Holden Barina First generation (MB, ML; 1985–1988)

The first generation MB Barina was launched in 1985 as a badge-engineered Suzuki Cultus as a five-door hatchback. In the first year of production a Road Runner special model was offered complete with decals showing the Warner Bros. cartoon character. A high-profile marketing campaign featured the slogan Beep beep Barina, a catchphrase that remains in the consciousness of many Australians in the present. The mildy facelifted ML Barina was released in September 1986.

In the Used Car Safety Ratings undertaken by the Monash University Accident Research Centre, published in 2008, found that the first generation Barina provides a "significantly worse than average" level of occupant safety protection in the event of an accident.[1] Achieving up to 19km/l on the 1.0 3-cyl models, the fuel consumption on this model is outstanding.

In New Zealand, from 1986 to 1989, a Holden Barina GTi model was also sold, being a rebadged Suzuki Swift Gti (see Suzuki Cultus - Generation 1). This vehicle used the G13B engine.