While Holden has yet to start local assembly of the four-cylinder Cruze model, the company said on Monday that its imported version is already a hit with Australian buyers and in June alone, the becomingly popular car pushed 3000 units out of dealers' stations, en route to the more than 14,400 units snatched up for the first six months of the year.

Holden is set to begin making the local version of the Cruze by the first quarter of 2011 as company executive director John Elsworth hailed the best-selling model as a fantastic success story, adding that "customers immediately responded to this world-class small car when it was launched in June 2009."

Mr Elsworth said that the small car took the road straight into Australia's top 10 best-selling passenger vehicles by its first full month of sales and that strong demand has continued as "Cruze was embraced across a range of age groups and buyer types."

He said that the Cruze is complementing Holden's flagship model, the locally-built Commodore, which sold 4697 units in June to sustain its role as the country's most popular car.

Mr Elsworth said that the two models are working very well in tandem by giving two different but compelling models on both segments of the market, thus making Holden as the wise choice for local motorists.

Significant work has been started at the company's Adelaide assembly operation to pave the way for the arrival of a fresh Commodore and Cruze models in the coming months as Mr Elsworth revealed that an exciting time is ahead for Holden as "we gear up for the launch of VE Series II Commodore later this year and from next year we will begin manufacturing the Cruze locally, making it the only small car made in Australia."

He said that the positive response elicited by Cruze in the market bodes positive indication for Holden that its locally-built models in 2011 would amount to great success.