Holden Reviews

When General Motors and Isuzu split, Holden relinquished the popular Rodeo badge. The revised replacement in 2008 was the Colorado.To meet the evolving role of utes as combined tradie-family transport, the Colorado had a flashy new look that would fit comfortably in suburbia and bush alike.Underneath it remained the same tough truck as the Rodeo predecessor and was just as capable of slogging through the rough stuff off-road.There were two and four-door Colorado utes, with rear or four-wheel drive and petrol or turbo diesel engines.Depending on your need for comfort you could choose between the LX and LT-R, the latter with all the fruit you could want. Even the LX had aircon and MP3 sound, the LT-R adding Bluetooth phone connectivity and reversing sensors.The petrol option was a punchy 3.6-litre V6 (157kW/313Nm) and the turbodiesel a more frugal 3.0-litre four-cylinder (120kW/360Nm). Backing them were a smooth-shifting five-speed manual or a four-speed auto.For lighter duty, the rear-wheel drive model sufficed.For going off-road there was also the option of dual-range four-wheel drive.On the road the Colorado was comfortable and quiet, the seats were supportive and the cabin well laid-out and welcoming.The price for the V6's ample performance potential was in fuel consumption when pushed.The well-proven mechanical package gives little troubleMeanwhile the turbo diesel was not only the thriftier engine when it came to fuel consumption, it also had greater low-down grunt to make it more drivable and more comfortable and competent off road.The Colorado is rated to tow up to 3000kg braked.The well-proven mechanical package gives little trouble, according to the trade and owners alike.Initially there were some complaints from owners about noisy front suspension bushes.Holden got on top of that relatively quickly with revised upper shock absorber bushes and retainers so there shouldn't be any out there still exhibiting the distracting noise.The Colorado is well equipped to handle the hard going and will do so competentlyIf you hear a creaking sound from the front when road-testing a Colorado, check to see whether the revised setup was fitted.Some owners complain of the fuel consumption of the V6, others moan about the turbo lag of the diesel.The Colorado is well equipped to handle the hard going and will do so competently if driven by someone knowing how to do it. Look for damage underneath, to the floorpan, chassis fittings, exhaust etc.It looks good, goes well, good for family or work use.Also check for a service record. It's most important on any vehicle but it's even more important on a car that's made to work hard for its keep, such as towing or off-roading.

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Remember when utes were just that, utility vehicles? Cargo carriers with a sedan front end and a big tray behind into which lots of stuff could be stuffed.Some still do use their utes in the old fashioned way, to cart things, but many are now bought as large sportscars with extraordinarily large boots.Utes, such as the Holden SV6 Ute that spent time in our driveway last week, are increasingly popular with 'the boys' and sometimes girls as well.The trouble with being a motoring journalist is that when neighbours, family and friends spot a ute in the driveway they tend to call in to ask if perhaps you could help them move things.So last week we did a couple of trips to the tip and spent time loading up flat packs of unassembled furniture from a well known Swedish store that specialises in allen keys.Many external styling changes to the VF Ute distinguish it from the VE Ute it supersedes. The new front gives it a stockier look, partly because the bonnet has been raised to incorporate pedestrian protection, but also to follow the global General Motors latest design theme.Although it's built on the same platform as the VE Commodore, around 60 per cent of chassis components have been either modified or replaced. The use of an aluminium bonnet has trimmed a bit off the mass of the Ute, but it's still a large hefty vehicle.While the VF sedan has significantly different styling at the rear, the Ute and station wagon remain much the same as before. This has been a ploy with Holden's local designs for many decades and buyers understand the cost-saving reasoning.Changes to the interior are extensive and give the VF Commodore a fresh, modern look. The centrepiece is the large, easy-to-read 8-inch colour touchscreen with well-spaced controls that are big enough to avoid hitting two-buttons at the same time.Visibility outwards is still marred by the wide A-pillars that we have been complaining about since the launch of the VE Commodore. Some alterations have been made to the trim to try and cure this. Slimming the underlying metal was going to be expensive so we will have to live with the need to move our heads about to negate the blind spots created by those big pillars.The big VF Commodore Ute lopes along with a minimum of fussThe awkward handbrake we found irritating in the VE Commodore for so many years has finally been replaced by a small electric unit in the centre console, it's so much easier to use.The big VF Commodore Ute lopes along with a minimum of fuss and makes light of coarse road surfaces that can rattle even the most expensive Europeans. It deals with corrugated dirt tracks as though they're barely there. The phrase 'built tough for Australia' is an oldie but a goodie.Performance is strong, yet fuel consumption is surprisingly lowOn the open road the interior of the Commodore is noticeably quieter than before and there are times when you forget you're driving a commercial vehicle because it feels like a relatively upmarket sedan.The 3.6-litre V6 and the six-speed automatic behind it are both responsive; they communicate electronically with one another to give pleasing amounts of torque at all times.However, the V6 is still not as smooth as similar engines used in many competitors. It's certainly not as harsh as when first introduced almost a decade ago, but it really should be better. Now, it may never be...Performance is strong, yet fuel consumption is surprisingly low for a big utility. Expect the 3.6 V6 to use about 7.0L/100km when cruising in the country. And around 9.0-11.0L/100km when driven sensibly in suburban areas.Handling is excellent with good feedback through the steering. The new electric power steering (EPS) unit gives a sharp feel that's all but indistinguishable from that of the hydraulic units used in all previous Commodores. EPS is there primarily as a fuel saver because it only takes power from the engine when it's needed, not all the time as when a hydraulic pump is running non-stop.

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