2008 Holden VE SS V Ute Review
July 25, 2008 by Anthony Crawford
2008 Holden VE SS V Ute Review & Road test
Model tested: SS V Ute 6.0-litre V8 Automatic 6-speed
Recommended retail price: $46,990
Options fitted: None
big performance, lots of useable load space, auxiliary jack.
a little pricey, fuel consumption-if you drive it like it should be driven.
CarAdvice Rating: 
“Consider this 6-litre V8 rocket, a high speed sports car with a huge load capacity”
- Anthony Crawford
As the father of two kids with a bit of a thing for surfing, I soon got a taste for one of Holden’s finest, the SS V Ute.
For starters, the Nickel Metallic (silver) V8 Ute is a good-looking thing from almost any angle, especially that from the rear. Those wonderful quad exhaust tips brashly stating, “This is fast, don’t mess with me”.
It reminds me in some small way of the stylish 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS454 “Coupe Utility” in the USA, which ran the LS6 454 cubic inch engine putting out a walloping 336kW and 680Nm. It only weighed around 1500lbs and looked better than anything else on the road at that time, bar a Chevy Corvette or Pontiac Trans Am.
If Chevrolet were marketing a contemporary version of the El Camino, it would surely be the Holden SS Series Ute, with all its variants, including the SSV. Seems that GM was moving ahead with this idea, but not as the El Camino. Instead, the car would have been wearing a Pontiac badge. However, we understand that the plan may actually be on hold, due to one very high Australian dollar.
And our very own Holden SSV Ute has got plenty of what the US likes best, power and grunt. Then again, I suppose we Aussies like our muscle cars every bit as much as the “good ole boys” in the US of A. When it comes to cubic inches and litres, ‘The more the better’ as the saying goes.
I also like the respect (or unfounded fear) that other drivers seem to display around the SS V Ute. If you are in anything other than a new XF Jag or Aston Martin, merging from a transit lane into the correct and legal space, is near impossible. Gaps in the traffic are ruthlessly slammed shut like a well planned military operation.
But when behind the wheel of the SS V, all you need to do, is simply indicate and presto, a space magically appears. I could get use to this.
Wow man I am just reading your interview with Yaro you did in 2007. Checking Holden epica and found your still number 1 on Google. Interesting enough your a neighbour up in Brisbane and I did not even know about the site until today. I am going to sign up as you seem to have a great approach to a topic close to my heart.
As a way of saying thanks if you or your readers head over to one of my sites, Australian solutions check out the goodies and want some just drop me a line there and I will see what sort of deal we can do.
Funny how TP appears everywhere to attack Ford and Holden… Mustn’t have a life or you work for Toyota. Which one is it??
Not everybody likes Toyota, not everyone will. They are boring, lifeless cars to drive. Toyota has also given little regard to safety in some models EG: No ESP on Corolla, Camry was late to get ESP. Skinny tyres on practically all models Ford was first with ESP on an Aussie built car with the Territory, Holden the first with large cars.
Toyota is riding a wave like GM and Ford have for most of the last century.
While there have been many pioneering things Toyota have done, they will always be under threat.
I have to agree with Klaus on the paint, look at the 5th picture from the top, the shade of silver changes to a darker grey near the SS badge and in the middle of the door. How dodgy is that??! Dont to me its the light..
That’s exactly what is is Minnow. I took those pics at 7.30am one morning trying to capture different shades of the metallic silver due to light.
I certainly would not have said that the paintwork around the vehicle is mismatched. If that were so, Holden would be flooded with requests to right such an oversight, would they not?
Have a look around any new or used car yard and it won’t be long before you spot the plastic bumpers of a different shade. Plenty of makers have this problem, not just Holden.
About the paint, paint primer is different from the metal primer. Every car maker has this issue, have a look next time your on the road at other models.
Some colours are worse than others. The red the Aurion comes out in is also quite obvious. It’s not Toytota’s or Holden’s fault, it’s life.
My Grand Carnival is gold in colour and bumpers match the rest of the car perfectly.
I just can’t wait to get my VE Ute in a couple of months
Frosty – Imagine a slightly modified VE Front end [with more of a sloping bonnet]; rear end on the Denali along with longer rear doors and that’s pretty much what the new VF Crewman will look like
In response to your question Tom – is TP a Toyota fan boy the answer is YES? …. as evidenced by his reply
I have only seen ione TRD Hilux on the road – even then I had to look twice as there are no distinguishing features to make it stand out from a regular Hilux. [unlike a Maloo does]
The thing is it had the number-plate TRD… yet I’d say the reason he got TRD is because he couldn’t have S–T
If you cant tell a TRD Hilux from the regular Hilux you shouldnt be driving….your blind
Love it (apart from the red inserts on the dash, way too pimpy). Just wish GM and Ford would bring these things into Euroland with a decent diesel engine.
Now comparing this to a Hilux TRD is wrong, thats 4WD how about Toyotas 2WD limp wristed Hilux. Ha Ha
mmmmm the Hilux – isn’t that the one that can only pull a
2250Kg trailer against Fords Ranger at 5kg under 3 Tonnes.
Awww whatever
TP, this is a review for a Holden product, fair enough you gave your view but have now done your usual “Holden & Fords are unreliable and Toyotas are perfect” speech, stick to the subject.
Plus those surveys are in reference to what percentage of vehicles have returned to a dealership for a warranty claim. It doesnt mean how many cars have had a mechanical failure which would count as being unreliable, whereas a warranty claim for say a radio not working (which is outsourced from a different company) is NOT an indication of reliability. Plus those surveys don’t mention how many of those warranty claims were rejected for wear and tear items which aren’t covered, such as brake pads and spark plugs (don’t laugh people will try and claim them) you take those surveys with a grain of salt, I go by the what I see happen at my place of work which has a service garage and the only cars I seem to see the most for repairs are Holden Astra’s and Toyota Camrys. No bias here they are what I have seen. Yes I have seen Falcons and Commodores there for repairs 2 but not as many as the Astra and Camry
Wheelnut, I reckon the bloke got TRD as a number plate because it was still, uh, available. It hadn’t been SNAPPED UP! If ya know what I mean.
Hey TOYOTA FANBOY AKA TP, funny how you ignore posts that have some real facts..
The TRD was Jet Black and the tacky racing stripes doewn the side were graphhite [almost black] The TRD emblem is recessed into the grille which was u guessed it black the wheels where similar to that on standard Hilux but also black-ish
So it looked like an All Black SR-5 Hilux – I mean if TRD were proud of their procut they’d make it stand out a bit more.. or the badge at least
BTW: Did I mention if got beaten off the line by a Bus?
wheelnut,
and im sure that at the same time the bus driver rolled over in laughter at the tacky TRD badging,
the TRD Hilux also rolled over trying to get off the line.
(they tend to do that)
Lol beaten off the line by a bus… your not one of those people who thinks he has beaten a Ferrari in a race with is 80s Falcon?
Glen I dont think I brought the TRD Hilux into this… my original post was comparing the Commodore ute with the Falcon.
^^^^^TP,
you forgot to change your name back.
ooooppppssssss
No its me, Wheelnut
wheelnut are you realcars!!!!!! because you are both daiwoo loving w**kers that wouldn’t know a great car if it ran over you! or maybe one already has, ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
Theyt say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery
However TP; [wonder if that stands for Tiny P---s?]….
If you are goint to use my name in the hope that it will get you more respect than the scherrick that you have at the moment you might want to think a bit more before hitting the keyboard.
I mean when you set out to copy someone or something and fail as you have/are it just makes you look like a bigger idiot than you already are… Because I suspect that most people on this website who have been on here for a long time can tell when its me and when you are trying to be me
For starters I have never praised Toyota as much as you would like to make out that I do [all of a sudden] and don;’t think I ever will..
i would take any model hilux or trd hilux over one of these s**t boxes any day of the week, as a builder we need a reliable 1 tonne ute with go and show not a 1/2tonne fuel gusling wanna be 2wd at a hilux sr5 price! it great to see one of these things stuck on a black soil worksite and watch a hilux pull them out! gotta laugh!
Even if a TRD Hilux looks ridiculous, Burt? Even my local community fish n chips wrapper gave it a bum rap, in addition to the one given it by the experts.
golfschwein hey sh*t for brains!! i take you have driven one you tosser! as i said give me a hilux any day over one of these sh*t boxes!
golfschwein i just got it! you must be one of the guys i pulled out of a bogged worksite hope i didnt bend your front bumper to much! ha! ha! ha! ha!
Is there some reason that work sites have to be the domain for these vehicles? If you get that, then you’re right. You’ve just got it.
Oh, I just read your first post, where you insulted me. That was unsophisticated and unnecessary, but I guess it’s the only way certain personality and IQ types rise to a debate. Did your mother suck the devil off to beget you?
Now look up beget, moron.
ha! ha! ha! ha! golfschwein your not one of realcars mates are you! and you want to talk about insults, you have insulted hilux drivers numerous times so buddy what comes around goes around! MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a Hilux over one of these?
Depends on what you do I guess. Generally, I’ll take comfort, looks and performance than a rattly, rough and rugged HiLux.
Oh and Burt, whatever hole you crawled out of, piss of back there eh little fella? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
I suppose that’s true, Burt. I’ve never understood why people would buy something that’s unattractive and drives badly but, HEY!…That’s just me, I guess. Each to his own, and all that. :)
Burt,
Just because he doesnt like an oversized rough as guts bag of crap Hilux doesnt make him a child but i think your earlier acknoledgement of expert was a bit closer to the truth.
Why dont you go for a drive in your precios hilux and hopefull it will rattle some sense back into you.
the hilux (and all jap utes to be precise) is an absolute pig to drive.
you dont know what the hell you are talking about.
how do the brickies go pulling around 1 tonne of sand in their hilux? well, they dont.
they get the tougher falcon ute to do that.
hilux’s have gutless motors.
perhaps you could tell me why they gear the ratios so close???
thats right, because they have no grunt to pull a load and must compensate by using painfully close ratios that ensure uncomfortable driving coupled with massive fuel bills.
you arent a builder so cut your crap. firstly stop changing your name because you arent fooling anyone.
who in their right mind would be silly enough to take a SS commodore ute to an area where they know you need to lock some hubs in?? and how many building sites are at places where 4wd is needed? (not bloody many apart from rio tinto??????)
it just doesnt happen. vehicles being pulled off of worksites just doesnt happen as often as you say.
the vehicles that get bogged on worksites are delivery trucks.
you will see the likes of SS utes pulling trailers aroung worksites, and pull a trailer is something an SS would do far better than any Hilux.
just to show how great the hilux isnt,
how about you perform a little experiment for us all.
go and measure the depth of the chassis rails on a falcon ute and compare it to your hilux.
grab some log books and compare the torque levels of the diesel Lux to the petrol falcon
and also grab your smallest hilux (the 4cyl single cab) and compare the fuel economy of that to the big 4.0L falcons…….
is the hilux not looking so great now???
come back when you have a life
andrewm so your a ford expert! can you tell me why then that when you buy a falcon ute for say $30,000 today keep it 12 months and if your lucky you may get back $15,000 (and thats if you trade it in on new falcon) buy any model hilux and good resale value is guaranted! i have never read so much ford s**t in my life! so buddy how about you get a @#@#@ life!
I thought this was a Holden ute review….??
Who gives a stuff about way overpriced (which is why their resale APPEARS to be so good, they start out priced so much higher than anything else) and over rated Hilux’s anyway???
If you’re dumb enough to buy an overpriced Hilux you also need to call into the local moto-x shop and buy a kidney belt to prevent you needing dialysis later in life…
another expert ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! your so funny!!!!!!!!
Truth hurts Burt
BURT,
maybe i am an expert on fords,
but one thing for sure is that you arent an expert on anything.
a falcon ute will not lose 15K in 12 months.
as much as you keep wishing that it will, it simply doesnt.
ive had my falcon ute for 5yrs now, and have had 12K thrown at me with out having to go into negotiations yet.
not bad really if you ask me
whats a 5yr old Hilux worth???
dont try and tell me they only lose 1K in that time
i also didnt know that if you bought a hilux they give you a written guarantee that in 12 months they will give you 99% of your money back when you trade……
thats not bad. pffftttt
ive driven a lot of different utes, and one thing is for sure that i wont ever purchase a dog of a jap ute.
why would one shell out money for a car that is a handfull to drive.
its bad enough having to battle trafic on the way to work let alone in a vehicle that makes you battle even harder.
once again,
cut your act you Dingo…..
Years ago, Andrew m, my employer gave me a Hilux SR5 to replace my Commodore wagon.
My sales territory was in WA’s north west, so they figured the ute will be tougher and more economical than the Commodore. Well, I hated, but it’s probably still going somewhere.
One day, I decided to reward the firm for buying me this soft-at-the-front hard-at-the-back bucking bronco that I didn’t want or need, by refilling at Nanutarra Roadhouse and driving flat-out to Paraburdoo, two and a half hours inland, at 140 km/h with the air con on full, just to see what she’d do.
It was all out at 140km/h (or maybe it was me, I forget now) and returned the magical fuel economy figure of eighteen miles per gallon, or 15.6l/100km. It was a manual 5 speeder, too.
I know everything you tell us about the gearing of these things.
have you tried 2nd gear into corners in a jape ute Golfie?
dont do it, its deadly.
you are near on compression lockup if you do.
Been there, done that. I conjured the words “compression lock-up” a split second before I read them in your following sentence.
golfie,
what about the light as a feather steering, and 40 turns lock to lock?? ha ha ha ha
and thats WITHOUT a load on the back
yeah…..
give me this SS over a dog of a jap ute anyday…..
All of that, Andrew M, not to mention the huge turning circle.
Whats the tray dimensions? Im sure it’s bigger than the outgoing VZ.
The VZ Holden Commodore ute must have been really sad if it only had 90L of storage behind the seats. The Commodore ute (VE) has 245L behind the seats and the Ford Falcon’s (FG) has 235L of storage space.
I love this ute! I wouldnt get the coloured dash though, specially in red. IT probably would turn pink if sun is exposed to it for over a long period of time.
Though why is the Load capacity of the SS V Ute less than the SS Ute?
Wheelnut, what VE ute are you getting? SV6,SS, or SS V? I’m guessing it will be a V8, so is it the standard SS? What colour, is it leather, what other options etc?
Duck,
the VE tray is smaller.
the notable difference is found from having done away with the compartment/space under the rear window in the tray.
in a nut shell, that odd bit of space that was once in the tray, has become part of the cabin.
its pretty much the same as what ford did near on 10yrs ago
It’ll be a 6 Speed Auto “Karma” SS V8 with leather; tinted windows and rear indicators.
aahhh,
the old point and shoot hey wheelnut? (auto)
ha ha ha ha ha
Point and shoot Andrew soooo many cum backs on that but I wont Ill behave. You more of a do it yourself type of guy ha,like to go manual babe?hahaha