Wheels Names Holden VE Commodore Car Of The Year
23 Jan, 2007
66 Comments 
When I heard that Wheels had named the Holden VE Commodore range as the “car of the year”, I started wondering why anyone still even buys wheels? Every single cover that I’ve looked at in the last year seems to have some sort of ‘Ford XR6 vs Commodore SS vs XR8 vs GTS vs HSV etc etc etc“… comeon guys, there really are other types of cars apart from the Falcon and the Commodore.
So yes, Wheels magazine put together 21 possible cars for the car of the year award, with such worthy adversaries such as:
- Alfa Romeo 159,
- BMW 3 Series Coupe,
- Honda Civic,
- Hyundai Elantra and Santa Fe,
- Mazda CX-7,
- Mitsubishi Colt and Outlander,
- Toyota Camry, Rav4 and Aurion,
- Audi Q7 and Audi TT,
- Mercedes Benz S-Class,
- Porsche Cayman,
- Volkswagen Passat
- Volvo C70.
You gotta wonder how Wheels came to pick the VE Commodore as a better car, than say, the Audi TT? Or heck even the Toyota Aurion! Of course wheels says that extensive testing and effort was put into deciding the car of the year, but something tells me that the car of the year awards were decided before the testing even began.
“Every model in the VE range shares the same excellent key core attributes. These provided the foundation for Holden’s victory,” Wheels editor Ged Bulmer said as he announced the winner in Melbourne tonight.
“There is no such thing as the perfect car – but the Holden VE Commodore’s strengths significantly outweigh any weaknesses, putting it ahead of its rivals.”
Holden VE’s strenghts significantly outweigh its weaknesses? One only needs to take a quick look at the recall section of this site to notice that the VE commodore, in its short 6 month life span, has already had two recalls, has a higher fuel economy than the Toyota Aurion (although Wheels has mentioned in a recent issue that infact, the Aurion uses more fuel than the Commodore – right….).
Its a shame that a magazine such as Wheels, which has been around for nearly 45 years can be so easily bought out. But hey, Holden fans rejoice right?
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January 24th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I used to buy Wheels Mag all last year but stopped after I realised that they were a very similar publication to the Holden’s sales brochures. If you have read of their reader’s letters section, there are a lot of people with similar views as mine and your.
Vote:January 24th, 2007 at 9:10 am
I completely agree Igor!
Its actually a big shame that Car Magazines seem to be controlled by their advertisers,
The sad thing, is will probably lead to a few more sales of VE commodores, whilst the better valued and speced cars will be sitting there!
Vote:January 24th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Igor,
I agree with you totally, I am letting my subsciption go when it comes up for renewal.
I really want it to be a great magazine however they should change the name to Holden/Ford Monthly. Even in the light of changing vehicle trends to they refuse to acknowledge that not all their potential readers want to own/do own a Holden or Ford.
I also have a feeling that they like to pick a COTY that will create some debate to generate more PR for the mag.
Vote:January 24th, 2007 at 9:16 am
I dont think the COTY will generate too much actual real debate,
I mean from what I can gather from the blogosphere, it seems like no one is taking their COTY award very seriously, it only raises a debate in the sense that everyone agrees that wheels got bought out by Holden!
I buy wheels once in a while, but its just out of pure interest to see just how low their standards and expectations of aussie vehicles has gone!
Vote:January 25th, 2007 at 11:46 am
C,mon guys. Here we go again bashing the Aussie car. Just because you want a little pocket rocket doesn’t mean that everyone thinks the same.
The VE is a great effort and ‘car people’ should put their personnal prejudices aside and acknowledge this fact. For people from a small insignificant country to design and built the VE is something to be marvelled at.
I know its big and big is apparantly bad… I know it can come with a 6.0 ltr V8 and has rear wheel drive and that this can be very intimidating for those used to their 2.0ltr 4wd. Dare I forget to mention the effect the huge motor has on the ozone layer, Australia’s rainfall, Eucalyptus plantations and all those Koalas that die each time a VE is started.
Not everyone wants to be driven around in a car and have to sit with their knees around their ears (try getting in the back of an Impreza if you’re over 6ft tall).
You’ve got to remember that there are A LOT of people out there who do like Holdens and Fords…and good on them. It’s a little one dimensional but big deal. They dont see things quite the same as you but is that bad?
Well done Holden! Where else in the world can you buy a sexy looking, seriously quick well sorted family car with a 6.0ltr V8 for under AU60,000.00?!?
Jeremy Clarkson loved the Monaro and when he gets his hands on a VE I’m sure he will be even more impressed and he’s the king!
Wheels magazine sucks so I guess arguing about WCOTY is kind of pointless anyway…
Vote:January 25th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Thanks for the input Steane,
your right the VE commodore is a great car, and I do truly think its a big big step forward for the commodore, but I still don’t believe that out of all the candidiates that wheels had to pick from, that the Commodore was the best car.
Of course wheels takes into account “sales” for their car of the year, which is stupid, as most commodore sales are fleet!
I love the new SS and HSV range, they look simply stunning, almost like an Astin Martin!
Vote:January 31st, 2007 at 7:48 am
For those who are against Holden VE, just drive it and you will realise it is truly a great car and amazingly different than the previous ones. Those who talk about fuel consumption, Holden provides LPG option with almost the same power as the one without LPG (175 KW to 180 KW). For those who want more power, you have v8. How about Aurion? No LPG option, no V8. Aurion does not look much different to the camry may be because, it uses the same platform. The look of Holden gets you the feeling that it is a uly stronger and bigger car. Sit inside the car and you will feel how comfortable you are. Read the wheels magazine’s detailed analysis of the 21 cars and why they decided on Holden. Be proud that an Australian car manufacturer has done so well in this highly competitive international cars!
Vote:February 5th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Read any review, the VE Commodore is not the best car out in the market. The Aurion for example is a better allround car, it has plenty of power with 200kw, is fuel efficient and has decent looks etc. The VE does have excellent handling, but it is not so great on fuel while being the least powerful out of all big Aussie 6’s… by a long shot. I wont even go into build quality compared to the other candidates, but its a well known fact the Commodore sources alot of parts from Korea etc, more than likely explains why they have had so many recalls.
Vote:February 5th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
The VE Commodore is a good car, no doubt about it that its the best Holden Commodore ever built, but thats not saying much either!
If I had to buy a family car, I would first ask myself why I even need a car Commodore’s size, and secondly, if I had no choice but to get a car this big, I’d be very keen to look at the Aurion and even the 380, and I wasn’t that desperate, I’d wait till 2008 for the new Falcon!
Vote:February 6th, 2007 at 10:49 am
how can anyone even compare the aurion/380 with a commodore..both v6 and v8 engines in a holden piss over the 2 other cars with better sounding engines, much better interior/exterior, stronger and more rigid chassis and a hell of a lot more performance and handiling just to name a few points. lets face it we all hav a bit of hoon in us, somthing a toyota or mitsubishi cant come close to satisfying. another thing- before the ve was introduced i would buy motor mag instead of the wheels mag coz of its biased reviews and judging towards ford.. get over how much of a sweet car the commodore has become , holden deserves every success the commoodore will bring to them and will most deffintly obtain this success
Vote:February 6th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Actually Bonehead, the Aurion has more power than the stock commodore
so putting a normal V6 commodore against the Toyota Aurion V6, the aurion wins in terms of power
However, it is front wheel drive, which is a big shortfall.
Vote:February 6th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Lol yeah as said, ‘bonehead’ you couldnt be more wrong. The Aurion has 200kw and weighs 1550kg – the Commodore has 180kw and weighs 1690kg. You do the maths m8! If thats not enough, head across to the Aurion site dedicated to it, and there is an indepedent test film clip, to spoil it, you will see the Aurion beats the Falcon, 380 and Commodore. In fact, it goes something like this – Aurion flashes by…pause… Falcon and 380 flash by….pause…. pause….pause Commodore flashes by. As for the rest, Toyotas build quality has always been the best, Commodore not so, they source there parts from korea lol, explains the 2 recalls in a short period of time. The Commodore also, despite beign a car built for the Australian environment, doesnt even come standard with A/C!!!
And on top of all this, the Omega comes std with a 4 speed transmission (even SV6 only has 5speed), some cars 20 years ago had better trans than that…. while the Aurion comes with a 6 speed trans, the same one along with the engine that you find in a Lexus costing double the price. The Aurion is essentially a cheap Lexus – YOU CANT GO WRONG.
Dont be wrong though, the Commodore is a nice car, but look at the facts… the Aurion is a better car when you compare it as you should. Omega with ATX. SV6 with Sportivo etc. Alot of reviews back this up. Problem is to many people mention the SS which I like, but fact is none of the Aurions are in the same class as a 6L V8!!!
Vote:February 7th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Ok it seems ppl get carried away quoting kw figures. Look at where both the VE and Aurion produce their power in the rev range. The Aurion generates its kw through high RPM, while the VE relies on torque. At the lights or when you’re zooming past that slow car it’s the torque component that makes all the difference, particularly in such heavy cars. Remember torque is how much bang, and rpm is how often. Toyota is notorious for marketing through misleading power figures, look at their sports corolla. It is reminiscent of Sony quoting their stereo power in pmpo rather than rms.
Vote:February 7th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
‘notabonehead’, fact is the V6 VE’s are alot slower (then all of its competitors)… if your disputing this, then do some more research. Yes the power is produced high up, but it is a worthwhile sacrafice, it occurs because of the dual vvti, at high rpms the car produces max power while at low rpms fuel efficiency. And tbh Id like to see a Dyno curve of the Aurion, Im sure it still has decent amounts of torque at all engine speeds. Eitherway, I will admit you want to tow a boat, get a VE, but for every other application the Aurion is the superior car.
P.S I still cant get over the fact that the Omega only has a 4 speed trans and they expect any rational person to fork over $35k for that car.
Vote:February 9th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
The Aurion is no substitute for the V8 VEs. And recalls are not an index of quality. That’s bull. If this is so, car makers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Subaru are in the same club as Holden. They’ve had recalls.
Bonehead is right about four things.
One: the V8 engines do piss all over anything Toyota/Ford/Mitsubishi could ever offer.
Two: the handling of the VE is superior to the Mitsu/Toyota/Ford. The Aurion gets beaten by miles in handling terms, mainly because of that damn slow steering.
Three: Aurion has a flimsy interior, and the VE looks better inside and has better quality. No, they don’t source VE components from Korea. That only applies to Captiva.
Four: VE has a much more rigid chassis.
And the Aurion looks ugly compared to the beautiful VE.
Paul, the VE beats the 380 in a straight line by about half a second. You seriously think anyone in their right mind would trust a video done by Toyota? Jeez, it was revealed that the driver of the Holden was pinning the throttle halfway.
You’re also totally wrong when you say that VE’s the least powerful. The 180kW beats the Mitsu 380, and the 195kW even more so.
For sporting ability, the SV6 beats the Sportivo hands-down.
notabonehead and bonehead are more right than Paul is.
Vote:February 11th, 2007 at 9:25 am
LMAO.
[QUOTE]One: the V8 engines do piss all over anything Toyota/Ford/Mitsubishi could ever offer [/QUOTE]
Yes I did say “fact is the V6 VE’s are alot slower”. Bonehead was referring to all VE’s, he is wrong, the V6’s are the slowest in the market. And I also said “Problem is to many people mention the SS which I like”… and you fall into the same defensive trap that all Holden fans do when their crappy V6 gets knocked, you cannot compare a 6L V8 to a 3.5L V6. And if you want to, then the whole fuel consumption argument comes into play, Aurions 10L vs SS’s 17L per 100km – in real terms, it equates to the Aurion getting 700km compared to the SS getting 400km on a 70L tank, costing close to double in fuel per year.
[QUOTE] Two: the handling of the VE is superior to the Mitsu/Toyota/Ford. The Aurion gets beaten by miles in handling terms, mainly because of that damn slow steering.[/QUOTE]
Again, I have already said this “The VE does have excellent handling”. However, it has been stated by trusted reviews the Aurion is next behind the VE in terms of handling, and it has been said that this may only be the case as it runs on thinner tyres, reducings its handling capabilties.
[QUOTE] Three: Aurion has a flimsy interior, and the VE looks better inside and has better quality. No, they don’t source VE components from Korea. That only applies to Captiva. [/QUOTE]
Yes… I will believe your opinion over EVERY impartial review which cleary says the Aurion has a superior interior… build quality has always been one of Toyotas strong points…. if you debate this, then you maddas well tell me the sky isnt blue and the grass isnt green, it is just as believeable (Not mentioning I have personally checked both out myself)
[QUOTE] And the Aurion looks ugly compared to the beautiful VE.[/QUOTE]
That is a matter of opinion, personally I think the Aurion looks alot better… it was designed afterall by the same guy that did the Falcon.
[QUOTE] Paul, the VE beats the 380 in a straight line by about half a second. You seriously think anyone in their right mind would trust a video done by Toyota? Jeez, it was revealed that the driver of the Holden was pinning the throttle halfway. [/QUOTE]
LMAO. The Aurion is faster yet fuel efficient, I dont care if to 100km/h its only faster by half a second to the 380 (and 1second over the VE)… it is faster without the loss of fuel efficiency. Please link me to your evidence that the Holden guy wasnt going full throttle? You are now talking shyte (and for everyone else, you dont even need the video to prove the Aurion is laster – More power and more torque then the VE AND weighs less – Im sure a Primary school kid could do the math on that one)… and if you opened your eyes up, both here with my previous comments (most if not all “Paul” posts here are mine) and at the site which shows the race, it was done by an independent company… so yeah m8, I will trust it over your biased opinion.
[QUOTE] You’re also totally wrong when you say that VE’s the least powerful. The 180kW beats the Mitsu 380, and the 195kW even more so.[/QUOTE]
Yes my mistake on that one… I will put it this way, all the competition has embaressing power levels when you consider that the VE has 100ml, the 380 has 300Ml and the Falcon has 500Ml more dissplacement.
[QUOTE]For sporting ability, the SV6 beats the Sportivo hands-down.[/QUOTE]
Here is a review comparing the SV6, Sportivo and XR6 (All equal cars) :
http://www.drive.com.au/Editor.....leID=21521
For anyone who couldnt be bothered to read, the SV6 does have better handling as you would expected with a car on 235 tyres over the Aurion on 215s… but they say “but doesn’t have an engine to match”. Personally, we talk ’sporting ability’ power is like 90% importnat lol.
Conclusion… alot of people need to stop showing such a strong ‘affiliation’ to Holden or any car company in general, as if you have some stake in the company. Do you really think they care about you… they care about $$$… so you owe it to yourself to buy the best car in the market, not one that you think is more ‘Aussie’. This argument that they are Aussie we all know is FOS, General Motors aint Aussie, its called smart branding, call it Holden or Vauxell in Europe etc… the arugment also that they are Aussie made is also irrelevant, as other Companies including Toyota build the Aurion in Australia as well, and it was designed by an Aussie, with lol more than likely more Aussie parts in it then the Korean VE. So wake up I say!
Vote:February 12th, 2007 at 1:46 am
I didnt bother to read what they said about the VE being COTY but i expected it to be bull as soon as i read the tagline ‘holden takes on the world… and wins’. It made me laugh
Vote:February 14th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Someone: “No, they don’t source VE components from Korea. That only applies to Captiva.”
It applies to VE as well. VE is assembled in Australia using parts from Australia and overseas. Likely because GM is merged with Daewoo then naturally plenty of VE parts come from Korea. In fact, the Camry, assembled in Altona, Melbourne, uses more local parts than the VE.
And just because parts are imported it doesn’t make the parts worse. Daewoo has reliability better than even Ford, GM, or even Mercedes. See http://www.drive.com.au/Editor.....=delicious
Vote:February 15th, 2007 at 8:41 am
^
Lol I joked that Toyota uses more Aussie parts, its true! But as for Daewoo, Im sure their engines are ok, but the VE Commodore doesnt have an engine from them, so reliability isnt an issue. On the other hand, if they get parts of their interior, from my experiences,
Vote:we had things falling apart in our particular Daewoo after 6months (bought brand new), and the replacements going not long after.
February 16th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I don’t believe anyone has mentioned yet that alot of Daewoo’s are fitted with engines from HEC (Holden’s Engine Co.) in Melbourne. They have been exporting these engines for years!
As for the VE – I have owned 4 Commodores, VR, VT, VY and now VE. I did over 100,000k’s in each of my previous models, and had no “quality” issues what so ever. Even if I did – being a locally manufactured car means parts and servicing are cheaper than imports which is good for Aussie families.
The VE is a BIG leap forward in terms of build quality in my experience. Honestly, my VT and VY’s “rattled” from day one (not that it bothered me because they didn’t let me down once, not once!), but the VE feels more solid than any previous Holden, which is great to see.
Holden deserve credit for a great car in the VE. ANY car manufacturer can suffer quality issues – it’s just with SO MANY Commodores on the road – we naturally here more about them when things go wrong. I know of BMW owners that have paid 1000’s of dollars out due to failures of all sorts – and I drove the latest 3 series BMW the other day – only 15,000 on the clock and it rattles just like my VT did!! Why would such a “luxury” car that has “european build quality” be rattling like that?? My my, sounds like a QUALITY issue to me??!!
Vote:February 17th, 2007 at 10:07 am
VE SV6 : As for the VE – I have owned 4 Commodores, VR, VT, VY and now VE. I did over 100,000k’s in each of my previous models, and had no “quality” issues what so ever.
Lol you say this, but then a paragraph down say that “my VT and VY’s “rattled” from day one”… umm thats a quality issue. My previous Toyotas havent had such problems, and one was 14years old and had been lowered by the previous owner (so forget any cushioning from bumps).
Regardless, holdens are unreliable, I know around 4 people or so with them and they have had problems from day 1, in the worst case one guy had to have his transmission rebuilt after only 100,000kms and another needed a new engine after less then 200,000kms.
VE SV6 : ANY car manufacturer can suffer quality issues – it’s just with SO MANY Commodores on the road – we naturally here more about them when things go wrong
Nice excuse… funny though that there are alot of Camrys around to yet they dont have quality or reliability issues etc. If the car is decent, this shouldnt be an issue, or at the very least, there shouldnt be such a large percentage of commodores that suffer from quality issues which there are.
And did anyone see A Current Affairs or whatevers piece on the Commodore? A friend told me they had a story about how crap the Commodore is and how the VE’s are falling apart…
Vote:February 17th, 2007 at 10:16 am
The VE Commodore has the same engine as the previous models so its only the body and associated parts that have changed, how Holden managed to spend 1 Billion and they already had the engine for it is beyond me, although Im sure a large portion of that went to wheels car mag.
Also, the base cars are disgraceful, the Omega has a 4 speed transmission and does the 100 sprint in 9.1second… to ask $35k for that insults consumers intelligence.
Vote:February 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Nice comments Paul! Glad you got a laugh….
I notice you didn’t make mention of that point I made RE: the new 3 series, which is pure fact. Yes, I said my Holdens rattled from day one – but i’m a perfectionist, and notice even the slightest rattle or squeak in any car, and I can hear at least some of these “small” defects in most brands I drive. I also said that they NEVER let me down or held me up in over 100,000k’s on each car. I know plenty of owners of other comparative vehicles that can’t say that.
How many Camry’s registered in Australia compared to Commodores? I’d like to know that point before I’d agree that the Camry suffers less quality problems than the Commodore.
I stick to my point – any car manufacturer has quality issues regardless where the car is made. It seems what we’re dealing with on these sites are people who have seen the best and worst of each car. Quality is all about tollerances, so can anyone give some factory evidence to suggest one manufacturer has tighter quality control than the other??
EG – lets find an example to prove that say, post factory non conformances with panel fit (requiring adjustment after assembly etc) at Holden are more apparent than within the manufacturing process than say Toyota or Mitsubishi. Now everyone will simply tell me “oh, look at the on-road statistics, that’ll tell you!!”
Aren’t these reports of “quality defects” also a factor as to how well a car is looked after?? My uncle has had Camry’s and Magna’s and both have fallen apart (literally) after 4-5 years of country work. I’d like to see him buy a Commodore, just to see how it performs in the same environment.
Vote:February 20th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Well it is going to come down to personal experiences when it comes down to this kind of discussion, personally I have only heard bad things about Commodores quality wise, while Toyota are prity decent. This is also reflected in many reviews.
Vote:March 25th, 2007 at 11:36 am
u ppl make me sik.. cant giv any credit 2 holden can youse they hav done a f****** exelent job with the ve and every one knows it. but yet u ppl cant admit this. if h olden re-badged a bmw and called it a commodore, you biased fu*k wits would still cry and lie to yourselfs.
Vote:March 25th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
paul: sum one has been beatn by a holden a few times. such hate/jelousy for the company. y the hell wuldnt us holden fans be dedicated when our fav company brings out such beasts as hsv and ss’s. great ur pos aurion mite beat a v6 commodore in strait line performance but thats about it… i think weve proved this. the v6 is the only thing goin for them so of course they will focus in that area. to be honest y wuld u even bother buying a ‘performance v6′ holden knows this which is y i think hav not botherd in that area. they hav left it for the v8s. lets face it if u buy a v6 for performance u arent goin 2 get much for the money, na v6 just dont hav the guts. not fussed about fuel? then buy an engine with so much more power and torque, a proper performance car. i cant wait for the new falcon coz i rekon they mite make holden work for once, perhaps bringing out a supercharged/turbo v6. that way theres decent performance out of a v6, i bet not much more expensive then an aurion top of the rage. my point is: paul ur freakn idiot.. y bother with a hot v6, there good for familly driving where they are normally smooth and hav just enough guts for safe country driving but leave performance for the big boys…
Vote:March 25th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
QUOTE = u ppl make me sik.. cant giv any credit 2 holden can youse they hav done a f****** exelent job with the ve and every one knows it. but yet u ppl cant admit this. if h olden re-badged a bmw and called it a commodore, you biased fu*k wits would still cry and lie to yourselfs.
HAHHA yeah 4 speed transmission, 180kw, lacking features competition have, Holdens usual quality and relaibilty…. GREAT car. I still cant understand how they spent 1 Billion on developing a car body, the engines are the same. Other manufacteres start from the ground up and it costs them less… Holden must have pissed 500mil up on the wall.
QUOTE = paul: sum one has been beatn by a holden a few times. such hate/jelousy for the company.
Yeeeees….. the only comparable Toyota Ive had is a 93 V6 Camry…. made light work of the equivalent Commodore (140kw camry vs 130kw commodore despite a larger engine). Even after they upped it to 150kw the Camry was competitive – and best of all it actually kept running for many kms like new and free from problems, good luck the Holden doing that. I dont hav jealousy for crap cars. I have jealousy for Lexus owners, BMW owners, Mercedes owners, hell even Kia owners over Bombodore owners, I laugh when I see an Omega go passed, who in their right mind would buy that POS
QUOTE = y the hell wuldnt us holden fans be dedicated when our fav company brings out such beasts as hsv and ss’s. great ur pos aurion mite beat a v6 commodore in strait line performance but thats about it… i think weve proved this.
I have said I like the SS etc. But the Aurion beats your Commodore in most areas… it has way better features (actually comes with A/C.. shock/horror a $35k with A/C!!), it has a much more technoligically advanced engine, it has way more power, way better fuel efficiency, and its handling is comparable to the VEs (Remembering it runs on substantially thinner tyres).
QUOTE = to be honest y wuld u even bother buying a ‘performance v6′ holden knows this which is y i think hav not botherd in that area. they hav left it for the v8s. lets face it if u buy a v6 for performance u arent goin 2 get much for the money, na v6 just dont hav the guts.
Lol V8s are a dying breed in the long term my friend. And as for V6s… its not about just performance with the Aurion, Ive mentioned the other reasons, its a better package – stop making it look like people are saying performance performance performance about the Aurion, its one of many factors. And Id also like to make a point that XR6Ts (and maybe even the new TRD Aurion) are hardly not getting much for your money. An XR6T can get 400Kw with around $15k invested… so it would smash a HSV for a total of $60k, around $15k less then a HSV GTS. Nuff said.
QUOTE = i cant wait for the new falcon coz i rekon they mite make holden work for once, perhaps bringing out a supercharged/turbo v6. that way theres decent performance out of a v6, i bet not much more expensive then an aurion top of the rage. my point is: paul ur freakn idiot.. y bother with a hot v6, there good for familly driving where they are normally smooth and hav just enough guts for safe country driving but leave performance for the big boys…
How old are you? For staters, you say Ford might bring out a turboed V6…. its called the Xr6T which has been out for ages (Your credibility about knowing anything – NONE). Then you say no decent performance out of a V6, yet youve just said there might be a turboed one (Credibility after contradicting yourself – NONE). Then you say why bother with a hot V6 but just said Falcons might get one, another contraction (Your Credibility – NONE). And lastly no-one has ever said the Aurion is a performance car you retard, but if your forking out $35k somehow I want a better overall package, one thing beign a better engine which does the 100 in respectable times, not in 9s like the Omega (Your Credibility – NONE). And to show your lack of knowledge again, there will be a TRD Aurion which is aimed at a more performance based market, so your cut again. In your own words, MY point is : YOUR AN IDIOT MATE and a true bonehead.
Vote:April 1st, 2007 at 3:58 pm
thats a load of crap holden have spent 1 billion on developing the VE commodore. theres more to a car then just accleration or low 1/4 mile times.
Vote:The VE commodore has been made to handle like a supercar.
the toyota aurion is fornt wheel drive and only makes that ”200kw” up around the 7000RPM mark.
remember power is torque times rpm. maybe you should take all the cars for a test drive and find out which one is better to drive.
April 1st, 2007 at 4:04 pm
paul , i would be willing to bet my penis that commodores are much more reliable than falcons and camrys.
Vote:tommorrow take a sv6 VE for a test drive and then jump into an aurion or a falcon.
April 1st, 2007 at 5:25 pm
It is only a matter of time before new engines are put into the Commodore, but will surpass the 200kw range for a V6 engine. Holden might have spent a lot of money on the Commodore, but atleast Holden didn’t put a V6 engine in their Vectra or Epica, change the front and rear design and alter the dynamics.
Vote:April 1st, 2007 at 5:56 pm
QUOTE = The VE commodore has been made to handle like a supercar.
the toyota aurion is fornt wheel drive and only makes that ‘’200kw’’ up around the 7000RPM mark.
remember power is torque times rpm. maybe you should take all the cars for a test drive and find out which one is better to drive.
Lol I have test driven. I will start by saying:
a. FWD arugment is FOS
b. Power up high is FOS as we know its considerably faster then the Commodore
Now onto which one is a better drive, I will concede the Falcon is the car Id choose if I was going to enter into Bathurst (Sv6 Commodore maybe… defintely not the base Commodore as that is SLOOOOOOOW), but the Aurion is far more superior as a street car as it is an OVERALL better vehicle. Deny this and you are denying logic.
QUOTE = It is only a matter of time before new engines are put into the Commodore, but will surpass the 200kw range for a V6 engine.
Lol what a stupid comment… meanwhile Toyota will then have even more kw (afterall they already have a direct injection version of the current Aurion motor with 230kw). Holdens have always had less, for a number of reasons, obviously RWDs have more loss of power in the powertrain but their engines are also inferior (they are getting better admittably in terms of power, reliability though they will ALWAYS be behind)
Vote:April 1st, 2007 at 6:26 pm
The Cadillac CTS that is coming to Oz, with 220kw+ (from a V6 3.6) and is RWD. I also wouldn’t exactly call Toyota a powerhorse.
Vote:April 2nd, 2007 at 11:49 am
^
Yes but the direct injection variant of the Aurions engine still has 232kw… it will no doubt be very reliable…. it will no doubt be a very smooth and refined unit… a number of reasons why it won engine of the year for 2006 and 2007
Vote:April 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Ive already dealt with you bonehead in my post at March 25 2007 @ 4:46 pm. It shows how much of a joke you are and a true bonehead. I dont need to prove this anymore, so continue on in your blissful Holden ignorance!
Vote:April 23rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
This “bonehead” character is not only a bonehead but a bogan. What a fool, the difference between the V8 being brought out by Hyundai is the fact that it is not pushrod but twincam. AL V8’s made by GM are pushrod you bogan but not that you would know the difference. Ancient engine, shit gearbox, crappy drivetrain, all standard in an SS bomadore. Trying to convince us that his Alloytec rubbish is good. The main reason I don’t like it is the fact that Holden built it for performance over longetivity and all they get is 180ke or the SV6 that has 195kw but it still only has the same 340nm of torque. The engine in the Aurion produces 200kw and is built for longetivity and there are documents to back both claims for the engines I have just spoken about. Holden means a great deal to bogans such as bonehead.
Vote:April 23rd, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Well it has to be said Bonehead has posted probably the most retarded response i’ve ever seen on an Internet blog. Bonehead, i’d advise you:-
a) Take your own advice and grow up
Vote:b) learn to read and write in English
c) look around you, there is more to life than Holden
April 24th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Great to see that Lazybones is following a positive attidtude. The main problem with Holden is that really there is no car in there range to be desired for in most people’s opinions. Whether steane (a person who likes GM but it actually smart) likes it or not most Holden fans usually are the one-eyed bogan type who rarely notice cars on a world wide scale and cannot see how an inline 4 cylinder configuration turbocharged saloon can kill most V8 cars, there is something as simple as a power toweight ratio which most normal people can understand. Thankfully, most of these people don’t get to visit a website as special as this particular one (bonehead ect.) because they are illiterate and cannot recall how to type the website address which makes me wonder how they made their way here in the first place. So, after a few moments of these smelly people panicing where to post their sad little insignificant thoughts which annoy so many people such as myself they come across drive.com.au and hundreds of them flood each Holden related blog with hundreds of meaningless posts.
Vote:April 24th, 2007 at 8:50 am
^
Lol yeah…. drive is full of bogans and the worst part is they just talk out of their arse, making unsubstantiated comments.
Vote:May 3rd, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Everybody is pushing their opinion and missing the real point, we have a choice of several local cars that will please most suite most drivers and can choose either FWD 2 choices or RWD 2 choices. The real issue is why can’t we get a manual transmission without going to a dearer model. Lets all get together and demand a choice in the transmission we want to drive with. I have a manual VT commodore amd have enjoyed 170′000 km with acceptable repairs and only 1 incident which left me stranded when a mechanic didn’t connect a fuel line to a new filter properly, not a build fault.
Vote:May 5th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Wow.
I read about halfway down and just can’t beleive the amount of bickering and everyone still seems to be going for the aurion or the ve.
I have owned holdens, fords, rovers, and presently, a mitsubishi.
My personal opion is all cars are going to s#!7 as far as interior finish and exterior build quality go if you compare them to cars from 10 years ago.
The fact that the panels on the VE severly flex with the slightest pressure just feels crappy. The drive, as usual to commodores, is slow and unspirited unless you boot it. The handling actually feels like it may be improving! The engines are an embarrassment. Consiering the technology in the alloytecs they should be putting out AT LEAST 230Kw. I believe this is acheivable with tuning alone. The V8’s are still pathetic 50 year old pushrod technology. The interior feels cold and cheap, the seats hard. The VE I drove had the handbrake cover fall in half and the centre console hinge cover fall off within 15 minutes. Sitting still.
The car also has an ugly stance and blind spot the size of ayers rock right behind the car due to its huge as boot.
As for the aurions I was their no. 1 fan till i actually sat in one. The interior is dissapointing, much like the commodore. Only worse. Its as if they got a lump of black plastic and put some guages in it.
Its fly by wire system left the driver in the dark and detracted from the drivability. I would describe its handling as nothing exceptional, and definitely a family car. Having driven a GT-4 celica, and numerous Skylines I feel qualified to say this. The exterior build quality is far superior to a VE.
The BF Falcon is essentially a BA with tweaked looks, for the better, it still feels like a ford, still has mountains of torque like a ford, and is at present a brand I still trust. Still not a big fan of the steering though, a tad too heavy, and the door cards could use some padding for a more human feel… in fact they could do with a redesign all together.
The 380 amazed me. Colour in dash LCD, sporty blue dials, (i like blue) and an interior that actually felt designed. The performance is an improvement over the previous models, and with the prospect of the new GTV supercharged will be very interesting indeed. The handling still felt vague, as the magnas also felt, this i put down in part to the FWD platform – which, if changed i think would find a few more people buying mitsubishi.. it by far has to be their biggest issue to most buyers.
The biggest curio is that the 380, has an almost identical centre dash and steering wheel to the VE… except the 380 in my opinoin is far more attractive, being bold – blue – and with a color screen, where the VE has good old green and black. everywhere. Oh, and don’t forget the VE’s ever popular and easy on the eyes (not) times new roman dash font!!
In conclusion, the money supposedly spent on making the VE was wasted, it made a poor imitation of a euro car, when people were still looking to holden for a truely australian ride.
Ford is once again improving on the most australian feeling car to date.
The Aurion has broken new ground and set a benchmark to which all cars should aspire in terms of efficiency (power and fuel).
Mitsubishi has once again shown they are a car brand very much worth looking at with the most welcoming interior of all the models (even if the seats are too hard.) and a strong feeling body..
I can’t help but see holden going broke in the coming 50 years… with their new approach of “make em cheap (daewoo), “and make em last just long enough” (the VE is designed to last a paltry 10 years max – then scrapped)
All manufacturers need to seriously reconsider if cheapening interiors is actually going to amount to higher profits in the long run, when their cars fall apart in 5 years, will you want to buy the same brand again??
I’m looking forward to the Aurion mk 2. and keep doing what you’re doing ford!
Oh, one more thing. I hope mitsi starts listening to the public.. its their only hope.
Vote:May 26th, 2007 at 12:06 am
The Aurion is probably more sophisticated, more reliable and better built and will probably last longer than the VE commodore! But hell I know which one i’d like to be seen in! For the money it’s the best looking car with impecable road pressence and dynamics to boot no spiced up camry can ever ever EVER match! You can pick up ur chick in your HOT looking Aurion!!! I’l pick mine up in my SS and i’ll c yah at the lights!
Vote:May 26th, 2007 at 2:07 am
OK fine ,but it will be a different type of chick! A BOGAN CHICK.!!!!!!! Class for class mate. As a women myself,and the owner of an M3 I will take the the Toyota!!You get what you pay for ,thats all I can say!!And I will nail you in an M3 too.
Vote:May 26th, 2007 at 3:53 am
*laughs* and ill nail you all in my 2jz powered 180sx……when its finished, if that ever happens.
some ppl have a really bad problem with putting things into perspective.
i cannot believe people comparing holden and ford to bmw or toyota. i mean, please. japan is an economic powerhouse, 2nd in the world in fact. its gross domestic product is quite literally 20 times that of australia. they also have 130 million people. so you would certainly expect some decent cars to come out of a country like that. same with germany. the amount of expenditure that is put into theyre R&D is obscene compared to australia, and whats more is that our cars are made for a domestic market of 20 million.
pity i cant say the same about america and theyre cars though…
Vote:May 26th, 2007 at 11:38 am
GOD SAM ,your so serious!! I wasn’t comparing BMW to anything! I was simply saying VE’s are not hero’s cars . Also I did say class for class please !!!
And Sam maybe if you didn’t spend so much time on this site the 180 sx would be finished? Didn’t know you were a ricer !!!
Vote:June 20th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
After previously owning a MY99 WRX, I have driven a 2003 VY SS Ute (V8) for four years now. I have to say it has been a great car – low servicing cost (listen up Subaru!), excellent fuel economy on the long trips, and better fuel economy than I expected around town for a V8. As it is reaching 100,000kms now I am looking at many, many cars in an effort to choose a new one. I have a new addition to my family now so a car with loads of space is a factor, as is good fuel economy and safety. Obviously, I like my car to look good too.
I thought I had found the ideal car when I found the Toyota Aurion ZR6 “Sportivo”…until I went to the dealership and arranged a test drive.
What a let down…
Yes, they have lots of nice features included, but what a boring look. The acceleration was sluggish and high revs it sounded as though I was going to blow its whiny engine out of its bay. It wobbled and rolled around on the road at speed, and on takeoff the front end lifted so much the steering became too light (this is even after it had gone through its front wheel drive wheel spin).
The interior looks cheap. There are blank panels everywhere where obviously options for the higher models plug into, and the dash already looks like something out of the 80s.
If you want this car to match up with its rivals, you have to really gun its whole 200kw, and you should watch its fuel consumption skyrocket then!
The SV6 or SS V8 are now the last two shortlisted. Plenty of room and boot space, nice simple dash layout, firm handling and feel, well priced, cheap servicing. Add to this great looks and no cheapo addons (like the Aurion) and you have a car to be proud to own.
Besides, I am sure my young daughter will much prefer being dropped off to school in a Holden VE than a “dad’s car” Aurion with glued on “go fast” bits… :)
Vote:June 20th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Hahaha Yeah I agree…. V8s have great fuel efficiency and the winner of the Large Car Award (Aurion) is an absolute piece of junk with not one positive aspect. Your ‘review’ was not biased…. looks well suited for a 2 page spread in Wheels Car Magazine – give them a ring.
I could mention many inconsistenties which make me doubt you even test drove the ZR6 or any Aurion for that matter, but the most blatent is your claim that there were blank panels eveywhere. I have test driven the lower models and I cant say it captured my eye… and the ZR6 is the 2nd highest model behind the Presara so there is more reason for there not to be any blank panels for options in higher models!! NOT TO MENTION the ZR6 comes with only 2 options… Sat Nav (no blank panel for it) and a Sunroof (not related to the dash), again highlighting inconsistensies. ON TOP OF ALL THIS, the Presara which I mention is the only model above the ZR6, does not use the same centre console assembly and related components as the ZR6 because its all wood grained (so no blank panels needed on lower models), most of the additional features provided in these higher models are steering wheel mounted (a whole new steering wheel is seen on higher models which is wood grained and 4 spoke), the sat nav which is mounted on the dash in the higher models is a completetely different assembly in lower models (so no buttons redundant here)… list goes on. Hell if I wasnt lazy I would point out each of the inconsistensies in what you’ve said about the Aurion… even post pics of the highest model vs the ZR6 vs the SX6 (if there was confusion with this model which also doesnt have blank panels for buttons) interiors to prove my point about ‘blank panels’… but I think Ive shown your lack of credibility.
Vote:June 20th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
“excellent fuel economy on the long trips”
You could say the same about the Space Shuttle, exactly what is deemed excellent?
“Besides, I am sure my young daughter will much prefer being dropped off to school in a Holden VE ”
Yeah right :)
If i said to my daughter, what do you think beemer M3 or RS4? The answer would be. The red one daddy.
Vote:June 20th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Lazybones , I do love you !!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vote:ooooooooooooooooo
June 22nd, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Yes, Paul, I have driven the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 – no need to question my credbility there (19/06/07 at 2:00pm, Canberra Toyota – care to ring them to confirm in order to put your mind at rest maybe? I can give you the salespersons name too if you like…). I have also test driven the Mazda CX7, VE SS, VE SV6, Falcon XR6, and Subaru Liberty in the past three weeks, and no, I don’t work for Wheels magazine.
I test drove it, I know what I saw, I am entitled my view… and that was it!
No blank panels? Cast your eye down to the bottom of the tinny sounding grey plastic stereo in the ZR6 and you will see one 15cm x 8cm panel where obviously “something” is designed to go. Surely they could have turned this into a sunglass holder or something? Then you might look to the right of the steering wheel and you will see a few more where “options” for the Presaro (complete with 1970’s woodgrain finish” is designed to go.
Sat Nav? $2500+ for that “option pack” and a sunroof, albeit one with a cheap manual sliding cover that in the car I test drove got stuck due to its inability to slide back straight is well worth it, especially considering Toyota’s own Aurion brochure admit that their Sat Nav is limited to “Major Capital Cities” and “Primary Roads”. Well worth the money huh?
Just remember that the Holden Camira was also “Car of the Year” once too, so I agree, these articles have no credibility. Much like me according to you. :)
The “Avalon” was Toyota’s “next big rival”, too wasn’t it, and didn’t that take off! Have a look at the articles for that and the ones for the Aurion are very similar. Same story, same end result. You can’t just rebadge a Camry, put a few do nothing spoilers on it and call it a sports car. Especially not with the bicycle like tyres they seem to have ofted for.
As for the fuel economy comment – have a look at what I actually wrote. Did you fail to read the “for a V8″ part I added? I was well aware that when I bought a V8, just like when I bought the 2.0 litre Turbo WRX, that fuel was going to be a factor. 500km around town for a tank of regular unleaded in the V8 ute, and recently a return trip to Newcastle from Canberra got me 790kms before having to refill. Sure, there is better fuel economy around, but try pulling a boat in your Aurion and its lack of torque and see how you go?
You will probably question my credibility again, but that’s cool. You are the one driving the “Aurion” after all, so I guess I could question yours too along with the other drivers on the road who see your overpriced Camry with “Sportivo” wings… :)
Vote:June 22nd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
QUOTE = No blank panels? Cast your eye down to the bottom of the tinny sounding grey plastic stereo in the ZR6 and you will see one 15cm x 8cm panel where obviously “something” is designed to go. Surely they could have turned this into a sunglass holder or something? Then you might look to the right of the steering wheel and you will see a few more where “options” for the Presaro (complete with 1970’s woodgrain finish” is designed to go.
Dunno about the last part as I havent thoroughly been over a ZR6 interior but the SINGLE black panel you refer to is hardly something to be knocking the whole car for, its their to divide it up abit… and its not like there isnt enough storage room in other places, there are a few in the centre console and surrounds. Anyway each onto their own, if that is all you have to say about the car then it must be decent… because their is a page long list of things I could say about the VE!
QUOTE = The “Avalon” was Toyota’s “next big rival”, too wasn’t it, and didn’t that take off! Have a look at the articles for that and the ones for the Aurion are very similar. Same story, same end result. You can’t just rebadge a Camry, put a few do nothing spoilers on it and call it a sports car.
Not really… the Avalon is completely difference – firstly its styling was very bland, it had the exact same engine as the Camry only weighed MORE, it didnt offer much more if anything over competition, its range was very limited in appeal etc. These are all points addressed in the Aurion.
QUOTE = As for the fuel economy comment – have a look at what I actually wrote. Did you fail to read the “for a V8″ part I added? I was well aware that when I bought a V8, just like when I bought the 2.0 litre Turbo WRX, that fuel was going to be a factor. 500km around town for a tank of regular unleaded in the V8 ute, and recently a return trip to Newcastle from Canberra got me 790kms before having to refill. Sure, there is better fuel economy around, but try pulling a boat in your Aurion and its lack of torque and see how you go?
How many V8s have you driven for more then just a weekend to determine it had good fuel economy compared to others? And yes I knew, I played on words… because fuel economy and V8 dont go well in the same sentence!
QUOTE = Sure, there is better fuel economy around, but try pulling a boat in your Aurion and its lack of torque and see how you go?
Ive towed small boats with a Camry before which has 260Nm of torque… no troubles. The Aurion is rated for 1600kg I believe (that would be braked… which large boats that weigh anywhere near that usually are)… and 340Nm in a car that weighs less then the competition is hardly a lack of torque! Not gonna say its better then a V8 or a Falcon… but your not towing a boat 24/7, if you take a boat out on weekend the Aurion is sufficient.
Vote:June 22nd, 2007 at 3:06 pm
All of you who dont agree with the COTY award can get stuffed. I own a VE Calais, and it is the BEST car I have ever driven in my life. I’ve driven Mercs and BMW’s, even Ferrari’s. And I’m sorry guys but the VE, Handles absolutely brilliantly. I was never a holden man but after the VE, I wont look back. Well done I say.
Vote:June 22nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
MrRight, I hate to call you wrong, but it is somewhat, I guess, misinformed to compare a Ferrari to a VE Commodore…
The Mercs, AUDIs and Beamers at the top leave the best from Holden for dead in all aspects,
but you have to remember, it is a comparison based on price, and for the price, the luxury commodores are a good car, but I wouldn’t go comparing them to Ferraris!
Vote:June 22nd, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Hahahaahahahahaha VE better then a Ferrari. Somehow I find it hard to believe you have driven any of those cars because you would actually have a true appreciation for them and the things they have over your VE Calais lol.
Vote:June 22nd, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I am wondering why the E-series HSV’s didn’t get COTY. They are by far the best looking HSV ever. so much better than the VY and VZ, they just looked like Lego, the bodykit was way too overdone. But the E-series just look orgasmic. And combined with 307kW V8 and MRC just makes me need afew clean pairs of jocks!
Vote:July 3rd, 2007 at 2:47 pm
“As for the fuel economy comment – have a look at what I actually wrote. Did you fail to read the “for a V8″ part I added?”
First of all, why would any V8 owner bang on about fuel enconomy. You’d get more respect saying, I like my V8 for the grunt, the noise, the torque. Crapping on about V8 Fuel consumption is about as relevant as a Prius owner talking about performance. Get over it.
“but try pulling a boat in your Aurion and its lack of torque and see how you go?”
Right, so the VW Touareg with something like 750nm of torque pulls a jumbo jet. (http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new_cars/touareg) But an Aurion with 336nm of torque can’t pull a boat. What boat did you have in mind? HMAS Kanimbla or the QEII?
“The SV6 or SS V8 are now the last two shortlisted”
Really, I doubt very much that anything other than Holden+Commodore were on your shopping list. Maybe your should try the Epica?
Vote:October 17th, 2007 at 10:16 am
grow up, aussie cars might not be the most refined or the most over priced but for gods sake, at least they sound and look like a fuken mans car. im sick of seeing try hard fags in bmw’s and audi’s. dont get me wrong nice cars in thier owm right but far from being a manly ride. 98% of the time you can pick the people that complain, they are the same ones that spent 100k on a car only to have it dragged off by a ‘p’ plater in an ss, that cost under half of that. Aussie built cars are here to stay, yeah there are faster and smoother cars to drive, but on my wage i know what id rather. stop your winging ya girls and drive on.
Vote:May 2nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
The Ve is a heap of shit…and u all know that… Bmw make better god
Vote:May 2nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Ve is a heap of shit
Vote:May 2nd, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Ah a wise comment from ‘Bob’ the illiterate one. U twit Dingo
Vote:May 2nd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Where’s Dingo No Name? I cant see him in the post.
And No Name do you hate the VE?
Vote:May 2nd, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Guessing it was dingo, but i know i’m wrong dingo has written diahorrea as opposed to the verbal variety.
VE – OK, I have no real manufacturer preference and just buy the most suitable product for me.
Vote:May 4th, 2008 at 10:47 am
………..so you dont hate the VE?
Vote:May 4th, 2008 at 10:48 am
You just dont prefer it?
Vote:May 8th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
There’s something that no-one seems to have mentioned – country roads! You guys must all live in the city if you think the Toyjoka/Bitsamissin cars are better for Oz than the Ford/Holden offerings.
I used to live in the city too. I was a jap-car freak. Over the years I’ve had everything from a Datsun 1600 to a Toyota Camry, with a number of different Lancer’s as well. I used to love (all of) those cars when I was a city kid.
When I moved to the country I noticed two things. Jap cars fall apart on bumpy country roads. No, really, they do. Take a Mitsi from the show room 300k north of Melb and you will be rattling away before journey’s end. Fact. Had it happen. The whole back-end of my Camry nearly fell off when I first drove north. Then it cost $900 to fix. Hmmmm; that’s economical….lol
Then there’s fuel consumption. These jap cars all use a LOT more fuel when you load them up. Put a trailer on the back and forget it – instantly sluggish, costly to run and dangerous when a roo jumps out in front of you.
Ford or Holden; it doesn’t matter – they both DON’T fall to bits on country roads; DON’T use any more fuel when loaded up and DON’T cost nearly the same to service.
Moral: if you live in the bush the big aussie ‘bogan’ cars actually make a whole lot of sense!
Vote:May 9th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Well that was a well-thought-out response sherlock
I s’pose you think the reason that country towns are full of fords and holdens is because all country people are retarded? So you’re a bigot as well as an idiot…
Vote:May 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
yes, I am, Im from the city joebob
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