2007 Holden Caprice V8 Road Test
August 24, 2007 by Paul Maric
2007 Holden Caprice V8 Road Test
CarAdvice rating: 
Recommended Retail Price: $66,990 (V6), $70,990 (V8)
Options Fitted: None
Holden’s new VE range has been a step in the upward direction, both in terms of size and power. Needless to say, Holden’s Long Wheel Base (LWB) variants have also received similar attention. Holden’s WM range (which includes Statesman and Caprice) carry a totally unique exterior design, along with extra capacity for both people and luggage.
From the outside, the new Holden Caprice doesn’t look that dissimilar to an equivalent sized vehicle from the Germans. The front end carries a Bi-Xenon headlight cluster, while the rear uses LED lights. The side profile features beefed wheel arches, along with an LED clad indicator arrangement which looks classy and defined.
Step inside and the luxuries continue. Rear passengers have an absolutely staggering amount of leg room. Six-foot something passengers have more than enough leg and knee room – and then some. To top off the luxuries, rear seat passengers have access to headrest mounted LCD screens which play DVDs, which are loaded through the roof mounted DVD player. Wireless headphones are also available for those who prefer a slightly more private experience.
Up front, an LCD screen with climate controls and audio controls commands the dashboard, while the Bose branded sound system exercises the ears. Electric seats with memory, along with steering wheel mounted trip computer and audio controls help make the driving experience as convenient as possible.
The Caprice comes standard with Holden’s 6.0-litre V8 power-plant which mashes out 270-kilowatts of the good stuff, while laying down 530Nm of back pushing torque Power is sent through a 6-speed auto cog box. During normal driving conditions, it’s quite a sedate unit. But, as with all Holden VE V8s I have tested, the rocking motion from the engine really doesn’t suit the demographic the Caprice is marketed towards. Fuel consumption is considerably poor – taking into consideration the vehicle’s weight and the capacity of the motor. The Caprice can also be optioned with a V6 motor instead.
When it comes to boot space, you will struggle to find a contender that beats the Caprice. There is more than enough room to pack enough luggage for several weeks away. Our test vehicle had a few build quality issues though, such as a misaligned handbrake handle, along with loose trim surrounding the steering wheel. This can be put down to the pre-production build of the vehicle being test driven.
Standard features include: Bi-Xenon headlights; heated exterior mirrors; leather seats; cruise control; central locking; front and rear parking sensors; auto-dimming rear vision mirror; automatic windscreen wipers; automatic headlights; tyre pressure monitor; Bluetooth phone connectivity; 10-speaker sound system, including 6-disc in-dash CD player; DVD player with dual LCD screens; 10-way electric front seats; tri-zone climate control and power windows.
Safety features include: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); ABS brakes with EBD and BA; dual stage front airbags for driver and passenger; side impact airbags for driver and passenger; side curtain airbags; active front head rests and traction control.
Priced from $66,990 for the V6 and $70,990 for the V8, the Holden Caprice offers exceptional value for money when features and size are taken into consideration. A bevy of options are available to compliment and personalise your Caprice, including larger alloy wheels, interior and exterior colours, along with satellite navigation. The Caprice is the perfect option for the executive businessman who wishes to travel in style and luxury. With enough gadgets to keep passengers happy, there is no disputing the Caprice’s relevance in the market. The Germans need to beware, this Aussie luxo-barge is right up the alley of their target market.
- by Paul Maric
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I’ve had a V8 Caprice for 6 months now and love it. Yes it does have a clunky gearbox when putting the foot into it, but if driven steadily it’s fine.
It only has 9000klm on it, but the comfort and road handling is superb. I did look at Mercedes and BMW but chose the Caprice because you get better value for money.
To each his own, but to me it’s fine. Reading today’s newspaper they may be worth a lot in years to come.
I rather spend my $70 gran on a used lexus LS430, BMW serious 7 or 5 or Audi A6 and so all…
for Holden and Ford fan, type in the Search box the word “complains” you will see how many problem these car have.
Hi, I work in Saudi Arabi, and I have a Caprice 2002 V8, it is sold here under that Chevrolet brand. it is a great car, everything is great about it, insane power, impressive stability, space… the overall quality in this model is high, you feel the tight build and high quality material in everything you touch. of course it is not perfect, it drinks fuel like a whale, but in Saudi this is not an issue at all since the fuel is cheaper than bottled water (truely speaking!).
I went to the dealer to check the new Caprice 2008 coz i’m considering to change now… man it is so cheap that i did not even bother to ask about the price! interior material is all hard plastic! it feels that u’r in a magnified small korean car! i don’t know why manufactureres are doing this to their successful cars… people can notice this! people are moving to European cars (mainly german’s) and Honda (among Japanese, they’re the only ones who are not compromsing the quality)
I wish I could replace my 2002-caprice with a new 2008, but i will not!
holden caprice is catching up and the euro’s are falling, sure the caprice has its faults but so does every other car and no one in the right mind should buy a car $100000 more than a good old aussie sedan so get your facts right dingo and azza you idiots
I bought my daughter a used 1995 Mercedes C220, I thought it would be safe, reliable and of course the price was not too bad. To date I have had the head replaced. The head went a second time and this time a total engine replacement. So much for reliability and engineering.
The worst part is the under bonnet wiring loom that Mercedes knows about. The entire Wiring Loom to the computer and ignition system is made with bio-degradable material. It can short out with no warning leaving the driver at risk on a highway. Mercedes knows about this and will not acknowledge the problem. Cost of new loom half that of the car. Even if Mercedes informed the owners of the potential problem I would say yes by all means these cars are worth the money. When I called Mercedes to complain they didn’t want to know about it just priced out a new Loom.
I have just received a letter about an 15 year old Capri I have. Ford has issued a recall for a part. The part will be replaced at Fords expense. After this I will stick to Australian (junk) any time over the expensive marque brands that now turn their back leaving owners in potential life threatening vehicles.
I Have Caprice 2002 V8 5.7 LTR
Frankly It Had Bad Reputation In My country I Think The Reason Is The Dealer Cause No Genuine Parts No Proffational Workshops No Marketing Advertizment…
Overall this car needs frequent maintenance just like any other musle car….
I’ve got an older model Caprice, the WK. I agree the build quality for Holdens Flagship vehicles is not the greatest yet once the lease on mine finishes, I would consider upgrading to the WM model. Preferably I would be driving an S class Merc or a 7 Series BMW yet for value for money, Holden preforms here. The biggest downside is the interior on the WM. Even my WK looks more respectable. The plastic looks similar to that in the VE Omega. The best thing about the Caprice range is the deprecation. You can pickup a 1-3 year old WM for, sometimes, half the retail price and low KM. So this car with 45,000km at $45k is a true bargain. I didnt lease my WK expecting the petrol engine to anything but thirsty on the wallet. Yet adding a premium LPG system has cut my fuel bill almost in half.
For what the car is, I respect the Caprice. Yet comparing it to a Merc/BMW/Lexus is just not practical. Compare it to a Maxima or whatever the flagship Toyota is maybe.
totally agree with thabet … i also own a caprice 2002 LS in riyadh saudi arabia … have to say … it rocks … mayb they just market a better quality product to the gulf region …
I like any car that i sit in and have to move the SEAT FOWARD, as in to much leg room!Hardly any do that….
Well done Holden, built something non height challenged people can get nice and comfy in!
Cheers
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