Holden Crewman Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009 Holden Adventra and Crewman as a used buy.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Holden Adventura and Crewman as a used buy.

But at more than 5m, it's almost too long to fit in the garage, has minimal rear seat legroom and a bouncy rear suspension, drinks copious amounts of petrol, won't pull sixth gear up long uphills and rumbles at 110kmh like a runaway freight train but Aussie blokes just love the dual-cab Holden Crewman SS.It is possibly one of the most aspirational vehicles for a certain large group of Australian males.That's because the SS Crewman is a bet each way, a cross between the sporty, macho SS sedan and the practical Holden ute.Crewman SS removes the need to have two cars in the garage - one for work and one for play, rolling both into this "hybrid" work/play truck.The $47,690 SS version scored a 6.0-litre V8 this year to comply with new emissions regulations (ADR 79/01). The old 5.7-litre V8 was too dirty and needed too much work to make it pass.The new engine, code named L76, offers more of everything except pollution and is going to be the range topper in Holden's forthcoming new VE Commodore lineup.It's a hearty big banger even with an overhead valve system out of last century.Output is an impressive 260kW with 510Nm of torque on 98 premium fuel.But the six speed manual gearbox it too high geared to fully realise all this potential. It's dulled down to the point of being annoying, especially when a downchange is needed on an uphill run. Plenty of 1.8-litre fours actually accelerate in top up the same stretch. But they don't sound like the SS Crewman which delivers aural stimulation in truckloads.Performance in the lower ratios is strong and the SS Crewman will never be found lacking in the acceleration department.It also handles OK to a point until its considerable mass, long wheelbase and commercial vehicle rear suspension conspire to muck things up. The tray is a useful size capable of taking a couple of trail bikes with the tailgate down. A plastic tray liner would be handy.The interior is basically a lift from Commodores SS and is functional and stylish with plenty of room in the front and a swag of features.

I had a pre-release model on test some time ago when a woman swung her head in the car while it was parked at a shopping centre and asked if they were on the market yet.I explained why I had one and she wanted to know everything about it, saying her husband and she were keen on one so he could use it for work, then they could use it on the weekend to tow a boat.But she was disappointed to hear it only came in a V8.Now it comes with the new Alloytec V6 engine as well as Holden's Cross Trac AWD system, so if that woman at the shopping centre is reading this, it's time to check out the new Crewman Cross 6.This should be the perfect choice for people who need a ute for work, a weekender for backing the boat down a slippery ramp and carrying the occasional rear passenger.I say "occasional" because my rear passengers were complaining after an hour because of the bolt-upright back seat.That's the compromise for having a two-row cabin with a rear tray.And that rear tray won't quite get a chook chaser in unless you point it corner to corner and even then the rear wheel hangs out a bit requiring you to leave the tailgate part-way open.Since you can't drive around with the tailgate down, you would need to catch it somehow.Still, the rear tray is easily accessed with a quick-fit soft cover and can hold up to 785kg, which is almost four chook chasers — not that you could fit them.For that many, you would need to tow a trailer.Towing capacity is 2100kg for V6, which is 400kg short of the V8 automatic Crewman.The V6 is certainly up to the task of hauling that amount of gear around with its 320Nm of torque, but it does want revs to accelerate for overtaking manoeuvres, while the transmission feels a little unrefined and notchy.The AWD system is a 62-38 split which means it gets more drive in the back wheels, but it is still difficult to do any circle work unless the ground is really slippery.If that's your gig, then get the standard Crewman.This version is great when the going gets tough, slippery or hilly.It has high grip levels in any conditions.Point it up a slope with no run-up and it just knuckles down and hauls with minimum slip.Coming down isn't so easy without a downhill descent control, but it will hold ok in first gear.Once you get out of the rough stuff and into the urban jungle, the Cross 6 will certainly gain some admiring glances. But it also might get a few sniggers as you try to park it.Parking is a real chore as it's almost as long as a HiLux, it has heavy steering at low speeds and it sticks out of car parking bays. It almost won't fit in my garage.On the highways or the byways, the ride is good. It's firm without being a kidney basher and with a bit of load it is even better.This is a unique vehicle. There is no other four-door, four/five-seater traditional-styled ute with all-wheel-drive.

While both the One Tonner Cross 6 and the Crewman Cross 6 get the smaller 175kW V6 engine (as opposed to the 190kW engine in the AWD Adventra), the lighter One Tonner doesn't suffer.Mated to the four-speed auto, it's a little doughy on the open roads but low-speed torque and pull are under your feet when you need them.The Crewman suffers from the extra 300 kilos and getting up to speed on a highway meant flat-to-the-boards acceleration.At Darlington Park circuit in Queensland, both utilities were used as demonstration models for towing and departure and ramp-angle tests.The One Tonner handled the track well. Only slight scrapes were heard over a 45-degree triangular pitched incline and up the mountainous track, which also had a wash-out area at the top.It felt comfortable and in control, even in the rutted areas, where the AWD could be heard working hard after the previous bunch of drivers had made the going slippery.The Crewman Cross 6, however, struggled. On the incline test it scrubbed and scraped under its extra weight and laboured noticeably up the mountainous track.This exercise also showed up a design fault in the Crewman – it's larger air intake had taken in a fair bit of mud, causing the engine to start to overheat during the runs.Holden put it down to the excess mud and the "load" it was taking up the hill but none of the four One Tonners showed signs of stress.The back seat in the Crewman has only gone back slightly, so putting in your mates is still not a kind option. However, a more flexible leather insert does make it a bit easier on the back.The Crewman towed the caravan quite well up a gravel road but when on a rutted section, where low speed was required, the foot was once again flat to the boards.Both were comfortable on the drive section.The One Tonner was a little bouncy on the highway (with an empty tray) but as soon as it hit the dirt it wasn't as noticeable.The Crewman was comfortable both on and off the black stuff, its extra weight helping it to ride and sit better on the open road than the One Tonner.Once again, it only struggled when attempting a low-speed water crossing or needing to slow to manage a deep rut.The One Tonner test car was equipped with both a driver and passenger airbag.The passenger airbag is only an option because, and this is concerning, Holden has found most motorists would prefer to spend the $475 – the price of the second airbag – on a six-stack CD system instead of on protecting their passenger. Go figure.The question was asked why the One Tonner wasn't offered in a V8. The answer was that Holden didn't feel there'd be sufficient demand. While it would be a nice option, it's not a necessity, as the V6 handles itself nicely and has good manners off the beaten track. The AWD system gives both the One Tonners a lot more versatility without too much extra strain on the hip pocket.Would you buy the new One Tonner? We'd like to know. Simply fill in the form below and we'll publish the best entries in The Daily Telegraph and on Carsguide.com.au.  

But in the early 1980s, family responsibilities and a house renovation dictated a more pedestrian utility.So I ended up driving around in a Datsun 1500 ute. Its long wheelbase meant I could fit in a kitchen door without opening the tailgate.As the family grew, the ute was replaced by a Datsun Twin-Cab in the late-1980s in which we clocked up 250,000km.Now I've got a 1974 Land Rover Series III long-wheelbase ute I bought for a couple of grand but have to spend a ridiculous $800 a year registering.The reason I persist? It's a do-all vehicle that can take rubbish to the dump, pick up a tonne of driveway gravel, transport one of my broken-down motorcycles or bounce its way up a bush track.The reason I don't own a current-model ute? I spend far too much money on motorcycles. If I didn't, I'd certainly consider a Holden Crewman S V6. Utes fit the lifestyle of an increasing number of Australians and Holden sells about 50,000 light commercial vehicles a year (including Rodeos).About half are Utes, with the leaders being single-cab versions, followed by the Crewman and One Tonner.You don't have to be a tradesman to own one. The attraction is car-like comfort and the versatility to fit heavy, bulky items in the back without wrestling with awkward doors. Until you've owned a ute, you can never appreciate how useful they are.Holden has had good service out of its Ute range and has repaid customer loyalty with recent refinements and a VZ styling update. Chief among them is the installation of the all-new, high-performance Alloytec V6 engine.You can still get the 5.7-litre pushrod V8 grunter but there is more than a touch of sophistication about the V6.Displacing 3.6 litres, it has twin overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. The powerplant is lighter than the V8 SS and revs cleanly and quickly to its peak power output of 175kW at 6000rpm. The Crewman S pumps out 320Nm of torque at 2400rpm, so it is still a great tow car. It can also carry more weight than the V8. While power output figures are down, the S is about 60kg, or a passenger's weight, lighter and that V6 is one sweet unit.Also on the upgrade list is an all-new six-speed manual gearbox and a revised four-speed automatic.The Crewman S on test had the auto. I liked the way you could plant the right foot in Drive mode and it would hold the gear to the redline without hunting through the box.A good test of the auto came when I found myself boxed in a car park with a locked vehicle behind me. About 10 minutes of twisting and turning had me free and grateful I wasn't in the manual version. The manoeuvring also brought home the shortcomings of such a long wheelbase (3200mm). You really are compromised in turning angles and have to adopt a different style of driving.The view out the back is limited as well, with the height of the load area making the rear window feel more like a slot.But on the road, the Crewman S drives just like a car. A new anti-sway bar and some front-suspension tuning gives a supple ride with little body roll.Some squeaking from the leaf-spring rear end reminds you this is a ute.Many passenger cars would struggle to replicate the cabin quietness and lack of tyre noise that the Crewman S displays. And that free-revving V6 does not intrude but still sounds strong.Power windows front and rear, full electronic instrumentation (including trip computer), cruise control and power steering make this a great interstate cruiser. Except for the rear seats. With very straight backs, they are probably suitable for children or adults only on a short trip.Overall, I really liked the Crewman S but it wasn't perfect. To give it the sort of practicality I seek in utes, I'd like the paint in the cargo area to be more durable and the tiedown points stronger (for motorcycles).A twin exhaust system would finish off the rear-end styling better.