Holden Ramps Up Cruze Hatchback Production

GM Holden begins production of an all-new Cruze hatchback designed and engineered for Australian motorists, with sales set to launch Nov. 8.

Cruze Program Engineering Manager Peter Siablis, attending the start of hatch production, says it has been fine-tuned for Australian driving styles and road conditions.

Cruze hatch fine-tuned for Australian driving.

“We clocked up a further 87,500 miles (140,000 km) testing the new Cruze hatch on local roads, which helped us develop a number of enhancements for the hatch which we’ve also applied to the model-year ’ 12 Cruze sedan,” he says in a statement.

“When customers get behind the wheel next month, we think they’ll feel the suspension changes we’ve made which improve steering response, ride quality and add a sense of refinement to the overall driving experience.”

The lineup and pricing of the Cruze hatchback mirror that of the Cruze sedan, offering 1.4L and 1.8L gasoline engines as well as a 2.0L diesel.

The Cruze hatchback has been awarded the Australasian New Car Assessment Program’s top 5-star safety rating.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director Mike Devereux says the hatchback’s addition to the locally made portfolio highlights the flexibility of the Holden Vehicle Operations Plant in Elizabeth, South Australia, which already builds the Cruze sedan and local and export Commodore variants.

“It’s a challenging time for manufacturing, but Holden is one of the most flexible automotive manufacturing operations in the world,” he says.

“With Cruze hatch models going into production this month, we’re now building 51 models across the global small-car and Commodore short- and long-wheelbase architectures, all on the same line.”

Devereux says Cruze has been well-received in the Australian market, and locally made vehicles account for almost 60% of GM Holden’s new-car sales this year.