Upcoming Holden Sportwagon Review
August 3, 2008 by Matt Brogan
The much anticipated Holden Sportwagon has finally graced the CarAdvice office and is out being road tested even as we speak.
The full review, due in just over a week, features the first of our Sportwagons, a V6 Calais. Early indications are quite favourable with the combination of sleek styling, sedan-like handling and large wagon practicality proving a hit with our road test drivers.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the load area doesn’t appear as small as we were first lead to believe and it’s apparent that through clever design and space utilisation is very nearly comparable to the BF III Falcon wagon tested early last week.
A full review will be ready to go early next week, so stay tuned.
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This is one of the few wagons around that looks better than the sedan version. With a decent V6 engine and at least 5 cogs in the auto it would kick goals. As it is however, it just comes across as being half finished – a good car let down by 90s technology.
Just hope that back end of big enough and it has not become another of the so-called sportback offering smaller load volume than the sedan. We’ll all be watching. certianly a load more stlish than the Falcon and any wagons that Toyota offer. Ha Ha ;) ;)
Phillip I agree. I think is a great looking car let down by a very ordinary engine and even less impressive 5-speed transmission. Just imagine – Ford’s turbo six in this car!!
Just saw on the news Falcon got 5 star safety rating
I hope the review says something about the massive blindspot this thing has.
Does it come with a reversing camera in the high-end models? That tailgate is quite high.
I reckon the Sportswagon looks great. Unlikely that I’ll ever drive/purchase one so I’ll take Cujo’s word for it on the blind spot issue.
Would Car Advice be so kind as to give the car its correct title of SPORTWAGON, not SPORTSWAGON.
Get it right guys.
Yep, great looking car let down by the powertrains. Come on Holden, upgrade time.
How is the v8 powertrain a let down? I wasn’t aware a 270kw v8 with a 6 speed auto was considered outdated.
The base V6 models are the letdown, and these will sell in the biggest numbers.
Why does Car Advice need to post something like this? Just give the review.
Its not that its a bad powertrain anyway, its just outclassed.
You have to realise the majority of the public can’t really tell the difference between a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ engine/gearbox, they just drive whatever looks nice. I know the media like to rag on the Alloytec, but its still almost as quick as the class leaders, and only uses slightly more fuel. It’s not like Holden is still trying to sell the ecotec or anything.
its funny when people talk about the base engine being ordinary, then compare it to fords high performance engine… really fair TonyB!
I’d really like to look into one of these next year, but my wife really wants a seven seater for kid transport duties (ours plus their friends). I’m not really looking forward to another SUV type car. It’s a shame they didn’t stick a couple of seats under the boot floor like some of the old Ovlovs.
Tom, the V8’s are fine, although the Ford Turbos seem to be the flavour of the month for the media at the moment. An the V6 wouldn’t be too bad if it had a decent auto attached. But really a 4 speed auto descended from a 90’s truck… the Commodore deserves more. I thought that when VE was launched, but it really sticks out now.
To me, GM have great versions of this V6 available and they just need to use them to do justice to the rest of the package they’ve created.
Richo, my point about Ford’s turbo six was simply to make the point that such a great looking car deserves a world class engine and transmission – and the example I gave was the Ford engine with its six speed auto. Even the so-called high output V6 in the Calais with only a 5-speed auto is very ordinary (yes I have driven it in sedan form). Following on from what Gift-Ed has said, Holden do have access to better versions of the V6 they are using – they make the 2.8l turbo V6 in the same engine plant for Saab (not that I’m suggesting they use this engine).
why would holden bring this out when next year all commodores get updated engines and proper gear boxs.I would just wait and bring it out at same time make big state ment straight up.As it stands now if you buy it you get all the bad bits and then in few months when the up dates happin you got the junk end of the deal very bad
Yes thats what i was thinking this holden needs fords running gear in it lol or even toyotas, its that bad ive driving plenty of them and the 6 and auto are so far of the mark its scary
Gift-Ed, your right, i don’t even really consider the 4 speed auto, the sv6 upgrade is worth the money well and truly.
And your also right that GM make good engines, i really do hope and expect Holden to give us the direct injection 225kw 3.6, with the 6 speed auto, out of the Cadillac CTS.
It can mostly likely make up the high end models, and the entry levels can get the 195kw/5 speed auto current model.
funny how we talk of putting the ford xr6t motor in the commodore, step backwards folks.
all reviews put the falcon WELL ahead as a car, why put a good engine in a car thats 1. not as safe, and 2.not as good?
the falcon engine belongs IN THE FALCON.
t
Not as good is a pretty broad term, and they are saying they want it in the Sportwagon. A car Ford doesn’t offer an alternative too.
“funny how we talk of putting the ford xr6t motor in the commodore, step backwards folks.
all reviews put the falcon WELL ahead as a car, why put a good engine in a car thats 1. not as safe, and 2.not as good?
the falcon engine belongs IN THE FALCON.
t”
T, the falcon may be a better car overall now but does not mean the commodore “isn’t safe”. Also remember the new Falcon should be a better car overall because it’s two years newer! And thats heaps of time in the car indistary . The commodore is still a safe family car, just like the falcon. Just because the new falcon has 5 stars for ANCAP does not make the VE unsafe at all. Even if the VE has 4 stars compared to the FG Falcons 5 star ANCAP rating, it won’t effect Holden’s sale for the VE Commodore.
Holden if you want to realise the potential of this product then update the drivetrain ASAP. It needs 5sp auto in base models with 6sp in the upper end now!!! (you are in lag by about 2.5 years). Also get the direct injection HFV6 into the fight. This combination would reduce fuel consumption by about 8-10%. If you put the 3L VM diesel into the sportwagon you would create a niche and untapped market that has significant potential for Australian families. Get on with it!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am tired of thinking my next car could actually be a FG Falcon after 18 years of Holdens.
What’s the difference between a “Review” and a “First Steer”? – which CA did a couple of weeks ago just after it was released
Surely you would have made enough notes as to the way the way the car handled and its features etc for the review whilst out on your first steer..
Unless of course the VE Sportwagon is so impressive you just had do drive it again.
I still think we need a manual box, atleast as an option, on all models.
But I guess I’m probably alone in this opinion.
^I’m not. I’d have a manual over the chunky 4 speed auto.
Ford and Holden stopped the manual option on base models due to lack of the demand from the customers
Maybe a 6 speed Manual on the Omega or Berlina or falcon for that case would be good.
i would love a calais v in a manual as it has some options i want that arent avaliable on the ssv. it would be a silent assian
Got mine on Tuesday. Only driven 400km but I like it. Never owned a V8 before so Im having fun but not breaking the rules. Im too old to do that. Looking forward to spending more time driving. NOT looking forward to washing and waxing every other weekend. :(
I have a 2005 VZ sedan thats done 225,000kms and have had no problems with it, however my sister in law has a new Omega Sportswagon company car and has had heaps of trouble with it after doing 30,000 kms. She had the preivious VZ executive wagon before and it was sold after hitting a huge 350,000kms with no problems (it was just 3 yrs old). She has also said that the space is horrbile as well as the blind spots compared to her VZ wagon and would prefer to drive a 350,000kms VZ executive before jumping happily into the new sportswagon. I have to purchase a wagon myself, in order to care for my grandmother, but I am definately going to look for a VZ executive wagon before even going into Holden to purchase a new sportswagon.
Just purchased a international sportwagon- i have had the car 4mths been back to the car yard 8 times for repairs air con rattling cd player mechanism error drivers door not lined up out of whack engine and gear box sounds like a diesel motor they have now replaced the transmission ( on a brand new car???? ) only done 5000 klm still very very noisy not happy at all gmh do not care they will honour the warranty four 3 yrs big deal do not recommend a international at all—————— NOT HAPPY JAN