Selwyn Times: July 26, 2016

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32
Tuesday July 26 2016
Motoring
SELWYN TIMES
Baby Holden provides a Spark
• By Ross Kiddie
THE UNDER $20,000 segment
of the new car market has shown
some resurgence in recent years.
In recent decades it was an area
where manufacturers didn’t place
a big emphasis on – the margins
were small and finding product
wasn’t always easy.
But being able to buy a new
car at the same price as something
pre-owned certainly has
appeal, and there’s now a wealth
of hatchbacks available here fresh
from Asia – especially China,
Japan and South Korea.
One of the latter is Holden’s
Barina Spark, which has been
quite successful for GM Holden,
with a new-generation model just
landing.
It arrives here in three variants
starting at $16,490 for a manual
LS variant (automatic $17,990),
while an LT model tops out at
$19,990 as tested.
Although the Barina Spark
shares its name, it is engineered
a little differently to Barina; the
Spark gets a 1.4-litre engine and
continuously variable transmission,
as opposed to a 1.6-litre
unit and six-speed auto, and it
sits on a floorpan with wheelbase
and track just a little smaller than
Barina.
Nevertheless, the Spark appeals
in other ways, it is most certainly
designed to capture the imagination
of the young, those buyers
who want something new, as
well as being trendy and funky. It
comes with vivid colour schemes
and an interior package which
is bright and breezy, yet will also
lure those from all generations
who don’t have a big budget. The
test car often captured attention,
and not just from the younger
set.
Standard fitment on the high
grade model is respectable given
its price point. Major items
include single-zone air conditioning,
leather-like trim, keyless
entry and ignition, electric
windows all round, and Holden’s
sophisticated MyLink infotainment
system.
The latter has been upgraded
to include Android Auto and
Apple CarPlay, the latter interacts
with Apple product through a
central dash panel screen. All of
the mobile functions are available
from there along with navigation
and music accessibility.
The Spark is also easy on fuel.
Holden claim an Australian
Design Rules combined average
figure of 5.5-litres per
100km (51mpg). The fuel usage
readout was constantly listing
around 6.2l/00km (46mpg) with
5l/100km (56mpg) available at a
HOLDEN BARINA SPARK: Appealing design.
steady 100km/h cruise (engine
speed 2000rpm).
Powering the Spark is a
brand new, four-cylinder, twincamshaft,
16-valve unit which
displaces 1298cc. Holden claim
power outputs of 73kW and
124Nm, both reaching their maximums
at traditional points of the
rev band, 6200rpm and 4400rpm
respectively.
Consequently, it’s no powerhouse,
and this is reflected
in slowish acceleration times
– 11.2sec to make 100km/h
from a standstill and 7sec to
reach 120km/h from 80km/h.
Realistically, I wouldn’t have
expected anything quicker, the
Spark is not here to scorch along,
but to provide economical and
comfortable travel like small cars
are meant to do.
However, you can stir the
little engine up if you wish, the
seamless gearing of CVT allows
access to the upper rev band
providing the sensation of sporty
motion.
One of the big surprises is the
Spark’s handling and feel from
behind the wheel. A lot of that
has to do with the development
work Holden has done in
Australia for down under conditions.
The steering and suspension
calibration has been tuned
for the type of roads we have
• Price – Holden Barina
Spark, $19,990
• Dimensions – Length,
3595mm; width, 1595mm;
height, 1476mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
front-wheeldrive,
1399cc, 73kW,
124Nm, continuously
variable automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 11.2sec
• Fuel usage – 5.5l/100km
down under, including acceptability
when presented with gravel
surfaces.
When it comes to tackling
corners, the Spark has reasonable
steering accuracy and front
end precision. It must be
mentioned that the front-strut/
rear tube beam suspension
isn’t sophisticated, yet it does a
reasonably good job of soaking
up the uneven road surfaces
and containing body movement
against the force of gravitational
change.
The Spark deserves to do
well here, it’s a tough market
to compete in but it stands out
for its design appeal. It is the
quintessential easy-to-drive, easyto-
park vehicle and comes with
all the benefits of buying new.
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