The Holden Viva is Holden’s equivalent to the Toyota Caldina or Corona, or perhaps Mazda’s basic 626 range. The simple and sound design of the Holden Viva is Holden’s offer for a practical car with reliability and good dealership service. Available as a five-door hatch, a four-door sedan or a roomy wagon, the Holden Viva surely is a sound choice for a small family vehicle.

Each model is pleasantly designed and perhaps, to my eye, the wagon looks the most stylish and impressive design. But that, of course is just my taste; you may prefer the neat and tidy hatchback. With up to 1410 litres of storage space inside, the Holden Viva wagon has a useful luggage capacity – just what you need if you have to lug around the school bags and sports gear that seem to be compulsory if you’re a modern parent.

Each model in the Holden Viva line up comes with a CD/MP3 player with four speakers as standard. The wonderful instrument and panelling are superbly uncluttered. The different shades of grey and black are very restful on the eye and appealing. The designers have done a superb job. When sitting in the Holden Viva’s driver seat, you will find that everything is easily within reach and is easy to use. Having the audio controls mounted on the steering wheel is a nice touch. The split-side grey fabric used for the seat upholstery is well made and all the seats offer lovely support. The driver’s seat has eight-way adjustment. The cushioning and supportive nature of the other seats is superb. As parents of young children, you’ll find the child proof rear door locks an essential feature and you can rest assured that all the seatbelts are three-pointers, even the middle one in the rear, with the front seatbelts being pretensioned. The driver and front passenger have airbags front and side as standard on all models of the Holden Viva.

Whichever model of Holden Viva you prefer, you will find that the four wheel disc brakes bring the Holden Viva to a halt quickly, and ABS is optional. Step on the gas and push the Holden Viva hard through corners and you will appreciate its precise handling and grip levels. The suspension is set up with Macpherson struts in the front and dual-link suspension in the back, and has a nice compliant and comfortable ride.

Under the hood of the Viva, Holden has chosen to place a 4-cylinder 1.8 litre motor. It boasts a DOHC unit that operates four valves per cylinder and the motor is fuel injected. This all adds up to an economic yet responsive car. Power and torque figures are modest, but a car of this nature wasn’t built as a racer – the Holden Viva is the epitome of Mum’s Taxi (or Dad’s). Still, the Holden Viva will be capable of reaching 100 km/hr in a little over ten seconds.

With a stylish and functional dash, and a sharp exterior design, the practical Holden Viva will prove to be a durable and reliable choice that offers good occupant space.

Current model series include:

• Holden Viva Hatch 1.8
• Holden Viva Sedan 1.8
• Holden Viva Wagon 1.8

For anymore information on the Holden Viva, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Holden dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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