Holden Spark LT 2016 review | road test video

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• published: 12 Dec 2016
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Andrew Chesterton road tests and reviews the Holden Spark LT with specs, fuel consumption and verdict. Read Andrew's full review here: http://carsgui.de/2gtTdLp See more at the CarsGuide.com.au Spark hub: http://carsgui.de/1WBCZiu Check out other small cars here: http://carsgui.de/2fBDueF - - - - - - - - - - It's no secret the micro-car segment in Australia is struggling. People are shunning our smallest cars in way they never have before, with sales plummeting across almost every brand. In short, the segment needs a spark. And look, here's one now. Now you might recognize it as a Barina, but Holden dropped that part of the name when this new model launched in March. It's now simply known as the Holden Spark. That overhaul also saw Holden adding the kinds of features considered non-negotiables for its young target market, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, displayed through a seven-inch touchscreen that appears on even the cheapest models. You'll also get 33 personalisation options, from the wheel inserts to the grille surrounds to the roof spoiler, to ensure your Spark looks exactly how you'd like it to. Our test car isn't the cheapest, however, with the top-spec LT coming in at $18,990, and for your extra spend you'll add things like 15-inch alloys, push button start, proximity entry, cruise control and fake-lather interior, along with crucial safety kit like rear parking sensors and a rear view camera. But that price pushes the top spec Spark perilously close to their bigger and better equipped competition. Let's face it, cars in this segment are price-led offerings, and they're more utilitarian than luxurious, but the LT does a good job of improving the vibe in here. The fake leather, which Holden calls Sporttek, feels pretty good, and even though the touch points are rock hard, they're broken up by these little style elements everywhere. More importantly, though, the tech stuff is all good. The touchscreen across the range is a great addition, even if it's not the most responsive we've experienced, and the phone connectivity is seamless. Look hard and you'll find corners have been cut, though. The fit and finish isn't ideal, and these door locks don't automatically open when you come to a stop, so you need to reach back into the 1990s and open them yourself. They're little things, though. Safety comes courtesy of six airbags, along with hill-hold, ABS and ESC, but it does miss out the more advanced technology like autonomous brakes. Regardless, the Spark LT scored the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating. The Spark is parted by a 73kW and 128Nm 1.4-litre four cylinder engine, which paired with the CVT automatic, sips a combined 5.5L/100km. Backseat: it's a pocket-sized car, but by stretching the distance between the front and rear wheels, Holden has maximised interior space, so even backseat passengers aren't too cramped, and there's only a single cupholder and no room in the doors for bottles. But there are two ISOFIX mounts in the window seats. But to add space somewhere, you need to lose it somewhere else. And that somewhere else is here, in the boot. You get a 185 litres of space back here. Which is really not a lot. But you can drop the 60:40 split rear seats, which improves things. Basically, you can choose between luggage, or passengers. It's up to you. Holden has invested its best Aussie engineering talent - most of whom have some time on their hands now that the Commodore has wandered off to die - in ensuring this Spark doesn't drive like a budget import. Aussie engineers wracked up countless laps of holden's Lang Lang proving ground, tweaking the suspension tune and steering to ensure the Spark shone on Australia's uniquely awful roads. And the results are pretty good, actually. There's not a ton of power, but it's delivered in a way that makes it feel responsive and never underpowered in everyday driving. The suspension and steering are good to, with the Spark feeling more engaged and responsive than a car in this segment might normally. There's a business to way it drives, though. A kind of skittishness that means you're always making tiny correcrtions, either to the steering or the throttle, as you get used to the way it responds. It might be more expensive than some of its competition, but you can feel where that's investment has gone. The Spark LT does feel a cut above some of its budget competition from behind the wheel. Whether Holden's Spark is bright enough to lure buyers back to the micro car segment remains to be seen, but it's at least a positive sign for the brand's post-Commodore future. CarsGuide.com.au - Buy cars. Sell cars. Simple. Check us out: www.carsguide.com.au Subscribe to our channel: http://carsgui.de/2aMzFTT Follow us on Twitter: http://carsgui.de/2ah6eta Like us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/17kv9Ui See our Instagram: http://carsgui.de/2aQ0M1H We're on Google+: http://carsgui.de/2atBwbF