Holden Adventra LX8 2004 Review

It's a road best tackled in the morning, when concentration levels are high, when visibility is at its best. And as a test track for an all-wheel drive, it's hard to beat, for not only is it never straight, it's also buried deep in snow on some winter days. This month, I was lucky enough to be able to haul the full family – three big kids, two parents, plus a week's worth of ski luggage – up there and back in the big all-wheel drive Holden, the Adventra LX8.

And what a good thing it is.

Cruising from Sydney, along the Hume Highway via Goulburn, Yass, Gundagai, Holbrook, Albury, then along the Kiewa Valley Highway via pretty Yackandandah and Dederang, the Adventra proved itself a satisfyingly reliable conveyance, with equipment levels to please easily bored teenagers. Which is saying something.

But if you think that adds up to something tediously middle-aged, think again. The baritone sound of 5.7 litres remains suggestively audible all the while, reminding the driver of the power that is available.

Put your foot gently down and the acceleration is swift but undramatic. Foot down hard and you are pushed back with a snap. The so-called Cross Trac all-wheel drive system imparts a sense of sure-footedness, while the mass of the car – it weighs about 1.9 tonnes – delivers a real feeling of safety and substance.

So far, the Adventra hasn't been a big hit in the sales department – apparently on the basis of the perception that it's a gas-guzzling throwback. Well, over a bit more than 1400km, loaded to the gunwales, the Adventra used 12.8L per 100km at an average speed of about 86.5km/hr. Some sixes would struggle to return such figures.

Certainly, a two-litre four would use less fuel, but our trip, with our load, would have been an ordeal in a smaller car. In the Holden, the road slipped serenely by.

Fuel consumption in the Adventra can be a matter of constant interest to the driver, because a clever function in the trip computer lets you see exactly how much you're using at any given moment.

Ease off the throttle and the readout shows an instant fuel flow reduction. Accelerate up a hill or to pass, and the readout can shoot up to frightening levels. So there's a constant reminder to be a bit feather-footed, which is no bad thing.

On our adventure, we tried just about every feature in the Adventra, except the airbags and the spare wheel, and everything ran like a Swiss watch. The cruise-control, the sunroof, the electric seats, the lush leather interior – all pretty swish. And the Blaupunkt sound system – teenage tastes in music notwithstanding -- was superb.

Oh, and that winding road from Mt Beauty to Falls Creek. On the way up, the road was clear, but lead skies threatened snow, and we were not disappointed.

A few days later, on the return trip, snow and ice meant lesser mortals in two-wheel drives were delving around in the slush, fumbling with frozen fingers to fit chains.

But not us. The Adventra pulled itself out of its deep hole in the snow without fuss, and we loaded up for the last downhill run.

For about 20km the road was white, so we weren't setting any speed records.

But without chains, the car showed no hint of a slip or slide, the Cross Trac system combining with the ABS to provide precise control on every corner. So much so, it was almost disappointing to come upon dry road.

Then home again via the Hume; first stop The Dog on the Tucker Box, where we tossed a coin into the wishing well. We all wished for the same thing – another holiday.