Holden Caprice 2014 Review

Holden Caprice V offers astonishing value for money. At $59,990 the big long-wheelbase Australian limousine costs about a quarter of the price of similar models from the big name German brands.  We'll freely admit the quality of finish of the Audi, BMW and Mercedes models is higher than that of the home-grown Holden, but the local car gives you, in round numbers, about 85 per cent of the car for 25 per cent of the outlay.

To be fair, on-road costs have to be factored in, and the Holden doesn't attract the huge luxury car tax (LCT) that hampers the German marques.  But, all this is ignoring the fact that image is everything in cars of this class and the Holden obviously lags a long way behind the big Germans. All these thoughts passed through our minds when we were testing the Holden Caprice V last month -- coincidentally during the week when General Motors in the US finally decided it wasn't economically viable for Holden to keep on manufacturing in Australia.

STYLING

Big and bold, with an obvious eye on being exported to both the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates, these Holdens have plenty of of bling inside and out. While you can see that the Caprice and Caprice V are extended versions of the Holden Commodore the job has been done well and is far less obvious than it could have been.

That's externally; it's easier to see Commodore bits in the cabin, but they have often been dressed up and the overall effect works well in the Caprice V Series. Leather front and rear bucket seats, quaintly called 'Deluxe' seats by Holden, add to the upmarket air.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

The range-topping Caprice V Series we tested has V8 performance from its 6.0-litre engine driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, delivering 260kW of power at 5600rpm and peak torque of 517Nm at 4400 rpm. In an interesting move -- aimed largely at selling into the hire car market -- Holden the 3.6-litre V6 Caprice comes only with an LPG engine. It too has a six-speed automatic transmission.

INFOTAINMENT

Holden Caprice V Series has a Bose premium nine speaker audio system. There's a rear seat entertainment setup, with remote control, DVD, AUX input and dual channel wireless headphones.

The Caprice V has sensor key technology; satellite navigation with full colour mapping and live traffic updates; an eight-inch, high-resolution colour touch screen with Holden's MyLink, including enhanced voice recognition and Siri Eyes Free integration; full iPod integration and Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio built-in apps.

SAFETY

Holden Caprice V has been crash tested, and easily achieved a five-star rating. Crash avoidance and/or mitigation system include: Forward Collision Alert; Lane Departure Warning; a colour Head Up Display; Auto Park Assist for parallel and right angle parking; Reverse Traffic Alert; Blind Spot Alert; Front and rear parking sensors as well as a rear view camera; and Trailer Sway Control.

DRIVING

The phrase 'built tough for Australia' may sound a bit corny these days, but it still means something if you're doing endless miles in the middle of nowhere. This Australian designed and built Holden copes with rough and ready backroads in the bush better than the aforementioned highly priced imports.

Handling is precise and the big car offers good feedback through the steering and the seat of the pants. You can never expect nimbleness from a car of this size and mass, but new Caprice V is vastly better than its ancestors from the 1970s and '80s.

Torque from the big 6.0-litre V8 feels endless and Caprice V auto seldom has to change down to pick up extra power. Both the engine and transmission are responsive, though the automatic is not quite as smooth and sharp as the latest eight-speed automatics coming through from other makers.

Fuel consumption of the big V8 was generally in the seven to nine litres per hundred kilometres range when driving outside metro areas. In town it likes a drink, with 10 to 14 litres per hundred being the norm.  It's large and comfortable, and every bit a machine that's capable of dispatching big distances in the roughest of country with elegant ease.

VERDICT

A big car for a big country? Sounds trite, but it really is true.

MODEL RANGE

Caprice 3.6-litre LPG V6 four-door sedan: from $54,990 (automatic)
Caprice V Series 6.0-litre V8 four-door sedan: from $59,990 (automatic)

Holden Caprice V
Warranty: 3-years/100,000km
Body: four-door sedan
Engine:  6-0-litre V8 petrol, 260kW/517Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic, RWD
Thirst: 12.1L/100km