Holden forced to tweak Cruze

[Reaper]

Holden forced to tweak Cruze

Holden has made changes to its Cruze small car just weeks after launching it. By RICHARD BLACKBURN.

Holden has introduced a running change to the automatic transmission on its Cruze small car just weeks after launching the vital new model.
The company said the change, which is designed to make gear shifts smoother under hard acceleration and when the engine is cold, was made in response to internal evaluation of the car by Holden engineers, rather than any customer complaints.
But the six-speed automatic petrol version of the car has been criticised by motoring journalists for its lack of performance and imprecise, jerky gear shifts.
The news will come as a blow to the car maker, which has high expectations for the Korean-built small car.
The Cruze, which will be built in Australia from next year, is a vital car to Holden as it is shaping as the company’s lone entrant in the biggest segment of the car market.
The company recently discontinued its Viva small car and is expected to drop the long-running Astra nameplate from its line-up in coming months.
The running change, which affects roughly 400 vehicles in customer hands and hundreds more in dealer stock, involves a software change to the car’s electronic control unit. It doesn't affect diesel versions of the car.

Holden forced to tweak Cruze - www.drive.com.au

[Reaper]

A pretty minor update really. Most owners wouldn't even realize if nothing was said. Holden really needs this car to work for them. I wonder how far away it is when cars will live update over the net every time you turn on the ignition?

Reaper

[greenfoam]

I'm just impressed that they can stick a Holden badge on it and sell 400 allready!

[Torquative]

all of us Commodore owners wouldnt notice jerky gear shifts

[TMM]

I'm just impressed that they can stick a Holden badge on it and sell 400 allready!

It's not that bad. MUCH better then the Viva and Epica crap boxes. What everyone forgets is that it is a global car, it's not a Daewoo it's just assembled there. You shouldn't judge a car solely on where it is put together. e.g. VW Golfs are made in South Africa, and their QC is excellent.

[Pete_perth]

all of us Commodore owners wouldnt notice jerky gear shifts

What on earth are you talking about - smooth as silk

[1991_Vn2nV]

It's not that bad. MUCH better then the Viva and Epica crap boxes. What everyone forgets is that it is a global car, it's not a Daewoo it's just assembled there. You shouldn't judge a car solely on where it is put together. e.g. VW Golfs are made in South Africa, and their QC is excellent.

"Global" hey. Guess thats why they sell it in Europe against the Golf etc... Oh no wait, they don't. In Europe GM have the Astra, Corsa and Insignia. Actual quality cars.

Volkswagen in Germany had sole responsibility for the Golf, its then just built in South Africa. The Cruze was not the sole responsibility of a quality german manufacturer like VW or even Opel, Opel had input, but its still a GM Daewoo car, but im sure Holden will sell plenty, just because the Australian public aren't the smartest bunch (luckily for Rudd).

[davey g-force]

"Global" hey. Guess thats why they sell it in Europe against the Golf etc... Oh no wait, they don't. In Europe GM have the Astra, Corsa and Insignia. Actual quality cars.

Volkswagen in Germany had sole responsibility for the Golf, its then just built in South Africa. The Cruze was not the sole responsibility of a quality german manufacturer like VW or even Opel, Opel had input, but its still a GM Daewoo car, but im sure Holden will sell plenty, just because the Australian public aren't the smartest bunch (luckily for Rudd).

Have you driven or even been in one yet? They're well appointed, safe, economical, good looking and well built. A serious competitor against the Corolla and Mazda 3. I'd much rather have a Cruze than say, a VN Commodore

I agree the auto transmission needed tweaking - it was jerky and slugish. Good thing we bought a manual then! But good on Holden for taking prompt action to rectify the issue.

[Torquative]

im just waiting for my sisters company Astra to be replaced with a Cruze then I'll given an opinion

[Sphinx]

you call that a tweak? here was I thinking they'd dropped an LS motor into it to address the average performance

[S.O.S]

About time holden done something like this, i say its a new age at holden. In the past they would have over looked something small and maybe fixed it later down the road. But today they make changes running changes on models for the better. About time and well done.

[Reaper]

About time holden done something like this, i say its a new age at holden. In the past they would have over looked something small and maybe fixed it later down the road. But today they make changes running changes on models for the better. About time and well done.

This has been commonplace with the VE. They have a lot of minor running changes along the way.

Reaper

[eaton v8]

pity i liked the astra

[S.O.S]

This has been commonplace with the VE. They have a lot of minor running changes along the way.

Reaper

I'm very happy with that.

The new guy running holden is more on the engineering side. The last bloke was on the money cutting side, he had no idea.

[Reaper]

I'm very happy with that.

The new guy running holden is more on the engineering side. The last bloke was on the money cutting side, he had no idea.

Lol - the money cutting side is the bit that kept them from being sold off or worse!

Reaper

[andyman]

lol if they did a press bulletin for the ve's thered be an article like this every week.......

obviously news was slow this week, every manufacotry has firmware updates to address issues with cars

[S.O.S]

Lol - the money cutting side is the bit that kept them from being sold off or worse!

Reaper

Last guy who ran holden was called razor, holden had said he done a gm to them. When he left the jokes was made he left without a car, perhaps not even a goodbye.

This new dude is very organised on the engineering side, and balanced on the financial side. Word from holden is they work very well with him in all areas.

[1991_Vn2nV]

Have you driven or even been in one yet? They're well appointed, safe, economical, good looking and well built. A serious competitor against the Corolla and Mazda 3. I'd much rather have a Cruze than say, a VN Commodore

I've been in one, not driven. I agree with you that it is well apointed and safe, but its not overly economical for its class or engine size and its build quality isn't better than competitors like the fiesta/focus, mazda 3 etc. And the Corolla is a shitbox, but in terms of quality im pretty sure most people would take a Mazda 3 or a Fiesta/Focus or even an i30. And i'd much rather have an M5 over say, an 09 commodore. Hell I haven't driven any model commodore since January 2008. But im not sure how comparing a car that costs 10x more than the other and is 20 years newer is really relevant.

[davey g-force]

Yes but this is all just your own opinion. That's what I was getting at with the comparison with a VN - sorry if that was a cheap shot.

Whilst shopping around for a second car, I thought the Cruze was in fact better built than the Mazda 3 and Hyundai i30. And definitely far nicer inside. The Fiesta/Focus we didn't even look at, so I can't comment on that.

[holden boy]

dam if they want another small car hurry the hell up and bring back the torana
im waiting and waiting im saving and saving to get me one of them new

[greenfoam]

Might as well put your money into an original because they wont be making a 5 litre V8 at 1150kgs anytime soon

[S.O.S]

Talk is holden is fully developing a global hatch back. There is a chance torana might comer back ?, just not with a 5lt. But just like in the past, someone will do it if they make it .

[greenfoam]

Yeah a Hatchback Cruze will be in the works, but it'll probably still be beam suspension and definatly FWD so hardly a Torana . If they are going to recycle that name they would want to do it justice. Even the Monaro was cuting a fine line when they stuck the name on a 2 door Commodore when the original was a coupe