Family cars face-off for our testers

By Stuart Innes

The Advertiser

27 June 2008

Overall, the Ford G6 is the more refined car, albeit with a firmer feel for the road. Photo Gallery

Fierce Aussie rivalries don't come much stronger than this: Red v Blue, Holden v Ford.

Calling it a critical battle is an understatement, the survival of locally-sourced automotive manufacturing in Australia largely hinges on the success of these two vehicles.

The Holden VE Commodore range debuted with considerable fanfare in 2006. Holden's billion-dollar baby needed to make an impact on the marketplace ... and it has.

Ford's fortunes hadn't been favouring the brave, with the last of the BA incarnations falling to sales levels never seen for Falcons. The arrival of the vastly revamped FG Falcon has started the turnaround for the historic name plate.

To compare the new Falcon with Commodore, we've chosen the two mainstream models popular with private buyers, each costing about $40,000: the G6 Falcon and VE Berlina.

Both cars sit on 17-inch alloy wheels (with the $250 optional full-size spare) and have leather-wrapped steering wheels with audio controls, but Ford puts cruise there as well.

They each have front fog lamps, trip computer, climate control (the Berlina has dual-zone), ABS brakes, stability control, rear parking sensors, power windows and mirrors, power-adjustable driver's seat, but G6 has a 60/40 split-fold rear seat (the Berlina has only a ski hatch).

Both cars have headlights that are dusk-sensing automatic. The Berlina doesn't get the friendlier flip key.

The Ford's standard audio system is a single CD system (MP3 compatible with auxiliary input) with monochrome display and four speakers.

Our test car (a pre-production model) also had the iPod integration and Bluetooth option fitted, for an extra $450, but the Bluetooth option failed to team up with our phones (a crook module was blamed).

The Berlina ups the ante with a seven-speaker six-CD system with MP3 compatibility and auxiliary input. Where Ford asks for an extra $300, Holden includes dual front, side and curtain airbags in the purchase price. For those looking to lengthen the Ford's legs, the FG G6 can be had (as our test car was) with the optional $1500 ZF six-speed automatic.

To get a six-speed in the VE you'd have to go for the $45,290 V8.

We drove the Berlina and the G6 back-to-back over the same sections of roads with drivers swapping cars to make an instant comparison.

Over twisting roads, it was soon clear the Ford's balance and body control was better than the Berlina's, although the Holden's ride was a little more comfortable. A particular standout was the Ford's six-speed automatic transmission with a `performance' manual-shift mode. The Commodore's steering felt a little less direct, less meaty; mid-corner bumps are also more noticeable in the Holden, as is the engine and transmission noise when accelerating from low speeds.

The Berlina is let down by its elderly four-speed auto. Put it in third gear on a twisty hill road and sometimes it will leap back to second gear with a flare of engine revs.

On the open road, the G6 in sixth gear needs a whisker under 1750rpm at 110km/h while the Berlina is ticking over 2000rpm.

Also, for overtaking or on a slight rise, the Ford has a subtle shift back to fifth or fourth, but the ratio gap in the Berlina is wider. A one gear kickdown at 110km/h goes from 2000rpm to almost 3000rpm. This is reflected in the fuel consumption on our back-to-back twin test of 10 litres per 100km for the Ford G6 and 11 litres per 100km for the Holden Berlina, despite the Ford's bigger and more powerful engine.

Further driving of the cars separately ended with averages of 10.6 litres/100km for the Ford and 11.3 litres per 100km for the Berlina.

The Holden and its Bridgestone Turanza tyres transmit more road noise than does the Ford wearing Goodyear Excellence rubber.

Overall, the Ford G6 is the more refined car, albeit with a firmer feel for the road.

Boot space is big in both cars as is the other hallmark of the big Aussie family six-cylinder — rear seat width.

The middle rear passenger has to deal with a large transmission hump on the floor of each car but other rear passengers get plenty of foot room. Rear-seat passengers in the Commodore get a little more leg room thanks to the cut-out front seat backrest. Each car has a generous glove box but we preferred the dashboard layout of the Ford, which also has more intuitive cruise control switches on the steering wheel than the stalk controls on the Holden.

However, while both cars have height and telescopic adjustment of the steering wheel, both of us (one short, the other tall) preferred the Ford wheel to sit higher.

On dirt roads, the stability control and ABS works well in each car, certainly better calibrated for loose dirt and gravel than many fancy European models.

Both locally-made large cars are worthy contenders for a family's cash, but the new kid on the block has learned from its main foe.

FORD FG FALCON G6

Price: from $39,990

Engine: 4L/6-cylinder 195kW/391Nm

Transmission: 5-speed automatic (optional 6-speed automatic)

Economy: 10.5L/100km (6-speed 10.2L/100km), on test 10L/100km

HOLDEN VE BERLINA

Price: from $40,290

Engine: 3.6L/V6 180kW/330Nm

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Economy: 10.8L/100km claimed, 11L/100km test

Comments on this story

Displaying 3 of 9 comments

Page 1 of 1

I have to say my wife thought the Ford looked like an old mans car,but after driving it she felt more safe and comfortable in the G6 only downfall steering could of been alittle higher.But lets be fair and say it outclassed the holden in most areas.We bought one and never look back great car.

dean of sydney Posted at 17 June 2009 10:59pm

Everyone has their favorites, but the most important thing is that we still have a choice to buy Australian. Our cars are some of the best in the world in terms of value for money. after 2 years I still love the look of the VE, regardless of what geaarbox they are running.

Dave Posted at 13 November 2008 12:56pm

Bottom line the falcon is just a better car .

al Posted at 12 November 2008 10:38pm

since the inception of the commodore, not much has changed, the Holden appeals to younger blokes and the Falcon is the refined Aussie Family car(remember the first commy was a direct copy of the european opel). How can Holden compete with a smaller thirstier slower coarser engine and an ancient 4 speed auto, it simply cant!

paul frank Posted at 06 November 2008 9:03pm

Yes the ford is the better choice for everything except resale. The billion dollar baby of GMH must have had most of that money paid out to buy the presses praise. I have yet to read a review by cars guide on the Commodore that isn’t full to overflowing with praise yet on the other side of the coin the Falcon has never had the adoration laid on in the same manner. If you read between the lines it is obvious that the “Australian” Holden gets the praise because the populouse believe it to be an Australian company yet we all know that Henry Ford was American. If it boils down to patriotism then I ask the question, as we are now the 53rd state, which of the two big American companies in our automotive industry has had a continuous commitment to Australia and which one deserted us?

Phill Posted at 31 July 2008 11:04pm

Its a shame that both manufacturers may disappear by the end of 2009 due to bankruptcy. The Ford should have been made LHD for export as it would have been a ready-made best seller for Ford USA.
The Ford engine is OZ thru & thru. The GM engine is not up to scratch
I wonder if the second poster said the same thing when the VE first came out and was sold against the ageing BF?? After all the VE “had nearly 2 years to copy & try & better the Ford”. And couldn’t!!
regards.

nevket240 of werribee Posted at 30 July 2008 5:36am

being a young driver on the block i would have to say after driving both i bought the holden, all be it the ford “sposed to be better” didn’t impress me much, it didn’t give me as a young driver wat i wanted, a nice aussie looking , grunt making feel of a performance car at a cheaper family price. the holden was everythingn i was looking for and drive and i found th ford had a nicer steering but every ford i have ever driven that is atleast 10yrs old loses its great steering, where as the holden standard range has never been top of its class in handling i do say they keep there above average steering and handling for well over 10+ more than the ford , in saying that the ford for looks and feel felt like i was in a european car or a “richer” type of car persay and really i dont wanna be a 20 yr old loking like im driving grandads car id rather be driving something that looks a bit more age appropiate and has a better younger feel to it , anyways wat do i know

wombie of byford Posted at 26 July 2008 11:30pm

Of course the ford is slightly more refined. It has had nearly two years to copy & try & better the Commodore. I wouldn’t buy one as the resale value of the ford drops much more quickly than Holden. Lose too much money too fast. Not really value for money.

2wayne2 Posted at 01 July 2008 11:03pm

So for a car that is demonstrably superior to the other all you can say is “the new kid on the block has learned from its main foe”. Wheels Magazine gives the Berlna 3.5 stars and the G6 4.5 stars.
Having driven both cars quite extensively my impressions are that the Holden struggles very hard to hide a very horrid engine and gearbox combination. It also has a dated and poor quality interior. The Falcon on the other hand has one of the nicest powertrains in the whole entire industry, bar none. Its quality and attention to detail is several rungs above the Commodore and for that matter the Aurion.

So Carsguide, please don’t damn the Falcon with faint praise, come out and say it like it is.

Sasha of Darwin Posted at 01 July 2008 5:12pm

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