Bringing an over 3-decade run to an end.
Australian marque Holden has announced that the loveable Barina hatch, that we praised for its packaging smarts and surprising motorway refinement, will soon be gone from the product lineup. This was revealed as part of Holden’s ongoing strategy to focus on trendier SUVs, as well as steady-selling LCVs.
“[The Holden Barina] will not continue as part of the Holden lineup, [but] our Barina customers will continue to have the highest-quality service from our Holden dealers. We’re focused on bringing world-class vehicles across the SUV, LCV, and passenger segments, that resonate with our customers.” — Holden Spokesperson
This was confirmed to our friends at CarAdvice.
The Barina’s culling is a bit of a surprise, as while it hasn’t been a volume seller (not for some time), it has been selling pretty alright. They sold 229 Barinas last month, with a total of 2329 Barinas shifted up until the end of August. Hardly the sort of lacklustre numbers that would invite a culling. But following the way of the Spark (that left in April), the Barina has to make way for cars that are trendier and more on-the-pulse, and the new entry-point into the Holden range, the Trax, is just that.
Of course, we know it’s not the end of the line for all of Holden’s passenger cars, as the Commodore continues to gain ground (despite its detractors), and the same can be said of the new Astra. On other fronts, the Acadia SUV was recently detailed ahead of its introduction later this year, while continual refinements to the remainder of its SUV range should see the brand ebb along healthily.
For the best deals on a new Holden, check out our Showroom.
