Holden Adventra 2003 Review

On paper, it looks the goods.

5.7L V8 with 235kW and truckloads of torque, 200mm ground clearance, wheel arch flares, bash plate underneath, roof racks, heavy duty suspension, clever 4WD system with 38/62 torque split between front and rear axles. A real tough customer.

Everyone who sees the Adventra immediately refers to it as the Holden 4WD. It sure looks like one.

It is being (carefully) promoted as a "crossover" dirt/road vehicle in the same vein as a Subaru Outback, for example, so it was with some confidence that we took it off road. Nothing too serious mind you, just a semi-rough dirt road, mud, puddles, some small rocks and sand.

You could probably drive the family car over most of it.

To be kind, the Adventra was constrained in this environment.

Apart from being too wide for tight tracks and lacking ground clearance we were marooned 100m into the sand with the tyre pressure down to 1.0 bar (about 14 psi). It was simply going to China fast.

Those sexy looking 17inch low profile tyres don't belly out at low pressure like 4WD tyres so the Adventra's sand potential is severely limited.

Luckily, a bloke with a one tonne 4WD ute happened along with a snatch-strap and pulled us out. So, the point about Adventra was quickly driven home made up gravel roads, perhaps snow/ice, great in the wet but mostly sealed roads.

That many potential buyers may see Adventra as a 4WD competitor for the likes of Toyota Prado and Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol and Mitsubishi Pajero and their ilk is something Holden will have to address soon.

It is a road car with tough looks and the added safety and traction of all wheel drive, full stop.

Having sorted that out, I recalibrated my thinking and began to assess Adventra as a road car.

In this environment it's pretty good, roomy, possessed of strong performance, pretty good handling, comfortable ride and once again, stunning appearance.

Whoever does the styling of Holden Commodore variants is a genius. They look great. Adventra looks heaps better than the long, long Commodore wagon and much more sporty.

Various devices are used to make it look shorter and higher extended rocker panels underneath, extra plastic panels on the roof and roof bars.

Adventra is upgraded in certain areas to make it more suitable for tough driving conditions. The cooling system and brakes are upgraded to cope with the heat and there are also chassis and other reinforcements to cope with heavy duty driving.

Transmission is four speed automatic only once again, reinforced for heavy duty conditions.

Equipment levels are high but they'd need to be to justify the starting price of $52,990 for the CX8 and $60,990 for the higher grade LX8.

Both models have CD audio, rear park assist (excellent), cruise control, climate control, airconditioning, power everything, trip computer and multiple airbags.

The LX gains leather upholstery, a sunroof, premium audio, different alloys, electric seats in front level ride suspension among its comprehensive inventory.

On the road the CX8 test vehicle was good to drive despite weighing in at two tonnes.

It has heavier steering than the rear drive Commodore wagon and uses more fuel but feels taut and terrific in corners and is impressive when driven fast on gravel roads. The V8 makes things happen and the auto doesn't dilly-dally when changing up or down.

Adventra is big, bold and brash and certainly looks the goods. That's what counts most, isn't it?