Holden Commodore Ute 2011 Review

One of the reasons that utes are so popular is that they are the cheapest entry point to a V8 for many young blokes. A V8 Holden ute will cost you about $5000 less than the equivalent sedan and that figure jumps to $6000 in the case of Ford's Falcon ute.

It's a lot of dosh when you're a young bloke just starting out, but with a taste for performance. Mum might not approve but fortunately the humble ute is a much safer proposition these days thanks to the inclusion of such features as electronic stability and traction control.

These systems do a much better job of keeping the back tied down compared to that trusty bag of cement which used to be popular. In the wet, it can be a lifesaver.

I still remember the Falcon ute that I was driving one wet weekday morning trying to swap ends on the freeway when I gunned it to make a sudden lane change. So too, quietly, does the missus.

Having said that, our test vehicle, Holden's top of the line SSV ute, is going to negate the $5000 saving we mentioned, because it's going to cost you $5000 more than a standard SS. With leather trim and all the bells and whistles, the SSV is priced from $47,490 before on-road costs.

Powered by the same 6.0-litre V8 that powers the sedan, it pushes out 270kW of power and 530Nm of torque in manual form. Surprisingly, the ute is slightly heavier than the sedan and uses fractionally more fuel.

The manual ute is 3kg heavier than the sedan at 1780kg while the auomatic is 8kg heavier at 1797kg. The big challenge for the ute is getting all that power to the ground through the rear wheels.

Our test vehicle, the six-speed manual, is likely to be the first port call for enthusiasts. Fuel consumption for both is around the same mark, but there are a couple of decisions to be made in choosing between the manual and the auto.

To get the most out of your V8 you'll want the manual, because the auto produces slightly less power and torque. But if you opt for the manual, you forego the benefits of AFM, cylinder shutdown technology which is available only with the auto.

Mind you, we're not sure what you're missing out on, not when the difference in fuel consumption is just 0.1 litres/100km? The SSV ute looks great and turns plenty of heads, and you'll find yourself dropping back a gear or two frequently just to hear the throaty roar of the V8.

The six-speed manual change is easy to use but the clutch in the Series II requires more pressure than we remember. The car sits on 19 inch alloys with 245/40 series rubber, and a set of four tailpipes tucked under the back.

Even with this model, however, you don't get a hard tonneau cover as standard, but it might be a good investment for future resale. Ther manual ute is certainly fun to drive, but we reckon you'd tire of it quickly, particularly if you do a lot of city driving.

In terms of safety, the ute gets six airbags and now comes with a full, five-star safety rating. Holden continues to make a big deal out of the fact this engine can take an E85 ethanol fuel mix.

We're yet to find a service station that actually sells it and, in our experience, cars slurp the stuff faster than you can put it in.

The official fuel consumption figure for the manual is 12.3 litres/100km and for the auto, 12.4.

HOLDEN COMMODORE SS UTE

Price: from $49,990
Warranty: 3 years, 100,000km
Resale: 55% Source: Glass's Guide
Service Interval: 15,000km or 12-months
Economy: 12.3 l/100km; on test 17;  tank 71 litres, 291g/km CO2
Safety: six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability control. Crash rating 5 star
Engine: 270kW/530Nm 6-litre OHV 16-valve V8
Transmission: six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Body: 2-door, 2 seats
Dimensions: 4894mm (L); 1899mm (W); 1476mm (H); 2915mm (WB)
Weight: 1753kg
Tyre Size: 245/40R19. Spare tyre inflator kit