by a wagon, imported from South Korea and filling a niche exploited by few other manufacturers, most of which offer small SUVs instead.
Called the Sportwagon, it is available in two trim levels (CD and CDX) with the choice of either 1.8-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engines.
Prices start at $25,790 and top out at the $29,040 CDX 1.8 petrol with standard six-speed auto, tested here. It promises more space and practicality than its four and five-door siblings. We wanted to find out whether the $2000 premium was worth it.
What do you get?
The Sportwagon is based on the same mechanical and body package as other Cruze variants, with a new tail section and slightly taller roof that adds up to a surprisingly good-looking package. It is about 150mm longer than the sedan or hatch, and all that length goes into the cargo bay, which holds a useful 140 litres more than the hatch.
Equipment levels are bang in line with the rest of the range, meaning the CD gets six airbags, alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, a multi-function steering wheel, rear parking sensors and cruise control.
The CDX adds heated leather seats, climate control, larger 17-inch wheels, front fog-lamps and not much more, yet costs an added $3250. There's no reversing camera – possibly important for such a family-oriented car – and forget about fancy options such as automatic parking or satellite navigation.
What's inside
From the front seats the Sportwagon is all familiar Cruze, meaning a pleasantly styled dash and centre console, plenty of information and functions accessible by the switch-strewn steering wheel and some reasonably cheap-looking plastics atop the door trims.
The important bit is out back, where the tail gate reveals more luggage space than most normal hatchbacks. Although the cargo area floor seems high (there's the option of a full-size spare that fits underneath) there's plenty of width and the rear glass is upright enough to create sufficient height for larger objects.
There's a solid cargo cover that has a two-position mount depending on what needs to be accessed in the rear (the higher one obstructs rearward vision for the driver) and it incorporates a tray near the top of the back seat for sundry smaller items that would otherwise roll around. Two "curry hooks" complete a particularly useful picture.
The back seat has a centre armrest with cupholders but no air vents, and flops forward for an extended, almost (but not quite) flat-floored cargo area of seriously big proportions. Niggling omissions in what is an otherwise impressive package are that the key has no separate boot release and the rear seats can't be folded forward by a cargo-area lever.
Under the bonnet
The CDX is offered with just the 1.8-litre petrol engine, with the diesel option reserved for the CD, and the Cruze's 1.4-litre turbo isn't available. All models come with a six-speed auto as standard, whereas in most rivals it's an extra-cost option.
The 1.8 gets the job done but nothing more. Maximum power and torque are developed quite high in the rev range, so for anything other than light-throttle cruising it needs a rev to achieve satisfactory acceleration, and in hilly territory the auto is constantly searching for a lower ratio to keep the revs up.
With two people and luggage on-board, total weight is pushing 1600 kilograms, so it seems the engine is struggling at times. Add a couple of back-seat occupants and the equation won't be improved.
That said, it's a relatively quiet and smooth unit, even if lacking in character or spark, and fuel consumption of about 8.8 L/100km in mixed conditions is acceptable.
On the road
Like other Cruze variants, the Sportwagon is, on the whole, an entirely pleasant thing to drive. It is particularly quiet, with low levels of tyre and wind noise, and the suspension is tuned for a better-than-acceptable degree of comfort.
The front seats are comfortable and supportive, the leather in the CDX truly does give an aura of luxury and the seating position itself is fine, providing drivers don't crave SUV-style height above the road.
There's nothing particularly sporty about the way the Sportwagon handles. There's enough grip from the CDX's 17-inch wheel/tyre combo, but the steering is light and vague. Overall, it's competent but hardly entertaining to drive.
Verdict
In CDX trim, the Cruze Sportwagon is knocking on the door of the bottom-end of small SUV territory. Truth be told, it offers much the same in terms of load carrying ability, without the putative off-road credentials.
Don't expect the "sport" part of its name to include exciting performance or handling, because the engine and suspension offer neither. Rather, it's a sensible car, generally well-equipped for the money, and worthy of consideration for anyone needing the extra space.