Holden Barina TM (2011-2018)

Bad crap – Don’t buy one of these, got 123000 out of first engine, overheated and destroyed engine. Bought 2nd hand engine for $2600 with 51200 km on it put new heavy duty radiator and all new hoses and bottle, because I was ripped off when I bought it at 52000 km. Was cooked before I bought it and filled with some kind of stop leak and settled in bottom of… Read more

all hoses and now with 73000 km on replacement Eng been overheated and fan won’t turn on unless I use a/c or disconnect from 4th thermostat and switch I’ve fitted. Used to be a mechanic so I can understand what it costs to repair these cars. You don’t know what it takes to replace an engine or even water pump in this crap. Vectra the same avoid opel motor in Holden I’ve got a vz ss which is spot on, 4 cylinder crap

TM Holden Barina 1.6L Manual – I’ve purchased this car as a cheap run around I’ve been lucky enough to buy this car and have everything done to it I’ve been running around in it for the past month now and I’m very surprised with who nice it drives and how well the a/c keeps up on these hot days! I’ve got the 1.6L EcoTec engine connected to the 5 speed manual gearbox- I’m… Read more

shocked with how good it handles and how fun it is to drive it’s got 140,000kms on the clock and feels new

The seats seem to be very comfortable even with long distances also I’m very surprised with the standard features in the TM barina like ESP, Cruise control electric mirrors and windows also I’ll say again I am wrapped with the performance of the A/c it gets so cold in the cabin

The only benefit with myself is that I knew what I was buying so in saying that I know the issues these cars have but I’m quite mechanically minded and have since purchased parts to have spares ready when something happens but until then I’m very happy with my purchase and am enjoy this little last Australian engineered Barina- looks much more aggressive then the previous Barinas

Beware the plastic thermostat housing – I purchased this car new in 2015, wanting a reliable, fuel-efficient car for a 30 minute commute to work, and for occasional trips to nearby beaches. All seemed well for a while, but despite never missing a service, and my own regular oil and water checks, one day the car overheated on a short trip into town. When I opened the bonnet, the… Read more

radiator was completely empty. A month later, the car wouldn't start at all. My mechanic traced the problem to a plastic thermostat housing which breaks and leaks water - a common problem with this model, apparently. This resulted in a cracked cylinder head. It was strange how the vehicle had been recalled to replace a faulty air-bag, but despite this other known design flaw, it was not recalled to have the thermostat housing replaced. I guess Holden were more concerned about safety than they were about cars' engines being totally destroyed after just a few years' use. I do not think that a car should just give up and die completely after only eight years.

It's a shame, because the car was very economical on fuel, and quite easy to drive apart from one other major design flaw: the huge blind-spots at all four corners of the vehicle, which I really should have noticed on the test drive, but which only really became apparent after a few weeks of driving. The struts are so broad that an approaching car can be completely obscured by them, and reversing is a nightmare. This problem cancels out the other no doubt excellent safety features.

If you're still set on buying a second hand Barina after reading this, make sure the thermostat housing has already been changed, or take it straight in to your mechanic and get it done. Otherwise, your engine can end up cooked in an instant, no matter how conscientious you are. Oh, and there won't be any warning lights to tell you that your engine is overheating. Your car will just conk out in the middle of the road.

Fantastic first car/learner car, pretty average in general – 2014 Barina CD TM automatic sedan. Urban commuting. Daily driver. Servicing up to date. Overall, just an ok car that runs. Mine has had no major issues, 3rd owner. Fuel efficiency is only slightly better than average, the car is generally weak in power but more than sufficient for general urban/suburban driving. Interior is ok, the two gloveboxes… Read more

is cool. The radio fascia and dashboard is okay, a bit dated but clean and simplistic. The car is not too noisy but sounds gnarly at high rpm. Also, deceptively large boot.

Honestly it's fine. Just fine. Probably ideal for a learner or fresh p plater just wanting something tame and economic.

Deceptively Good Car! – Official reviews of this car are IMHO wrong in ways that could/would turn off prospective buyers! Yes there were design issues that resulted in recalls but all these aspects are easy to "catch" in an inspection! For what the car is intended to be, the features it had (and did not have) + the price point it was offered at (when new) it was a good… Read more

buy! Make sure the service records are "correctly up to date" ~ Services not exceeding the stated kms OR timing interval. Owners of Used/Out of warranty period Barinas may well have skipped services or aspects of services to keep their costs down but a professional inspection before purchase should catch most "gremlins". (8/10) City Driving and (5/10) Highway Driving. I've driven a few other small cars that perfom this role more enjoyably. Good luck with your decision to/not to purchase a BARINA. Happy Motoring!

Absolutely stellar second-hand car, some minor issues – I bought this car just over a month ago, and I love it to absolute bits. There's so many good things about it, which I will go into detail about, but first, there are a couple of minor issues I've found. First and probably most worryingly, the cars anti-theft alarm isn't up to par. Someone was able to break the left rear-quarter window, pop the… Read more

boot release, get into the boot, push down the back seats, and unlock the car from the inside without setting off the alarm. The immobiliser works perfectly, and the thief got away with no valuables, but an after-market alarm would be a consideration.

Secondly, the horn is a bit timid to say the least, and finally the rear windscreen has no wiper, so it is easily obscured in heavy rain.

Other than those issues, this is a great car. It is economical, and has enough power to make overtaking manoeuvrers an easy breeze, the handling and manoeuvrability is excellent for getting into and out of tight spaces, and the parking sensors make reversing a breeze.

The stereo is excellent, and the media controls on the steering wheels are responsive and easy to navigate, and the cruise control functionality makes motorway driving very pleasant. While I haven't been able to figure out the "tiptronic" gearbox, it does seem easy to use for someone who knows how, and of course the 6-speed automatic gearbox makes it zippy in town and on the motorway.

If you're looking for a great second-hand car, and you see one of these on offer, don't hesitate to snap it up, as I absolutely love mine, despite the few issues, which are easily solved with a few after-market modifications. Couldn't give it a 4.5/5, but that would be my rating if I could give it.

LOOKING AT CLASS ACTION REGARDING FAULTS & SAFETY – Purchased one and it was replaced due to multiple issues, the replacement has been just as bad. Have had so many issues with this vehicle and what’s worse is that they are almost all KNOWN ISSUES. Multiple Transmission Faults including; gears sticking, grinding, spinning, not changing, unable to accelerate etc. Multiple Failed Coil Packs - cars… Read more

shook violently, chugging and shuddering, having to be towed repeatedly. Engine Mount Cracks, constant vibration and replacements Transmission Mount Cracks, constant vibration and replacements Coolant tank and hose issues, constant leaks Ongoing ambient temp sensor issues, preventing heating and aircon from operating. Holden Customer Care try to ignore and dismiss claims, or simply refuse to take calls. Need to make VCAT applications to get a response.

I have spoken with a lawyer and I need 6 additional plaintiffs to commence a class action with regards to this vehicle. Anyone interested please comment.

Don’t buy this car!!!! – Bought this car in 2017, 84000km on the odometer. First service at 940000km, replaced 2 engine mounts, cracked water pump, cv driveshaft. @98000km, the thermostat housing cracked on the way to work. The problem is with these cars, everything comes as a “pack” so had to replace whole thermostat and housing @ $850AUD, not to mention the 3 hoses that… Read more

blew at the same time, all parts being predominantly plastic as well and unable to handle the warm climate I live in. 101000km, the ignition throttle cable blew, another $200. Now at 107km the engine seal is wearing down and brittle and was leaking oil. Do yourself a favour and get an i20 instead, have driven comparatively and is much more reliable and powerful, don’t be sucked in by CDX leather seats and sunroof, at the end of the day what you want is something more reliable under the bonnet. For reference, it was driven around 350km per week, serviced always on time. Now it sits in my carport as a local run around.

Stay away at all cost! (Because it’ll “cost” you) – My wife own a 2013 Holden Barina CD Hatchback and there have been so many problems with it. I don’t think I’ve heard of so many problems in such a small timeframe. So the car was purchased brand new straight from a Holden dealership. At first, the car seemed very straightforward. It’s a zippy little vehicle but as the years went on, problems… Read more

started occurring more often than it should.

The transmission is an automatic. The button that you use to push down to change the gears got so sticky, there were times when it just wouldn’t pop out as it should so driving in D but with the button still stuck could easily get knocked into neutral or even worse, reverse.

Then things under the hood started playing up. All the hoses were newly replaced but that was just the beginning. Coolant started leaking, but the thing was road side assist couldn’t find the exact spot where the leakage was. Because the car was already out of warranty, we took it to our local Auto Tune. I’m sure we are their regulars now.

The mechanics couldn’t find the problem either so they replaced the hoses and tightened them more.

A few days later, the dash lit up saying there engine is getting too hot and found that the coolant has once ran out.

It seems that the car has problems whenever the weather gets too hot. Right now as I’m writing this review, the car is broken down, sitting in the car park waiting to be towed.

The problem lies within the coil pack. Yes, you’ve heard right, a “pack”. RAA road side diagnosed the problem as one of the coils is misfiring therefore, it’s running on 3 and power is lost.

Sure it’s drivable, but running on 3 is not my kind of convincing. The car shakes violently and the engine light starts flickering.

So if one coil breaks, you’ll have to replace the whole thing because it’s a “pack”. Not like some cars where you can replace them individually.

Better sell this while we still can.

Disappointing all round & ridiculously expensive to maintain – See above. At 81000/11 years it cost $2200 in repairs to engine for pink slip. Show details

Simple, stylish, economical and very reliable – With 120,000km my 2012 TM Holden Barina hatch has never missed a beat. Parts are super cheap and the engine is very fuel efficient. A great zippy vehicle for around town trips yet roomy enough for weekend getaways with luggage. Show details

Few little issues but overall a good car – Bought it at 44,000kms, very clean and tidy, manual transmission, after about a year I had to replace the coil pack , tried to put a new stereo system and it cost me$500 to do so as apparently the barina is the only car that needs a $350 steering wheel control when other cars cost around $30-$50.. sometimes it crunches to get in reverse though… Read more

something its only just started doing recently and now i have a water sound under my bonnet like water is caught somewhere but no one can find out where or what it actually is not besides that, I can't fault it. I think any used car you're going to have some issues with it .. I'm happy.

A little car with lots and lots of problems – Bought new from dealer 5 years ago, 50 k odometer I find the car dangerously underpowered, always had issues when accelerating, frequent misfires. Raised this issue with the Holden mechanics who fobbed me off and advised it was the electronic fuel transmission settings for low emissions and high fuel efficiency. This was not true, the whole… Read more

engine is stuffed, now costing $1,600 to fix ( had a few quotes) and all the shocks leaks. I think the car is poorly engineered - best to sell if you have this model

2018 holden barina tm update model – purchased brand new i test drove the top spec model which is dearer than the base model trax and astra definitely not worth the money where as the base model is a far nicer car to drive and to live with day to day purchase price was $15 990 that included metallic paint and premium warranty (definitely worth money ) and a few accessories only… Read more

problems / issues are every 9 months it has to be serviced despite The kilometres and the factory fitted continental tyres only lasted 7300 kilometres

A good little car – No hassle, cheap to run. No major problems yet, just normal servicing. Yes the battery only lasted 4 years, I noticed people have give poor reviews and this is a complaint. Both my Toyota and Ford have needed new battery’s at 4 years too, battery’s only last that long these days, get used to it. Show details

Excellent Car Make – Absolutely love this car make, such an easy car to drive and very affordable to keep running. Have never had any problems with it. Will definitely buy another Holden car. Show details

unsatifactory – Two years ago I bought a holden Barina I have travelled 8360 Kms the car has been housed in a garage in a mild environment (Wollongong). I have had to replace the Battery I would expect the battery to last longer than that. The car has been fully serviced Show details

Problem after problem – "A Holden servicing department manager said this and I quote".. Car manufacturers often build lemons and I'm sorry to say this, you've bought one here! Previously was a executives car at holden This car has been a disaster.. 150000 km full serviced history . replaced head due to over heading, this happened after a service. 2 starter coils… Read more

fitted, broken support engine bracket, completely snapped. O2 sensors replaced, but still can't clear the computer codes, constant knocking from the front end ever since I bought it at 12000k, Holden can not find the problem, trust me the list goes on.

Wonderful car, purchased in Ulladulla NSW and have had it serviced regularly at Alan May Holden Ulla – Our Barina auto is and has been fantastic serviced as required by Alan May Holden Ulladulla whom are lovely people also very helpful to my wife and I can’t say enough about them and the Barina is very fuel frugal 6 litres per 100 ks easy to drive and comfortable on long trips what more could you want other than a bonnet badge a Mercedes couldn’t perform better.  Show details

No Issues – I purchased A Holden Barina TK MY11. I use this daily to get to work 15kms each way. Car runs smooth and reliable. I did a trip from Canberra to Melbourne to Adelaide and back. So roughly 2400kms. Before I left I had it serviced and it drove absolutely fantastically. This car has no guts - so not particularly zippy. But would recommend highly as a first car.  Show details

Tough Cookie – Bought car for a Family of 4 as a rain ,learners,grocery getter, everyone gets to have a go at the Barina everyone loves its reliability & frugal fuel use, zippy in traffic and holds its own on the freeway & country roads ,it has the suspension of an asian taxi & the handling of a sports car ,for service it has dealerships everywhere in our town ,  Show details

Holden Berina CD – This is the worst car I have ever bought. I had a Hyundai for 17 years and it still ran well when i gave it up for the Berina. After 9 months i needed a new gear box, then my reverse lights only worked in neutral which caused me to reverse into a black car in a dark street. Then it was over reving needed this back into the dealership. Then… Read more

i got a letter requiring a new ignition due to faulty made. But this hasnt stopped the car starting on its own. Now i have faulty air bags. This is inbetween a dealership that deliberately damaged my coolant tank when it went in for a service. It went in perfect and came out over heating. They wanted to charge me $65 for a light globe, twice the price for a coolant tank and new wind screen wipers, all in one service. and then the brakes went too and they wanted to charge me $750 for just the brakes. That was just the front brakes. I got them done elsewhere for $450. I got my globe chucked in for free and as i had to have the coolant tank replaced i got that at cost. How the dealership could rort and the car be such a piece of rubbish and they have got away with this not just to me but to all they serve. But they kindly called me to see if i wanted to upgrade my vehicle. When the gear box went i had taken it in for the service on Friday and told them there was something wrong with the gear box. I picked the car up in the afternoon, they said they checked it and it was fine. On the way to the doctor in the morning the gear box broke down. Here i was driving it mile away back to the dealership and told there wasnt anyone to look at it for at least a week. They didnt check it in the first place. Today ive had to replace the engine mount and coils. Yep you are reading right a NEW ENGINE MOUNT AND COILS, hopefully in the next week i will get the faulty air bags done too. Holden know what they can do with their cars. Never ever will i resort to such a piece of garbage again. Sad thing is its registered as a disabled vehicle. This review has exhausted me.

Terrible - only good for 1 or 2 years – I bought the 2014 Holden Barina CD Hatchback - I've only done 77,000kms on it. It was a great car at the start as I just got my license and the size of the barina was perfect for me. I didn't drive much when I first bought it as I caught public transport to work. It wasn't up until this year where I started driving it more that problems started… Read more

arising. I've had to get my suspensions, coils and spark plugs replaced in the span of two months. My battery also needed a full replacement (unsure if 4 years is a good lifespan for car batteries). I service the car when it's required and when my coil and spark plug went, my mechanic said that this happens to Holden's a lot and he said to expect it to happen again. Long story short, I've spent quite a lot of money on it this year. I would not recommend buying this car if you drive a fair distance to and from work.

Terrible car – This car is terrible. Do not buy it. Holden had also the worst service you will get. When things go bad they do not give you a replacement cars. They refuse to care and help you. I had my car in their care for 3 months. They were unable to fix the problem and tell me when I would get my car back. The clutch is awful, the car runs badly and before… Read more

you know it. You need to get rid of the car.

Think before you buy Holden. Holden also has the highest recalls out of all cars.

Emotion vs reality BarinaÇD TM series 2013 – I am not a Holden fan, nor a Ford either. Too much fact and reality has for decades made statisical thumbs down due to poor performance, breakdowns and rubbish service levels. So i bought my first Holden, a modern looking small 4 door hatch auto much to the grtted teeth of car experts i spoke with. And so far its been, well, great. Styling… Read more

is pleasant and very up to date. It is easy to drive, light accurage steering, upright attentive seating, comfortable runabout and holds okay on 100km highways. My 16yr old girl is finding it easy as a first L plate drive, and socailly acceptable enough to not hide from her friends in it. That is a BIG statement. It has the essentials... acceptable suspension, lights, brakes etc.. but to a 16yr old that translates to mean that is has bluetooth, usb port, loud speakers and cruise control. It does have all these. If you - look, rather than glance you will see (being nice) inexpensive fittings, a little under done in some materials used and if you are after performance might think twice, however, for an economical, modern runabout, cheap to run (not commenting on service here), 5star ANCAP safe, even turns a few heads on styling she is a wee bit cool!

My caution, nee worry is longevity and breakability.... stuff falling off or failing.

I am a stingy, stretch that dollar, mid 50s dad. I picked up the car in early 2018 for $8000 with 7000kms only as a private buy from a deceased estate so for my 8 grand i have a near new car which no doubt influences my comments. I do like the car, it, so far (17000kms) has not shown any problems (nor should it). Can fit 4 adults without trying too hard, even grinds it's way up a hill or three as long as not in a big hurry.. I still hold harsh views on holden, it's management to poor service .... just ask Consumer Affairs and Holdens severe penalties well earned but right now I'm hoping Beryl the Barina will prove her worth over time, 10yrs. :)

Love my Barina – I love my car I use it daily to go to work and weekend.Its still very new 7months old.i Ave had my 1st service and due for next one very soon .The warranty is a long one and the first few services are free.I don't have any issues with at all.It has a lot of extra features at a very good price.I shopped around at other options first but this car was great value.  Show details

Started Falling To Bits At 100,000k – Paid $13,000 brand new & it started falling to bits after 100,000 kilometres on the clock. Was probably worth the money but id highly recommend staying as far away from this car as possible once it hits 100,000k… Show details

The most horrific car I've owned. Would not own one even if I won a Barina – I bought a 2012 Barina TM Auto from a dealer on the Gold Coast for 10K used with 65000 kms on it. From the moment I drove it away I knew it was a lemon. I had owned 2 Commodore's and an Astra up until then and the Barina seemed like a functional, economical little car so I bought it thinking that it would be a great city car to get around in. I… Read more

wish I had of reviewed this car before I bought it because I had just purchased a nightmare car.

To list all the crappy features:

1) It's a Daewoo, probably the crappest cars in history that aren't even made anymore for good reason! Found this out the hard way after the coolant tank had emptied all it's coolant and overheated from a faulty coolant tank and hose connections.

2) The Bluetooth is garbage. Cannot connect to my paired phone after like 20 attempts one day, and then the next day it will connect straight away. And then it drops out easy and I have to try pair again.

3) Gear box is gutless, the revs drop out and get the gearbox gets confused between gear changes around town. And when you go up hills I have to turn the aircon off to get a boost of power and even then I'm redlining the revs and the engine screams like it's being strangled.

4) The wiper fluid decides to sometimes not even spray the windscreen and instead floods the engine underneath the bonnet. Has been looked at so many times with seemingly nothing wrong. One day it washes my windscreen, the next it's wetting the engine.

5) Wiper blades have been replaced countless times, but a design flaw seems to make them screech every time it is used. Long roadtrips where it rains all the way are painful, think 2 hours of non-stop windscreen screeching. My wife and I have to put headphones on to block it out.

6) Gearstick buttons get jammed often

7) Sun visor parts just fall off without warning. We hardly use these, but they have just decided to break off easily.

8) Entire glovebox fell out without warning. Had to put this back in myself.

10) Headlights and tail lights seem to constantly need replacing, far more than seems normal.

Additional to all this we've had to have all the following fixed:

1) Coolant tank, coolant hoses

2) Brand new thermostat replaced by Holden, Cost $800

3) Engine mount replaced

4) Coil packs, cost over $400

5) Battery needed replacing twice

6) Many oil leaks and brake fluid leaks

7) Broken tail pipe nuts

8) Code 89 currently appearing on the dash, indicating yet another thermostat problem.

All of this over 3 years! Currently trying to sell it and am begging anyone to take it off my hands!! I cannot wait to see the end of this absolute piece of garbage vehicle that has put me off Holden for good. Do yourself a favour, NEVER EVER buy one of these cars!! I truly feel sorry for anyone that buys our car, it has been a car straight from hell.

Worst car I have owned – Bought my 5 speed manual Barina new in 2013; I reported gear box problem at first service it crunched when moving through to second gear but was told the service department found nothing wrong with the gearbox but they noted the complaint and eventually after 12 months they replaced the gearbox. The car has had 3 coil packs fitted during its first… Read more

60000 kms; the first time the coil packs failed the motor just stopped dead with no warning and had to be towed to the garage. The engine mount failed which seems to be a common occurrence with these cars. I had to have the head gasket replaced and the motor head shaved due to the engine overheating which was my fault because I had not checked the water level regularly but I had no warning lights to tell me the engine was overheated and there is no water temperature gauge for me to monitor water temperature; No engine management light warned me of the problem; needless to say I check my water level quite regularly nowadays. I am very disappointed with this car and would certainly never recommend or buy another Holden Barina.

Holden Barina – Absolutely terrible experience with this car I brought new in 2014. Engine mount has failed. I took it to the Holden dealerships in both West Auckland and New Market in New Zealand. They could not pick up the fault which the effects I have felt from early on when I brought it. It is now out of warranty and the car was vibrating badly and… Read more

finally identified as a faulty engine mount. Holden will not cover the cost as out of warranty even through the fault has been felt and reported in the warranty period. Holden have not responded to the fit for proper purpose under the Consumer Guarantees Act. Rubbish car

Great little car – Just sold my Barina and a little sad to see it go. Been a great car 6 years - 106 k city/country driving. Never a problem and with conservative driving around 700 ks to the tank. Replaced the original tyres at 70 k, 3 headlight globes, set of wipers with regular servicing and 2 roo hits. (1 side and 1 front left) Good to drive and overtaking… Read more

is easy. Layout is good and loved the big digital speed display. Plenty of room and with the backseats down plenty of room for a mower or a dryer.

1600cc motor so you notice when the aircon turns on and on long hill pulls it struggles a bit.

A 6th gear would have been nice but overall I can't fault it

Worst car I had seen in my life – I bought brand new car for peace of mind which not give me more expense for couple of years but since I bought barina at 10k some noise coming from engine while car goes 10 to 40 than no noise check with city Holden 8 times they said it’s charactristic of car than I drive 30 other company car but no car has noise like that at 30k oil leak from… Read more

engine they didn’t tell me even if I am doing all service there I found out when I check my car out side it cost 1400$ but lucky in warranty after that 45k done engine mount and bush gone they fix it so with this low mileage lots of parts gone I think they use cheap parts.

Good lite car – Purchased new Dec 2017 LS Barina Very happy good little car. Quiet on the roads, averaging 8.3L per 100 around town but most of the driving is thru hills. On the highway average 7.1L per 100 sitting 105Km per hour. Seats are comfy. I purchased an aftermarket center console that fits straight in with no mods so I could have an armrest best $62… Read more

spent on ebay however its not suitable for LT model

A/C lacks a bit of cooling power.

Auto changes well and is smooth.

Overall very happy especially with 7 year warranty.

Good car for daily use – I bought a brand new from the dealership because of the 7 year warranty that gives me some peace of mind. It's a very good and compact car for daily use. Fuel efficiency is great - can get up to 550kms in mixed freeway and suburban driving. It does struggle a bit in accelerating quickly and moving up hills. It gets worse if the aircon is on. Overall, it's good value for money and does what it should do.  Show details

Good car. could be better – The in car entertamint apps are lacking. Who uses sticher? and the navagation app sucks. The car it self is nice to drive ok on fuel. It isn’t the smoothest or quietest engine the auto gear box could do with some tuning as it tends to be in the wrong gear when going up hill and the same when going down hill causing it to rev high and loud.  Show details