Video: Holden Commodore VE Series 2 with Mike Devereux

By George Skentzos | August 31st, 2010

Update: Holden Commodore VE Series 2 Review.

Following the official unveiling of the new Holden Commodore VE Series II range, Holden’s chairman and managing director, Mike Devereux, sits down to chat about the technology and features which he hopes will make the Holden Commodore the best selling Australia car for many years to come.

Among the highlights is a touch-screen infotainment for every model in the Holden Commodore VE Series II range, E85 compatibility and further refinements to the exterior and interior.

Jazrod

Bleh . . .
http://zuboora.com mohamad is right when he

droppings
Jabba the Hutt

I don’t think they have done enough with the styling to keep this car fresh. Some people might see the killing off of the statesman nameplate as a bad thing too.
TomJ

When you stop reacting as “It needs to be changed more” and actually consider the technological and mechanical improvements, it really makes sense.

Its just a shame they couldnt spare another 100 million for alot of new sheet metal, because most people won’t understand or appreciate the new technology.
http://www.caradvice.com.au It’s true

No wonder holden has gone down the drain american owned and now it comes with an american CEO go holden.

Stooopid

He’s Canadian you dolt.

Eric

Canada is in America

Andrew M

Whilst I agree with you, have you ever tried to tell a Canadian they are american??

Eric

Like asking “are you pregnent”

MJ

looks like they stole the new dash aircon surround from the collorado, i cant see it blending in to well with the rest of the interior.
I do like the changes they made to the front end, its subtle, but nice.
Although it is good to see they’ve put a touchscreen as standard, not too far behind the european cars this time.
MJ

looks like they stole the new dash aircon surround from the collorado, i cant see it blending in to well with the rest of the interior.
I do like the changes they made to the front end, its subtle, but nice.
Although it is good to see they\’ve put a touchscreen as standard, not too far behind the european cars this time.
Richo

The close up shots of the interior does seem to show a better quality of plastics and finnish compared to the original VE

http://www.facebook.com/sammo.8191 Sam Moss

Agreed, It’s almost like they’re trying to replicate the interior quality and style of the cheap Daewoo imports.

For crying out loud Holden get some class, we’re not all bogans!

Richo

for godsake go away…

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435885244 Yani Hendriawan

“we’re really improving the fuel economy” yes by 2%

Richo

They’ve got it down to 9.1L/100km, that IS a significant improvement over the original VE commodore

TomJ

The improvements came with the direct injection engines, 1 or 2% in mechanical efficiency is a long way.

Also, when you consider that the significantly lighter 5L VT SS slurped around 15L/100km and made less power than the base VE Omega we really have come a long way.

Banicks

Round or square vents above the user interface? I’ve seen two versions now.

I’ll judge it in the flesh. But not impressed so far.

Shak

Round for Sporty variants, square for Comfort and Luxury Variants.

Shak

Now that ive seen some shots of the interior plastics and design up close i really think the quality has improved. I may just trade in My SS-V for a new Calais.
Control Blade

so thats it? looks the same really…….they are short of cash at GM!! Interior still looks cheap and they couldnt even afford to get rid of that pathetic useless handbrake. FG interior is way way way better still……GM have never been able to design a good interior and this proves it. Dated exterior still looks dated……

Andrew

Whats that you need a remote to use your Sat Nav?

It’s ok the Falcon will catch up one day . . .

Andrew

The front of this updated Commodore looks like the original but instead they just didn’t use a ruler for the bottom of the headlights.
TomJ

Also the VE is a very good looking car still, and arguably as fresh looking (if not fresher) than the FG Falcon (which looked much like the BA).

The problem is its familiar, and the Australian public really expect new styling from the local manufacturers every 3 years.

The VE is only 4 years old, think about that, 4 years, and has had a raft of updates. At the time of release it was one of the most attractive sedans in the world (germany included).

These new models really are just a perfection of form of what the VE should have been from day one.

I say all these positives, BUT, i think by 2013 when we get the substantially facelifted Commodore, the VE will be looking very tired.

EFGT

They have done bugger all, different wheels badges here and there, few different plastic inserts, nothing worth getting excited about

Nick K

What have they done to the front end? A backward step in a subtle makeover. The E85 move is smart though. I’d consider a Sportwagon if it came with a 7 seat option, otherwise I find the Commodore unnecessarily big.
tekkyy

good work to the engineers in the last 2 years
bit by bit you’ve done it!

9.1L/100km
Camry, Mazda6, and Accord Euro (8.8, 8.7, 8.9) are gonna be squeezed on that part

Aleks

I doubt they will, because the Camry, Mazda6 and Accord Euro will actually achieve those numbers, I know this for a fact and they will get better. But I doubt the commodore will do 9.1. Its like when they said the BF II falcon does 10.7L I don’t know of a single owner getting better then 12L.

Shak

Thats what always baffles me. All manufacturers get their fuel figures from ADR 81 compliance testing, and are subject to the same conditions. So why do certain cars actually perform much better, and some cars much worse. You would expect all cars to use more fuel as the test does not factor in driving conditions and wind resistance, but people always say that Commodores achieve much worse than quoted ADR results. Why is this? I agree with you from experience that the 4 bangers will probably use that much or less and the Commodore will use more, but WHY?
David

Hi, I have a toyota camry sportivo, with a claimed usage of around 8.8litres per hundred kilometres. I consistently get 15-16litres per 100km, why because it needs 5000rpm before I get any decent acceleration and needs the 6500rpm redline to pull onto highways safely. I am no hoon, I’m a rating one driver and have never had any speeding or traffic offences. I can get down to 10 litres per hundred km or even 9 on the highway but usually 15-16 for highway/city average. Correspondingly, I also have a holden commodore and get 10litres per hundred km average, 13 litres in the city and 8-9litres on the highway. I am not saying that 4 cylinders can’t be fuel efficient but I am saying that in real world driving the claimed averages for 4 cylinders are often incorrect.

Aleks

I don’t know how you drive your car mate, But at work we have camry’s, comodores, falcons and 2 of my mates at work have a 6 and accord euro. All automatic. The 6 and the euro waste about the same, all though the six is a bit better. All around the 9L mark, the camry’s waste around 9L as well. The commodore and falcon are 11.5-15L

http://www.caradvice.com.au Jim Goose

just what the driver needs-the distraction of a touchscreen menu.This plus the old hand-held mobile is a disaster waiting to play out. The styling marks no real departure from VE1,though as it was an all-new cutting edge design at the time,Holden will get away with this shortfall….this time! Continuing to use ‘VE’ in the coding will add to the perception that its not really new at all. This strategy may backfire.
filippo

Is the Commodore the only car that still puts the electric window switches on the console? Cmon Holden, it’s 2010 for crying out loud!

http://www.caradvice.com.au George Skentzos

I think that is great actually. It is a family car after all and Mum in the passenger seat is just as likely to operate the car windows as Dad in the driver’s seat. At least this way you don’t have to distract Dad while he is driving just to fiddle with the windows.

macca85

hmmm a new touch screen and a little bit of interior.
The most important update to the ve which is the e85 and I would have to say its brilliant, so where do I fill up??? Everything on the news has been about this car being green and good for the enviroment but did everyone forget to mention that you cannot easily buy e85. Seems like a massive Holden cash injection into advertising and no facts as usual. Both Ford and Holden need to pull it together you cannot have a great looking car like the ve but with crap interior and hope that a fancy touchscreen distracts from the issue. As well as Ford having a brilliant interior but an exterior which is “so so” for the majority of the models until you get to the fpv range which looks great. And dont get me started on the ford ute change the tub you idiots!! the ute looks out of proportion this time the BF looked hot this thing looks weird. Fords saving grace is the territory which still looks great. They both need to pull it together or the european cars will be the only cars on our Australian roads.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Jim Goose

I’m totally with you on the FG ute,it is weird at the back-especialy in base form,though it looks great as a trayback,and I prefer traybacks generally. The Territory has aged very gracefully,but like Helen Mirren….a nice body in need of a bit of a facelift.