HOLDEN Barina 3 Doors 2005-2011 Photos, engines & full specs

After GM bought the remains of the Daewoo Motor Company, it rebadged some of its small-sized cars and sold them in Australia as Holden Barina in three body shapes.

Holden used the Barina nameplate since 1985 for a Suzuki-licensed vehicle. Later on, it used the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa platform, and after General Motors bought the Daewoo, the T100 platform was used for the Daewoo Lanos/Chevrolet Aveo/Kalos. The 3-door version was a practical little car, especially preferred by pizza-delivery companies. It was easy to park, reliable enough, and with a low purchase price. Comfort and performance were not some of the car's strong points.

Italdesign signed the car's look, and it rushed to apply a "Design by Giugiaro" on the sides of the bodywork. It might not have been the famous Italian styling company's best result, but it worked better than Daewoo's original design. With its big, angular headlights, the Barina tried to look more convincing, at least from the front. From its sides, the 3-door version featured an ascending beltline that ended into the C-pilar with an up-kick. In the rear, the taillights were installed just above the bumper.

Inside, the 3-door version offered enough room for the front occupants, with regular seats and a few adjustments. It was cramped with virtually no legroom in the rear, if the front occupants pushed their seats to the back. The simple dashboard design with four dials in a binocular styled instrument cluster offered enough information for the driver. The AC was available as an option for the base trim-level and fitted as standard on the upper ones.

For the engine compartment, Holden offered a choice of three engines paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Barina scored just 2-star protection in the Asian NCAP crash-test. The result was improved to four stars after the 2008 facelift.