2006 Holden Commodore Reviews

On a tight budget, you had four options: unsafe cars, unreliable cars, really boring cars or cars that combined all three characteristics.  In the past decade, though, it's become easier to find a tidy, safe, cheap used car, for several reasons.Firstly, used cars don't hold their value like they once did. New cars have become cheaper in real terms, and sales have boomed, so there's a lot more used cars on the market.Cars are also much safer than they used to be. Government legislation and independent crash test programmes like NCAP, (which publicises the results of its tests, much to the annoyance of the industry) have forced car makers to improve safety. A 2005 car, no matter what make it is, will be safer than a 1995 car. At the minimum, you want two front airbags and anti-lock (ABS) brakes.Unless it's French or Italian, in which case a weekly dummy spit is part of the "ownership experience," most cars from the last 10 years will be pretty reliable, as long as servicing has been done by the book.We are talking about ordinary, everyday cars here, that haven't been thrashed. If you're looking at some dude's slammed, chipped Subaru WRX and the price seems too good to be true, chances are it will self-destruct before you make it home. You pay your money and you take your chances.Immaculate, low kilometre cars owned by little old ladies do exist, and they are gold. So is a complete service record, especially if it's from the dealer who sold the car new.  Let's see if we can find a few to recommend. Bottom dollar in our search is $5000.There's not much joy at this money, but the last of the Mitsubishi Magnas, from 2004-2005, are great value and reasonably plentiful. Many will be ex-renters. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because serving will have been done to schedule. The 3.5-litre V6-four speed auto ES has four airbags and ABS.Another Mitsubishi, the Lancer, is the best small car we can find at this price. Toyota Corollas are fine too, though they're more expensive.  The Lancer's as sexy as a can of baked beans and completely bulletproof. Pay about $7000-$8000 or so for a 2005 model. Find one with optional ABS and six airbags.If you've got around $10,000 to spend, you have much more choice.  In 2004, Mazda made six airbags and ABS available across its entire range, as options or standard, so any Mazda2 or Mazda3 from 2004 on will be worth checking out. Mazda does blue chip quality, and if you find a good one, with a service book, buy it. You'll pick up a 2 for less than $10,000; a 3 will be $10,000-$12,000.If you need something bigger, this sort of money will also get you into a 2004-2005 Subaru Liberty, another top car from Japan's A league. All wheel drive, excellent handling and Subaru's class leading NCAP scores are pluses. The 2.0-litre four won't rip your arms off, but it will do the job. Wagons cost a little more.You might prefer a small SUV wagon instead, so look for a 2004-2005 Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, at $12,000-$15,000.  If you need a big car for a big country, the Aussie six is hard to go past.You'll pay $10,000-$13,000 for the first of the VE Commodores from 2006. The 3.6-litre V6 sounds like 1000 leaf blowers on maximum thrust, however it's durable enough. Holden got serious about safety with VE, so you get stability control as standard.  It might take a while to find the right car, but in the end, it pays to be fussy. Second hand doesn't have to mean second best.WHERE TO BUY?DealerPros: On cars under 10 years old, most states require a warranty, typically 3 months or 5000 kilometres. You also get guaranteed title. Franchised dealers (ie those who also sell new cars) usually have the best selection of used cars; the trade-ins they don't want are unloaded to non franchised dealers or auctions.Cons: Can be more expensive than a similar car bought privately. Beware of non-franchised dealers selling flood damaged or rebirthed (ie cars written off by insurance companies but then repaired) from Queensland.PrivatePros: The best way to find a bargain.Cons: You have to do plenty of legwork, and finding the right car, in a place that's close to where you live, can be a time consuming process. There's no guarantee of title or provenance, and no comebacks if it drops its guts on the way home. Buyer beware.AuctionsPros: Ex-government or fleet cars, usually properly serviced, with low kilometres. Guaranteed title. Many dealers buy cars at auction, take them to their car yard, and jack the price up by thousands of dollars. Buy it yourself, and pocket the difference.Cons: You can't test drive the car before you bid. It's also easy for an amateur to pay too much, so go to a couple before you buy to get an idea of prices and how it all works.

It might be struggling right now, but the Commodore has been one of the top selling cars ever since it was adopted from Europe back in the 1970s.Smaller, more fuel efficient cars are the current flavour of the month, but enough Australian families still regard the Commodore as their ideal car.It’s got the size the average family wants, it’s got the handling and performance they like, it’s comfortable, and has the capacity to tow their boat or caravan.Its popularity can be measured in the ongoing success of the latest Commodore, the VE that has just won Wheels magazine’s accolade as the Car of the Year for 2006.While the VE is doing some pretty decent business the outgoing VZ has quietly entered the realm of the used car.At just two years old it is now the choice of those who can’t afford a new model, or aren’t prepared to pay that first slug of depreciation new car buyers have to endure.There are plenty coming on the market as fleets upgrade to the VE, which makes them a pretty tempting buy. To use a sporting cliché it’s in the buying zone.MODEL WATCH The VZ was the last in the line of Commodores that started with the VT in 1997. Almost 10 years old it was starting to look a little dated, despite being refreshed at regular intervals along the way.Still heavily based on the VT, which was a well designed car with clean flowing lines and perfect proportions, there was only a handful of minor cosmetic changes that distinguished the VZ from its predecessor.The major changes occurred under the skin in the form of a new V6 engine, new transmissions, new safety features, and a new sports model.After 16 years Holden decided it was time for an under-bonnet change and replaced the faithful old Buick-based 3.8-litre V6 for an all-new, all-singing, all-dancing, all-alloy V6 in the form of the locally manufactured Alloytec engine.The old 3.8-litre V6, with its cast iron block and overhead valves was regarded as old technology, but it had proved itself to be a pretty tough old nail over the years and produced a decent amount of torque with quite reasonable fuel consumption. The new 60-degree 3.6-litre Alloytec engine had plenty to live up to.There were two versions offered, the Alloytec and the Alloytec 190. Both boasted double overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder, but the 190 also featured variable valve timing on both the inlet and exhaust cams.The entry Alloytec engine produced 175 kW at 6000 revs and 320 Nm at 2800 revs, a substantial improvement over the 152 kW and 305 Nm the old ECOTEC engine delivered.While the Alloytec engine was livelier on the road if you were prepared to rev it the difference wasn’t that great if you appreciated the easy driving nature of the old engine.For more zip Holden also offered the Alloytec 190 in some models, which delivered 190 kW at 6500 revs and 340 Nm at 3200 revs.While both engines delivered more performance Holden also claimed they returned improved fuel consumption. On average, Holden said, they were two per cent better than the outgoing engine.Along with the new engines Holden also introduced new automatic and manual transmissions.The Alloytec 190 was linked to an all-new five-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifting on the steering wheel; the regular Alloytec was bolted to an upgraded four-speed auto and didn't have the paddle-shifting feature.There was also a new six-speed manual gearbox, which could be linked to the Alloytec 190.While most of the attention was focussed on the new V6 the 5.7-litre Gen III V8 was also upgraded. It now put out 250 kW at 5600 revs and 470 Nm at 4800 revs.The Commodore’s safety arsenal was also boosted by the addition of Electronic Stability Program, ESP, which was standard on Acclaim and Calais.It was part of a larger package of safety systems that included ABS anti-skid braking, Corner Brake Control, Electronic Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and traction control.The VZ range began with the Executive fleet model, and included the Acclaim and Calais, while there was now a sports model, the SV6, in addition to the V8-powered SS. Holden continued to offer two body styles, the sedan and wagon.IN THE SHOP It’s early days yet for the VZ, particularly for the new Alloytec V6 and auto transmission, but there are few reports of reliability issues.Owners question the performance of the engine when compared to their old ECOTEC V6s. That can probably be explained by the different nature of the new engine, which does need to be pressed to extract its performance. Even though the old engine developed less power it developed almost as much torque which made it a nice smooth driving engine. Owners who bought the VZ expected much more from the engine than it delivered.There are also reports of harsher shifting of the new transmission, but to date there haven’t been reports of problems with it.When buying make the usual checks for body damage, paint mismatching, scarred alloy wheels etc.Also look for oil leaks around the engine, transmission and power steering.IN A CRASH Dual airbags with the option of side airbags among a raft of safety features make the VZ quite a safe choice.The addition of electronic stability control adds significantly to the VZ’s primary safety.OWNERS SAY Mick Warne traded a 1995 Rodeo on his VZ Executive in 2006. He rates the driving position and visibility good, and says the Alloytec V6 and automatic transmission combination is a good mix for his use, which includes plenty of towing. He’s averaging around 9.0 L/100 km on trips and 11 around town, and also says the road holding is exceptional.Andy Webb and his wife updated to a VZ Commodore in 2005. While he says he likes the VZ, he’s disappointed with the performance of the Alloytec V6 compared to the ECOTEC in the VX they also own. Despite the increase in power Holden claims for the Alloytec he can’t measure any difference from his VX. He also thinks the VZ is slightly thirstier, so the only advantage he can see between the two motors is that the VZ only has to be serviced every 15,000 km compared to the VX at every 10,000 km. Overall, he says he hasn’t enjoyed the VZ as much as the VX.Up until 2001 David Rochford was a Falcon man, but had become disillusioned with his 1988 Falcon and chose a VX Commodore Equipe when he went to work for a new employer. He was more than happy with the choice, so much so that he bought the car for his wife when it came time to replace it. It was replaced with a VZ Acclaim, which he says has been a great disappointment. He says it’s noisier, the transmission shifts are harsher and the trim fabric isn’t as pleasant. His complaints to three Holden dealers fell on deaf ears. When he next has the change cars he says it won’t be to a new Commodore.LOOK FOR • Clean, elegant style• Room for the family• Plenty of safety features• Less refined that previous models• Reasonable fuel consumption• Less driver friendly than earlier modelsTHE BOTTOM LINE Good all round package for the family who goes and tows together, but less refined than its predecessor.RATING 70/100

LPG has long been the choice of taxi operators and fleet owners, who steer clear of costly petrol.Ford has led the way with LPG in Australia and is the only company to offer a car that runs on gas alone.Holden joined the party in 2005 when it offered its VZ Commodore with dual-fuel, which means the car can run on petrol or LPG.The dual-fuel option has been made available for the VE range, including Omega, V-Series, Berlina, and current wagon and ute.It costs a hefty $3900 to choose the Holden LPG option. The sting of the extra cost is eased by the Federal Government's LPG grant of $2000, trimming it back to $1900.Ford offers the LPG option on its Falcon range for $1400, which is reduced to $400 when you factor in the government grant of $1000.The Commodore gets the full $2000 grant because Holden has its accessory supplier HSV to do the LPG work in Clayton and it is considered a conversion.Ford prepares its LPG cars in the factory at Campbellfield, so it is not considered a conversion and gets the lesser grant.A BASE Commodore Omega fleet machine fitted with the dual-fuel system and airconditioning (a $2000 option) costs $38,390 with the government grant.A dual-fuel Commodore V-Series (airconditioning standard) costs $36,890, with the grant.The Ford LPG system (157kW and 383Nm) uses older technology that pre-mixes the gas with air for combustion. The newer Holden system injects the gas straight into the engine, just as it would do with petrol. That means it has more punch when it is running on gas — 175kW and 325Nm.That is only slightly down on the 180kW/330Nm the engine puts out when it is running on petrol.The Holden system has a 73-litre LPG tank in the boot, behind the rear seats, which adds about 100kg to the Commodore.Holden engineers have adjusted the rear suspension accordingly, adding firmer springs to counter the extra weight.The tank reduces boot space 100 litres to 396 litres.The upside is that using the petrol and LPG tanks means you have a range of more than 1000km, but most people will run only on LPG.Holden's official fuel-economy figure for the Commodore when running on gas is 16 litres for 100km and 11.7 litres for 100km when running on petrol (0.8 litres/100km more than the petrol-only model).Though the LPG option is available across a range of models, the most popular candidate is the base Omega, a fleet favourite, and the V-Series for families. ON THE ROADTHE Federal Government's LPG rebate has widened the appeal of cars like the dual-fuel VE Commodore.Without the $2000 grant, it could take three or four years to save enough money to cover the initial cost of the system.But with the grant, the VE Commodore dual-fuel system could pay for itself within 18 months if the driver covers 20,000km a year.It is still more expensive than the Falcon LPG option, which, on our figures, could pay for itself in five months, allowing for the LPG grant.The Commodore Omega dual-fuel feels much the same to drive as the regular model.It doesn't go quite as fast — mainly because of the extra 100kg of LPG tank weight.The LPG tank level indicator sits on the dashboard just in front of the transmission. It looks a bit "aftermarket" and shows the tank level in green lights.THE car doesn't show fuel economy figures or a distance-to-empty calculation for either gas or petrol, which is a pain.The dual-fuel system starts on petrol and automatically switches back to petrol.Sometimes the test car beeps until you manually change over to petrol, which you can do on the move.It happens a few times during the test — at idle with the airconditioning on and after hard acceleration.Other glitches with the test car include another beep and a display on the dashboard suggesting the stability control system has flicked when it clearly hasn't — usually the type of thing a mechanic can fix at the next service.Boot space is reduced, but there is enough room for most items.The LPG tank is in the way of the ski port in the middle rear seat, so you can forget carrying long items.More disappointing is the engine/transmission noise in the test car.To me, it sounds like a loud automatic-related (unlocked torque converter) slurring when the engine is under heavy load, but many customers will just notice it is noisy.The dual-fuel conversion should not affect engine noise, but this car sounds louder than other Commodores we have tested.The four-speed auto is fairly crude with its changes.As part of the test, we drive a BF-dedicated LPG Falcon, which is quieter and smoother.The dual-fuel Commodore has the potential to save you a lot of money.But if you don't need to have a Holden, look at the LPG Falcon, which might use older technology but costs less and is quieter.

But only in theory. Drive the bigger, badder, more-powerful-than-ever about $50,000 worth of V8-fuelled aggression and you find it's neither a dinosaur nor an anti-social beast. Instead, there is plenty to enjoy and admire.Despite all the macho, old-school characteristics, an SS — the big-engined, sporty model in Holden's new VE-Series Commodore lineup — turns out to be an amiable companion, well behaved and practical.Give a tough-guy bouncer a Dancing With The Stars-type makeover and you'd end up with something like this car. Still plenty of punch, but they've taught it how to walk demurely, act mild-mannered, and play quietly with others.Not so long ago a high-powered Commodore could be something of a handful but now, though there is more oomph under your right foot — this year's update added another 10kW of power and 20Nm of torque — driving is a breeze.The SS has so much grip and such balance it feels controllable and forgiving. It rides as comfortably as the dearer luxury Calais sedan.In years gone by they were worlds apart: the SS was the rock-hard sportster while the Calais was plush and soft. Now they've come together with identically-tuned suspension.This sort of comfort, with precise steering and roadholding, must have taken a lot of fine-tuning, but the engineers seem to have achieved an excellent combination.Something else that has been fiddled with is the equipment list, Holden replacing the previous SS ($51,790) with two models in the new Commodore range, SS (from $44,990) and the better-equipped SS V (from $51,990).Ford obviously took note because in the just-released Falcon BF Mk II series its XR8 equivalent has come down from $51,330 to $44,990.The price is in the right direction. What about thirst?The official rating for the Commodore SS is 14.4 litres/100km manual (marginally better than its predecessor), 14.3 automatic (marginally thirstier than before).Maybe I wasn't driving hard enough, or maybe the laboratory testing doesn't reflect the real world, because two SS sedans I sampled fared much, much better — 10.9 litres/100km for the manual, 11.5 for the automatic.These cars revealed something else. Though Holden is adamant few people will mind the new Commodore having a skinny "spacesaver" spare tyre, both the Holden-owned cars they handed me had an optional full-size alloy wheel in the boot.And the airconditioning briefly failed in both cars, then righted itself. Holden admits there was a software glitch in early-build cars, and says it has been fixed. Just like it has fixed the potential fault in the fuel hose that prompted a recall.Seems that spending a billion dollars creating a new car, as Holden did with the VE series, also creates more opportunities for things to go wrong.It also makes a lot of things to like. While the SS is the extreme-looking end of the new VE series, the whole Commodore family has taken a major step ahead.There is a European feel to the way these cars ride and steer, giving the impression they are smaller than they actually are, instantly making the driver feel confident.One big advance is the stability control system, though you really need to make a mess of things, or strike a wet road or loose surface, to discover how adept it is at reining in a slide.Having experienced all three of those situations, let me say it is the most wonderful technology.FAST FACTSDETAILS: Large, five-seat sedan with 6.0 litre V8 engine. Power 270kW. Torque 530Nm. Six-speed automatic or manual gearbox.FEATURES: Driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability system, cruise control, power windows, power-adjustable driver's seat, remote central locking.COST: SS $44,990 manual, SS V $51,990 manual. Automatic $2000.RIVAL: Ford Falcon XR8 from $44,990.FOR: Comfortable and poised.AGAINST: Big cars are out of fashion.SUMMING UP: Looks fierce, but is user-friendly.

The orange V8 seemed to fuse with the dusty red ochre of the country dirt road. Up ahead, a stray cow plodded along the centre of the thoroughfare, all angular haunches and indignantly upswept tail, completely blocking the narrow road.One drop of a clutch, and this bovine stop sign would have been left in the dust. But for once, the motor-writing fraternity was showing some restraint. Not an ounce of fuel could be wasted.The Holden Economy Drive has become an annual pilgrimage from Sydney's CBD to the heart of the Gold Coast — arriving just in time for the Indy 300 race weekend.From Sydney peak-hour traffic, through suburbia and back-of-nowhere dirt roads and over the sunny Queensland border, this 1200-or-so-kilometre journey is a competition to find the lightest foot in the business.And to separate fact from fallacy when it comes to real-world fuel economy.The new VE Commodore's slight increase in consumption over the previous VZ model fuelled much debate at the recent launch. This was a chance to test models ranging from a dual-fuel V6 to HSV V8s in normal road conditions.A minimum time and average fuel consumption figure worked as a guide for each car assigned during the two-day journey. But the objective fuel figures seemed wildly optimistic at first.Could a V8 VE Commodore — with an "official" figure of more than 14 litres per 100km — cover 100km in an hour using less than 10 litres?We started from Sydney with a VE SV6, which could almost have been mistaken for a V8. An options pack of old-school stripe pack and hexagonal-pattern Holden 19-inch alloys could be blamed for the confusion, making the V6 sports model look almost as imposing as its eight-pot SS sibling.The SV6 looked and even sounded the goods, with a high-pitched burble emanating from its pipes on the odd occasion when the go-pedal was a given a meaningful prod — although that was a rare occurrence on this trip.A combination of city, highway and some suburban and country roads in the SV6 returned a fuel figure of just 7.7 litres per 100km, at an average speed of approximately 75km/h.Looking ahead for traffic, cutting out unnecessary braking or acceleration, and cruising the highway at 1700rpm produced an even better result in the big V8s.The top-spec SS V achieved just 8.6 litres per 100km with a similar average speed, thanks to a feathered throttle, a wise choice of ratios on the six-speed manual, and a bit of luck with traffic and traffic lights.The WM Caprice wasn't so lucky with traffic, averaging 10.4 per 100, but at a slightly higher average speed.The big daddy of performance V8s from the Holden Special Vehicles stable couldn't match the SS V or the Caprice for fuel consumption.It was loud in every aspect, from its big V8 powerplant to its gnarled, aggressively angular body kit, and driving for economy was marred by a constant craving to sample some of the new GTS's 307kW potential.Average speed was again closer to the 75km/h mark, with overall consumption coming in at a 10.5 per 100.But the prize for fuel economy was never going to sit in an HSV trophy cabinet. That went to the dual-fuel VE Commodore.Factory-fitted dual fuel is available on Omega and Berlina V6 models as well as the VZ Executive, Acclaim and Ute range. It costs an additional $1900 after the $2000 government LPG rebate.Holden's 3.6-litre V6 has been factory adapted to run both LPG and unleaded petrol, with the engine mimicking the petrol response while using the efficient gas alternative.Power and torque figures stand at 175kW and 325Nm (10kW and 5Nm less than the petrol-only model), and fuel economy is 16 litres per 100km on LPG, and 11.7 per 100 on petrol.This enables more than 1100km of travel before needing to refuel both 73-litre tanks. A full tank of LPG would be good for about 450km, yet cost about $38 to fill — less than half the cost of the standard petrol tank.Disadvantages are a 100kg heavier kerb weight and reduced boot space, but the pros are clear. No amount of lightfoot feathering in any other Holden would save so much at the bowser.Yet the economy brought back by both V6 and V8 engines (all the cars carried three people, plus a week's worth of luggage and camera gear) was fairly significant.One thing that ADR fuel figures cannot tell the consumer is what a car like this can achieve on the open road.The ADR numbers are a combined highway and city figure, and the published figure of 11 litres per 100km for an SV6 or 14.4 for an SS may be a good indication of what to expect.But use these cars predominantly for highway driving, or simply drive with an eye to economy, and you could find less leakage from your wallet.Driving for economy isn't rocket science. There are several simple (and safety-oriented) measures you can take to reduce fuel consumption and leave your wallet closer to full.Drive with your head up, and eyes constantly looking for the traffic ahead. Not only is this safer, it reduces thirsty stop-go acceleration. Anticipate, and back off the gas.Automatics are becoming lighter and more efficient, but typically they use more fuel than manuals. When driving for economy, stay within the engine's torque band; don't over-rev into peaky, thirsty power.With an automatic, ease up on the throttle between shifts. As the engine revs high and prepares the change up, a slight lift of the throttle maintains power without wasting fuel as the transmission engages the next gear. This also makes smoother shifts.A sport or power button typically heightens engine, gearbox and throttle response. The gears of an automatic will change later to allow higher revs, and the engine becomes more accelerative and eager.Some programs even cut out top gear altogether. So, where possible, particularly on highway stints, use an economy setting.Cruise control and speed limiters also help a wandering right foot and improve economy.You go fast, you use more fuel. Enough said.Regular maintenance will ensure all cylinders are firing efficiently. This is particularly true of diesels, which can claim brilliant fuel economy until the black exhaust reveals the tell-tale signs of unburnt fuel and neglect.Correct tyre pressures will improve fuel economy. Check the tyre plate on your vehicle (usually located on the inside door panel) for the manufacturer's settings, and check the pressures when you refuel to prevent this rolling resistance — particularly if yours is a heavy or load-carrying vehicle. Saves tyre wear, too.It's amazing how a full boot weighs heavily on the fuel bill; remove unnecessary objects. And roof carriers create wind resistance.

It pushes out 260kW plus of power and 510Nm of torque which combine to catapult the ute forward at a considerable rate of knots.Holden is loathe to say just how fast that might be, because it doesn't want to be seen to condone speeding - but let's just say that it's pretty damn quick.In comparison the previous 5.7-litre V8 produced 240kW of power and 470Nm of torque.With the arrival of the new VE Commodore imminent, the days of the VZ ute are numbered.But it will still be some time before we see a new ute and Holden isn't putting a date on it.As the price of fuel continues to rise, the term V8 is becoming something of a dirty word, at least with those unable to afford the extra cost of running one.But the people attracted to these cars normally have a relatively high disposable income.That's a good thing because they'll need it, especially as the SS has a thirst for the good stuff.Although the SS will run on standard unleaded, Holden the quoted power figures are are based on 98 RON premium.With standard you're sure to notice a loss of power and it will probably have an impact on fuel economy too.The Holden's main competitor is of course Ford's Falcon XR8 ute.The XR produces similar power output figures from its 5.4-litre V8, but the XR is a little heavier than the SS.The main point of difference between the two vehicles is that the Ford gets traction control which is an absolute god-send in wet weather.With no weight in the back, these cars can become skittish and putting your foot down at the wrong moment can see the back overtake the front.Both vehicles, however, get ABS and performance brakes.Our test SS ute was fitted with a standard six-speed manual transmission.A four-speed auto is optional.We'd like to say the SS's 6.0-litre V8 is smoother than its predecessor and most of the time it is.But there is still a fair amount of drive line vibration that comes and goes, especially when sitting in top gear.Previous models have been plagued by the same problem.We were, however, surprised by the fuel economy figures that we got from the car.Holden claims an official figure of 14.6 litres/100km for the manual, but we managed to get almost 500km from a single 64-litre tank of fuel at a rate of just 11.6 litres/100km - without making a conscious effort.Standard equipment includes two airbags, climate air, sports suspension, leather wheel and shifter, cruise control and a roof mounted spoiler with integrated brake light.You also get a body kit with 17 inch alloys and 235 series rubber.With independent rear suspension, these utes are designed with play in mind rather than work, but the SS will still car a 650kg load in the back.A soft tonneau cover is standard.Holden SS ute is priced from $41,490 before on road costs.That's $3000 less than an SV8 and heaps less than an SS sedan at $51,790 which makes it the cheapest entry point to a V8 engine.

The six-speed manual also took some getting used to, not only for me, but others who had searched for its uncertain ratios, all too often slipping into second when trying to go into fourth, or, worse, finding fourth when wanting second for a corner.One competent driver found it all too easy to stall when changing from second to third gear, despite his extensive driving experience.But once you get used to the gearbox, it's a different story. This quintessential Australian car is enormously satisfying to drive. The SV6 accelerates effortlessly, despite its 1592kg.Being used to driving a battered little Toyota Corolla, the Commodore was an entirely new experience.The plan was to take the SV6 on a typical Australian road trip: down the Hume Highway to the Snowy Mountains, then cross country to Bega on the south coast and north back to Sydney. The other plan, to take the surfboard, was foiled by the fact that the car was way too wide for soft racks.The only solution was to park the board in the passenger seat, a decision which, rather soon into the trip, we realised was totally unacceptable. (It's not very romantic speaking to your partner via the rear vision mirror; try it.) After much discussion, it was decided to ship the board back to Sydney from Cooma, easily organised for $50.That said, the car certainly had more room for all our regular gear. Had we been mountain bikers for instance, we could have fitted two bikes in the 465-litre boot with no problem.As it was, the boot was taken up with our luggage, plus a stereo and boxes of CDs and movies — with room to spare.We arrived at our destination near Thredbo about 1am and left the car atLake Novotel Crackenback for theweekend.After finishing the hardest two-day overnight trek on offer through the Kosciuszko Alpine Walk program — 16km a day — it was a relief to collapse back into the SV6, adjust the lumbar support on the driver's seat and take off for Bega.The SV6 cornered well on its 17-inch alloy wheels, just as well as my co-driver's curiosity at how it did this at high speed had me clutching the sides of the passenger seat at times.It's a smooth runner, too. There was no bouncing and rolling as we cruised through the green hills around Tilba and purred through the quiet, pre-holiday season streets of Narooma, Broulee and Hyams Beach on Jervis Bay.Another feature that took time to get used to was putting the car in reverse. It was easy to misjudge the clutch at first and over-rev the car before the gear kicked in. With a car as heavy as this, it was quite disconcerting at first and we both managed to stall it at times.But again, once we were used to it and had our gear-changing technique down pat, we just loved driving the SV6 for its power and smoothness.The four-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel is in keeping with the car's sporty design, and its remote stereo controls were sheer luxury when it came time to adjust the volume or change channels.Back in Sydney, the SV6 became a comfortable commuter car for a few weeks. While it still felt it was taking up too much room, it was surprisingly easy to park and manoeuvre in narrow city streets.The Commodore SV6 is a car for anyone who wants to show off, drive a sporty, yet safe, vehicle and take the family along for the ride at the same time. Its interior could easily swallow two adults, three kids, dogs, bikes and luggage in one gulp.But do leave the surfboard at home!

This is the size that Holden's lastest V8 has grown to with commensurate increases in power and torque.Mainly the move to the larger engine is about meeting Euro 3 emission regulations which the old engine did not, but the extra get up and go comes as a welcome bonus.The 6.0-litre engine is manufactured in Mexico and is also set to appear in some US models. 6.0-litre L76 Gen 4 V8 delivers 260kW of power at 5600rpm and 510Nm of torque from 4400rpm. It's Holden's most powerful V8 yet. Previous 5.7-litre Gen III engine was good for 250kW at 5600rpm and 470Nm at 4800rpm. Features new aluminium cylinder block casting, with revised high-flow cylinder heads, a higher compression ratio of 10.4:1 and larger 90mm single-blade throttle body. A revised and more powerful engine controller incorpor- ates electronic throttle control and there are external knock sensors. The 6.0-litre engine misses out on variable cam phasing which apparently would have made the block too long to fit under the hood of Commodore. GM has also been working on cylinder deactivation technology, which it has intro- duced with some V8s overseas, but Holden says significant testing and calibration devel- opment is required. This is the same fuel saving system that Chrysler employs in the 300C to automatically shutdown half the engine when full power is not required. Fuel economy for the larger engine is a claimed 14.6L/100km for the manual and 14.0L/100km for the auto. This compares to 14.8L/100km for the previous manual and 13.9L/100km for the auto. Our test car was fitted with the standard six- speed manual. In the absence of a five or six- speed auto we'd go the manual every time. It's not the sharpest instrument in the pack, but it does the job. The Tremec T56 six-speed manual trans- mission has a revised clutch plate and pressure plate to cope with the increased torque. The extra 40Nm of torque, delivered 400rpm earlier in the rev range at 4400rpm, makes the car more responsive down low and in theory should produce faster acceleration times. We haven't seen any figures, but we'd expect that it would be a few tenths of a second better. The car certainly feels smoother and is more enjoyable to drive. It sounds and looks the goods and is for many people an aspirational model. To match in the increase in power and torque SS sedan and ute receive front and rear performance brakes standard. SS Crewman meanwhile gets only performance front brakes. Front rotor is 320x32mm vented compared with 296x28mm vented on the previous standard system. The rear rotor is 286x18mm vented compared with 286x16mm solid. Wheels are from the outgoing VZ CV8 Monaro. VERDICT:Gets our vote. Although we look forward to the implementation of cylinder deactivation. SS model is priced from $51,790 before on-road costs. Price includes leather. 

V8 sales have fallen since fuel prices rose, but a Holden spokesman says the main reason is buyers have been holding out."I'd be kidding if I said fuel prices hadn't had an impact on V8 sales," Holden marketing manager Philip Brooks says."But there are a lot of other things going on to do with the life cycle of car models. Some have been waiting for this to arrive, others are waiting for the VE Commodore."Australia is first to get the so-called Gen IV engine, beating the US by a few months. It has been designed so that it can have cylinder deactivation in the future, allowing it to run as a V6 or V4 when cruising to save fuel, like the Chrysler 300C.However, cylinder deactivation could still be some time off."It comes down to engineering time and calibration," Brooks says.The engine rated at 260kW and 510Nm, the power increase ranging from 10kW on the SS to 25kW on the Calais. Now the Calais and Statesman have the same output as the Commodore SS.Brooks says SS buyers won't be annoyed that it has no more power than its luxury stablemates."I think SS buyers will be satisfied with the increase in performance they get," he says.Holden outsold Ford in V8 cars by 17,771 to 6541 last year. V8s make up about 15 per cent of Commodore sales, but that increases to 36 per cent for Holden Ute and 49 per cent of Statesman and Caprice.Holden powertrain engineer Simon Cassin says fuel economy drops marginally by 0.1 litres/100km to 14 litres/100km for the automatic, andby 0.2 litres/100km to 14.6 litres/100km for the manual.There are some minor equipment upgrades. The SS Commodore is now standard with leather seats and bigger performance brakes.Holden will start making automatic cars with the 6.0-litre V8 for sale next month. Manual transmission cars go on sale in April.Prices will rise by up to $600.More power and torque may impress the faithful, but the best part of the new 6.0-litre V8 is its refinement.The L76 might be related to the 5.7-litre LS1, but it's much classier than its older cousin.The family newborn is smoother, quieter and more consistent in its output. Fans of the V8 sound needn't worry - the exhaust note has an even nicer rumble, but there seems less noise from the engine.In the SS Commodore, the improvement is in how easy it is to make the most of the extra power and torque. It requires less effort to maintain a good pace.The big step up, though, is in the Calais and Statesman, the engine giving a level of class expected from what are prestige cars.Though the engine story is a good one for Holden fans, the transmissions remain off the pace.The six-speed manual transmission in the SS remains fairly crude. In particular, a change from second gear to third requires more concentration than sharper units in some Japanese and European cars. A minor positive - compared with earlier Holden six-speed manuals -- is a lighter and shorter clutch release, making it less hit and miss.But it's the improvement in the engine that brings out the best in the manual. The extra torque, particularly at low revs, means leaving the car in sixth with the cruise control on is now a viable option. The driver can put the foot down in sixth at 100km/h and accelerate for passing without having to drop back a gear for more pull.The four-speed automatic is less convincing, despite the upgrade to the heavy duty 4L65E transmission (previously only on HSV cars, and the Crewman and Cross8 utes).First gear is low, so there's plenty of kick off the mark. Top is very high, allowing the SS to lope along at 100km/h at only 1650 revs, good for respectable fuel economy.But compared with the higher Falcons' excellent six-speed ZF auto, there are simply not enough ratios in between for smooth, consistent changes. The price is a jerky change from first to second, and again from second to third.The other things we like about the SS haven't changed. It still looks tough on the outside and has a smart and ergonomic interior. The trim might not be quite to the premium Japanese level, but the leather seats make it a comfortable cruiser. The controls are all in easy reach.Our drive at the Holden proving ground at Lang Lang didn't give us a chance to gauge fuel economy.