The interior of the next-generation Holden Cruze has been almost completely uncovered roughly three years out from the launch of the locally made small car.
CarAdvice’s spy photographers snapped the revealing images of a left-hand-drive Cruze prototype during a recent round of performance testing in Germany.
A larger infotainment touchscreen is positioned more prominently at the top of the second-generation Cruze’s redesigned centre stack, which features significantly fewer buttons for a cleaner appearance.
Vertical air vents reminiscent of the Holden VF Commodore sit either side of the screen, while buttons at the base of the centre stack suggest the new model will offer an ‘Eco’ mode, parking aids, and potentially a lane departure warning system.
A neater steering wheel sits in front of an overhauled instrument cluster with an entirely new layout, with a large display screen positioned between the speedometer and tachometer binnacles.
Thin chrome highlights on the steering wheel and instrument cluster, and around the air vents and gear shifter, add a sophisticated ambience to the cabin, which is further enhanced by stitched soft-touch panels across the dash.
Though its plans for the future hinge on negotiations with the new government, Holden is currently working towards building the second-gen Cruze is Elizabeth, South Australia, from late 2016, as part of the company’s commitment to build ‘global’ next-generation cars until at least 2022.
The new Cruze sedan has a higher belt line, broader flanks, and a faster C-pillar than the first-generation model that went on sale in 2009. The door handles also sit higher on the doors than the current Cruze.
Frontal styling appears closely related to the Holden Barina, with a larger, more prominent grille and air intakes. The rear styling makes greater use of angular lines, featuring a shorter boot lid with an integrated lip spoiler.
The second-generation Cruze is expected to debut globally in 2015, with production to start in Australia in the second half of 2016.
