Comments on: 2008 Holden Sportwagon Review

By: john a

john a — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:47:43 +0000

buy a mazda 6 classic wagon,you wont be disapointed.great build great handling,a very nice car.

By: Matters

Matters — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:00:02 +0000

Thinking of a V8 Calais V Sportwagon. Always bought Lexus, Mazdas, Honda and Toyotas.

The quality seemed better than the Aussie built Toyotas. It has plenty of power and the contrast trim is classy in the V series. The trim is much better in the V with the leather than the standard Calais. The latter was a bit cheap looking.

Holden dealer is offering somewhere in the mid-50s. Seems to me to be a good price.

However, it’s a V8 and is total, total overkill. The V6 sounds like a piece of crap, so that’s not even on the list.

It would be a wild decision, because the other car I’m thinking about is the Passat TDI 125 or a Volvo XC70. All of these cars are in the early to late 50s. They all have strengths and weaknesses.

By: Tomas79

Tomas79 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:42:32 +0000

Goodbye GM,
So true Mate!!

I bet the Falcadore fanboy club will bring up their stupid theory that death of Fords and Holdens in australia will spell a price hike on cars in, due to a monopoly situation! Um, they should venture out of their homeswest/taxpayer funded housing estates, and notice that there is many more brands available in this market!! Atleast then, we will be able to buy cars we really want, minus the tarrif tax!

By: Goodbye GM

Goodbye GM — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:11:35 +0000

Dated interior styling and APPALLING fuel economy, just what we all need! If it didn’t have a Holden badge on it this car would be scorned endlessly! The sooner GM slides into receivership the better. Heaping rubbish sub standard cars onto the Australian car buying public it is a fate they deserve. Spending a billion dollars on the Commodore and it’s only a 4 star waste of money that is easily outclassed by the competition. Rubbish engines and transmissions. Regularly buying favourable media coverage and motoring awards through advertising spending rather than simply doing a better job. Any sensible person that has a Holden in their driveway should feel angry, cheated and ripped off. Those people that call themselves Holden fans should be embarressed by their stupidity and how gullible they are. You have been completely taken hook line and sinker by the American Corporations spin and marketing that they are as Australian as AFL football and kangaroos. The executives in Detroit are laughing their asses off at you. You idiots.

By: Duck

Duck — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:37:14 +0000

Nice Sean66!

By: Duck

Duck — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:35:12 +0000

I agree Devil666. The ignition barrel has been illuminated on the Holden Commodore for a while. My VT Acclaim has an illuminated ignition barrel!

The VE has got an illuminated ignition barrel CarAdvice!

By: Devil666

Devil666 — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:09:30 +0000

Um, the ignition barrel is INDEED illuminated, perhaps you had purposely turned the auto lights off or used the SAAB interior light-kill command? Also, the dipping revision mirror on the passenger side is an excellent aid in protecting expensive alloys from gutter rash, unfortunately it only comes with the Drivers Memory Seat option..

By: Sean66

Sean66 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:36:25 +0000

Duck…Sorry for the late reply. Not been to this blog in a long time.

Colour is Atomic Metallic green. SS 6sp Manual. No options its bog standard but have extras like, SS seat covers, moulded mudflaps and boot protector. Darkest legal tint, headlight and bonnet protectors. You can almost say I am pver protective…lol..paranoid about the car getting dirty or damaged.

Driven just under 7000km since getting the car in mid August. Did the drive to Perth and back. Very comfy and the assurance of having a V8 under the bonnet when overtaking roadtrains was great. Only downfall….washing and polishin. In Port Hedland I have to contend with iron ore dust and salt air. If I dont keep on top of things, then the paintwork will suffer.

Duck….people do stop and stare when I drive around. I think Holden has done a good job with the car. Being the green it stands out even more. So far no notice from the police but then again I dont attract any attention either. LOL…

By: Grinning from ear to ear

Grinning from ear to ear — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:42:39 +0000

I looked at the new V70 also. It’s got rugged style and I like the overall package but my money is going towards an SS Sportwagon. 270kw and it comes in manual. Luv-velly!

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:59:20 +0000

It’s the T-6 AWD V70 My Fiance is looking at not the V-50

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:41:10 +0000

Another thing holden could probably do is whack either the Haldex AWD system [as used in the Saab 9-X crossover] or even the AWD system which will be under the new Insignia; under the Sportwagon and voila a new Adventra – afterall if the Torana is going to be built on the same platform as the Insignia it seems to be the next logical step

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:36:50 +0000

VZWagoneer – May I suggest that if you aren’t particularly keen on the design of the VE sportwagon and are looking for a new wagon you might want to look at the Volvo V50.

My fiance; Bavarian Missile is looking at getting a new wagon.. she had a look at a 6 Speed Manual V8 Calais however; is leaning more towards a Volvo T-5 V50 wagon with AWD.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:28:36 +0000

I’m waiting for holden to weld the back doors of the sportwagon shut and cover ip the windows – thereby creating the modern sandman panelvan which Im sure would be extremely popular not only with surfers but also tradies as Ford no longer make a panelvan.

I mean the company that makes the panels for the VE Hirotec in Elizabeth [about 1o minutes from the Holden factory] would’t have to cut out the aperature for the rear windows for a start.

And I expect that there would be a couple of images lying around Holdens state of the art design studio in Melbourne of a Sandman; just as there was images of a Monaro when the VT was released

By: VZwagoneer

VZwagoneer — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:11:57 +0000

As an owner of VZ wagon, I’m frankly disappointed that Holden have gone down this Sportwagon path. The decrease in load carrying capacity is a real problem and effectively rules it out of contention. The problem is that the Falcon wagon is prehistoric, so there is only the option of going to a van if you want to carry more than a few bags.

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:08:01 +0000

Duck,
No mate. I was impressed by the photos of the VE wagon, however now having seen some on the road (ALL FLEET!), it just doesn’t measure up.

Why is it that, after the way Holden have marketed this, and comments on web sites, why is it that the only ones to be seen on the road are FLEET cars?
The VE Wagon was not meant to be a fleet car. Whats going on??

By: Duck

Duck — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:03:25 +0000

Sean66, what colour? Any options?

By: Duck

Duck — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:02:00 +0000

Bret, youre probably saying that because youre an all blue ford fan.

By: Sean66

Sean66 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:26:41 +0000

Just got my Sportwagon. SS 6sp manual. Ive seen lots of photos and it looks good but, in the flesh (steel) it looks great. Lots of looks and comments from people and they seem to like it too. I am not disappointed at my Sportwagon.

By: Bret

Bret — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:58:58 +0000

GTR,
Yep on of the few cars that looks better in the photos than it does on the road. Dissapointing really.

By: GTR

GTR — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:42:28 +0000

Saw one of these today. They look very boring.