With its combination of cute styling, features, bright colours and a starting price of just $12,490 Holden’s newly-released Barina Spark five-door hatch should be a sure-fire winner with the Generation Y female market that Holden will be targeting in its upcoming sales campaign. A campaign that will focus on all the leading edge digital communications media such as Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, iPhone, etc.

Unfortunately for Holden all this marketing effort will be wasted on a large proportion of its potential customer base because, for the time being, there is no suitable automatic transmission available meaning that it will only be sold with a five-speed manual gearbox. Holden estimates vary from 30 to 50 per cent of sales being lost – our feeling is that the figure will be significantly higher.



So if you don’t enjoy changing gears yourself, or aren’t licensed to do so, then you’ll have to either wait for about a year or shop elsewhere.

On the other hand if you do, and are allowed to, then this cute little Holden could be just the car for you. First up, and of vital importance in this market segment, it looks the part with a neat, compact exterior dominated by a large, bold grille flanked by long ‘teardrop’ headlights.

The new mini Holden is sold internationally as the Chevrolet Spark, however Holden chose to use the name Barina Spark to cash in on that long-serving nameplate. It’s an all-new model, designed and built in South Korea by Daewoo, although future production will take place in various GM plants around the world. Australian models from 2012 onwards will come from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

At first glance Barina Spark has the sporty look of a three-door hot hatch but a closer look reveals that the rear door handles are cleverly disguised at the top rear of the door – a feature pioneered several years ago by Alfa Romeo.

The rear of the Spark is dominated by a pair of round tail lights on either side of the car which, while they do clash with the flowing lines, add character as well as a point of differentiation from its competitors.

Inside, the flowing style continues although again the flow is broken, this time by two separate instrument panels mounted behind the steering wheel that almost look as if they’re aftermarket fitments. A bit of a ‘blokey’ touch for such a female-oriented car but once again Holden has to be applauded for providing something just that little bit different.

Silver and red models come with the added feature of colour-coded door and dashboard appliqués.

Interior space is acceptable with good front headroom thanks to the design that has the highest point of the car immediately above the front seat occupants. Rear legroom is limited although headroom is still reasonable. Rear storage is limited to 170 litres with the rear seatbacks in place and 580 litres with them folded.

Power for the Barina Spark comes from a 1.2-litre petrol engine that generates 59 kilowatts at 6400 rpm and 107 Nm at 4800 rpm. It’s no powerhouse but is capable enough for the type of urban driving that most buyers will require from it.

Fuel consumption is rated at 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres with CO2 emissions of 128 grams per kilometre.

Despite its low price Barina Spark is no stripped-down special. Safety features include front, side and curtain airbags, ABS brakes and electronic stability control (ESC). The car has yet to sit for its local ANCAP safety test, but when tested in Europe it received a four-star rating. That car didn’t have ESC so  Holden is quietly confident that the Australian model will receive the maximum five stars.

Other standard features on the entry-level Spark CD include air conditioning, power front windows, USB and iPod/iPhone input, MP3 compatible audio with steering wheels mounted controls and 14-inch alloy wheels. The CD model will sell for $12,490 (without dealer or government charges) or, as an introductory offer, for $14,490 driveaway.

The higher-specced CDX, priced at an RRP of $13,990 (there’s no driveaway special price) adds 15-inch alloys, a larger, body-coloured rear spoiler, rear power windows, Sportec seat trim and a storage tray under the front passenger’s seat.

The current Barina range will continue to sell alongside the new Spark until the arrival of an all-new model in 2011. That model will be based an the Chevrolet Aveo, shown at the recent 2010 Paris Motor Show.