Wheels Names Holden VE Commodore Car Of The Year
January 23, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
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?
Print it: 
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.
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!
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.
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!
“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?
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.
The Ve is a heap of shit…and u all know that… Bmw make better god
Ve is a heap of shit
Ah a wise comment from ‘Bob’ the illiterate one. U twit Dingo
Where’s Dingo No Name? I cant see him in the post.
And No Name do you hate the VE?
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.
………..so you dont hate the VE?
You just dont prefer it?
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!
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…
yes, I am, Im from the city joebob