CarsGuide team
20 Feb 2005
3 min read

The pleasure of being behind the wheel of the new Holden Monaro V8 is a serene sense of having nothing to prove.

There are not many times in average driving that one really needs the sort of muscle these cars have, but it is sweet to know it is there. I adored it on Willunga Hill where I was barely touching the accelerator as I hummed effortlessly up the outside lane. I am not sure that the car actually noticed the incline at all. And it was novel to be watching the speedo, not for changing down gears to continue the climb, but to make sure one was not exceeding the limit. It is nice to have that extra oomph for an overtake on a country road, too.

But, in day-to-day life, the V8 has to do what ordinary cars do – go to and from work, manoeuvre into tight parking station spots and generally play among the city cars.

The Monaro plays very nicely, indeed. I was tickled pink to be given a "devil" yellow one. I have always yearned for a yellow car – and this one was a picture of sporty emancipation. I couldn't wait to hit the open road.

Ironically, the first thing I did hit was my head. One has to learn a certain way to get into these low-slung beasts. But once inside, it is five-star comfort. Unless one is in the back, which is not easy to achieve. The leather trimmed seats slide electronically back and forth, and tip forwards, but it is still a tight scramble even for a bag of shopping.

But the Monaro is not that sort of a car. It is a spoil-me car. It's a single woman thumbing the nose at convention car. A divorced woman's revenge car. A retired woman's claim to equality car. And a fun car. The Monaro nips around the city like a dream and slips easily into tricky parking spots. It has a neat turning circle and one of the best steering wheels I have ever handled – leather, sporty and artfully moulded with bulges for grip.

The dashboard with its glossy piano black fascia trim, is nothing less than divine – mirroring the car's cheeky yellow with a slightly muted colour-coded instrument cluster in the centre as well as the usual dials. The airconditioning system is state of the art, climate controlled with outside temps and inside temps, and air flow temps, breeze speed and you name it. Easy to set.

In fact nothing at all is difficult about the Monaro. It has reversing beeps, excellent cupholders, a fair amount of console storage, a small but reasonable boot, excellent lighting outside and in, a top sound system ... the only thing lacking would seem to be a roof hand-hold bar for the passenger. No, he was not nervous. He just wanted something to hang on to.

Best of all, with the nostrils flaring, so to speak of the bonnet scoops, it gives one that smug feeling of being so strong and smart that the last thing on earth one needs to do is to show it off.

Read the full 2005 Holden Monaro review

Holden Monaro 2005: Cv8

Engine Type V8, 5.7L
Fuel Type Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 13.7L/100km (combined)
Seating 4
Price From $40,810 - $47,960

Verdict

Love it, Leave it

Holden Monaro

Love it

Sporty leather steering wheel. Colour-coded instrument clusters. Comfortable seats. Smug feeling.

Leave it

Hitting my head on door frame. Lack of passenger hand grip.

Pricing Guides

$51,977
Based on 8 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$34,990
HIGHEST PRICE
$74,999
CarsGuide team
The CarsGuide team of car experts is made up of a diverse array of journalists, with combined experience that well and truly exceeds a century.  We live with the cars we test, weaving them into our family lives to highlight any strenghts and weaknesses to help you make the right choice when buying a new or used car.  We also specialise in adventure to help you get off the beaten track and into the great outdoors, along with utes and commercial vehicles, performance cars and motorsport to cover all ends of the automotive spectrum.  Tune in for our weekly podcast to get to know the personalities behind the team, or click on a byline to learn more about any of our authors. 
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$34,990
Lowest price, based on CarsGuide listings over the last 6 months.
For more information on
2005 Holden Monaro
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