Holden Commodore Australia’s favourite car for 15 years | Car Advice

Car Advice

Holden Commodore Australia’s favourite car for 15 years

By Tim Beissmann |

Today’s VFACTS data has confirmed the Holden Commodore is the top-selling new vehicle in Australia for the 15th consecutive year.

Holden sold 45,956 Commodores throughout 2010 – 1569 more than in 2009 – placing it 4324 units ahead of the second-placed Toyota Corolla.

The Commodore was also well clear of its traditional Australian-made rival, the Ford Falcon, which managed just 29,516 sales – less than two-thirds of the Holden.

The Commodore figure does not include sales of the Commodore-based Holden Ute (which totaled 11,405 for 2010, down from 12,104 in 2009), or the long-wheelbase Statesman and Caprice (1999 combined for 2010, down from 2039).

Its 3.5 percent sales increase is even more impressive when compared with the rest of the sub-$70K large car segment, which declined more than 10 percent (when Commodore sales are excluded).

The Commodore range received a boost in the second half of the year when Holden introduced the long-awaited VE Series II in September 2010, around four years after the initial launch of the VE in 2006.

Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mike Devereux, said after more than 30 years on sale, the Commodore continued to resonate with Australian drivers.

“It’s our intention for Commodore to be the country’s top-selling car for many years to come – we’ll do this by continually improving the vehicle to ensure it remains relevant for Australian motorists,” Mr Devereux said.

Holden also enjoyed significant sales success in 2010 with the Cruze small sedan – delivering 28,334 units in its first full year on sale – as well as Barina and Captiva 5.


 
  • bob

    kind of appropriate that the first picture is of a “taxi” yellow holden.

    • Sumpguard

      Why?

      I haven’t seen a commodore taxi newer than a VS here in Cairns. Plenty of Falcons , far more Prius but not a single VE commodore. Are you suggesting they are the biggest seller on the back of cab sales? I’d like to see those stats.

      • I am Ben 10

        Ive seen a few VE Commodores for cabs where i live, but they are seemingly moving to hybrids more and more, instead of the traditional falcons and commodores

      • bob

        oh sumpy. A commodore is a commodore no matter what year it was made and there is a fair portion of taxi sales in the last 15 years. just like there is a fair portion of rental sales for the corrolla and falcon XR6. Face it, Commodore is a taxi favourite.

        I dont know exact taxi figures but a quick wiki search will show you that the commodore is in decline, the current sales figures are half of what they used to sell 10 years ago and the market is getting bigger.

        • http://proton Stoney!

          As is the WHOLE large car market, improved sales over last year is a good sign.

        • Dave S

          The taxis over here (Southern Tasmania) seem to be equal parts BA Falcon, Current Camry, Prius and WH Statesman.

          Most of the Government fleets here seem to be Camrys or smaller.

          So I cant see where the taxi comments are comming from.

    • Frenchie

      Haven’t seen too many V8 taxi’s around either!!!

    • Suntory time

      Another brain dead taxi comment. Do some research chump & you’ll quickly find the VE (V8 equipped) is a superb drivers machine.

  • Toyota Camry lover

    Holden enlightened the motoring community approximately 12 to 18 months ago stating their intention to reduce the weight and increase the fuel efficiency of the Commodore model to better compete with medium-sized four-cylinder competitors.

    This does not go far enough, as it is imperative that Holden release a hybrid version of the Commodore to compete with the class-leading, locally-manufactured Toyota Hybrid Camry. Fuel prices are on a relentless increase, and Holden needs to be ready for this inexorability, just like Toyota is currently.

    Holden could fit a lower displacement engine of 2.0 litres or more (up to 2.5 litres) and boost the output and efficiency by appending a full-scale electric motor and battery pack.

    Motorists who are inclined to purchase from Holden, but are concerned about running costs and sensitive towards their carbon footprint would have their fears alleviated with this advanced hybrid option. Holden must better accommodate the welfare of the environmental realm.

    • Kasa

      Answer: Buy an LPG version of the said car. Problem solved.

    • I am Ben 10

      Do you ever not blow the toyota trumpet? tis annoying

    • Robin Graves

      Too bad about all the babies born with 2 heads downstream from the battery plant in China, not to mention the coal-fired energy used to manufacture the batteries and mine the rare-earth metals.

      • I am Ben 10

        Totally agree. Hybrids will never be as environmentally friendly as high fuel efficient internal combustion engines like the fiesta econetic and VW Blue motion polo

        • Mikey_94

          Ben 10, the Fiesta ECOnetic is actually a diesel. However i still totally agree with your point :)

          • phase3

            a diesel engine is still an internal combustion engine.

        • Hooda

          Hybrids are good for stop-start traffic and taxis like Toyota Prius Taxis.

          • Sumpguard

            Small capacity ,high output engines are the next big thing. This year will see many models including Ford Falcon, Hoklden Cruze and Kia Cerato to name a few (I’ll bet Hyundai are in there) using small capacity turbo/ supercharged engines.

            Why? Cost effective, efficient ,light weight, low emission and powerful. No brainer.

            Until a major advancement in battery technology lands the hybrid will be expensive, filthy to manufacture and more importantly dispose of and heavy.

            More importantly the new ecoboost and alternative type of engines won’t need a massive outlay for new batteries just after their warranty expires. Again, no brainer.

            One day hybrids might actually be the way to go, but not yet.

    • rentakeyboard

      Put yr cardie on and go hm nanna!

    • phase3

      not to mention the fact that the Camry Hybrid drivetrain is fully imported from Japan, with all the environmental concerns that result from that…
      i still fail to see what the millions that the government gave to Toyota was for, since they didn’t do any developement and don’t even manufacture the hybrid drivetrain locally at all…
      on that note, a friend just bought a Camry Hyrbid, and on day 3 the electronics f-ed up. Toyota tell him it will be 4 to 6 weeks to get a replacement ABS relay from Japan. That’s bloody ridiculous for a car manufactured locally.

  • David H

    Bit sad that we still buy such a dinosaur in such numbers.

    • nickdl

      I know! The Mazda 3 is so much better than the Corolla. Still, it’s climbing up the charts.

    • Kasa

      How is it a dinosaur? Foolish comment, because this drives so well for such a large car and it uses as little fuel as some 4cyl cars. This and the falcon are absolutely stunning cars to drive, ride in and look at. I suppose you think a classy, sophisticated vehicle is a small Rav4 like SUV.

      • geegee

        Commodore and Falcon classy?????? You got to be joking!

        • Swagger

          Its and Australian middle class car,large,powerful cheap to buy and maintain.

          Its not like a small,tinnie,fwd European middle class car.

          • Robert

            people keep saying that the new commo’s and falcons are really average interior wise, i have to disagree, if you pay a bit extra for the sport models aka sv6 or xr6. the interior is actually quite nice, probably the base models that suck so much

  • RickyC

    1999 Statesman/Caprice rofl. They couldn’t manage to sell ONE more??

    • Trouble

      What’s your point?

  • ScottT

    Shows how many are content to put up with poor quality

    • Captain Nemo

      Scotty

      I’m guessing that’s why Volkswagen are now in the top 10 the “uneducated unwashed” masses are happy with breakdown prone VeeDubs.

      • nickdl

        Oh but I’m so happy to pay more for a European and therefore premium car…

        • Captain Nemo

          Nick

          Your not seriously suggesting VeeDub is a premium car company there nothing more than German Toyotas.

          Its just that the unwashed masses in Australia think Volkswagen are “premium” simply because of their euro heritage even though some are not even made in Europe .

          • nickdl

            Jeez it’s hard to get sarcasm across on the keyboard. I’d have a Ford over a VW any day.

          • http://proton Stoney!

            They are premium, premium interiors (read high quality), premium drive trains (dsg and small capacity turbo), premium features (park assist, adjustable suspension etc.)

      • Robin Graves

        What do you call Holden buyers then if VW buyers are uneducated and unwashed? A Holden lover calling VW’s breakdown prone, please, if there ever was a lemon on sale today its called a Craptiva.

        • Captain Nemo

          Miss Graves I’m not a Holden fan never owned a Commodore. But you have finally proven that your a Ford fairy with your comments. BTW it’s a bit rich calling a Captiva a lemon when there is so many Terror-tories out there with ball joint problems.

  • Realcars

    How about all the dooshes that buy the second best seller the Corolla. At least Commodore gives you bang for your buck whereas Corolla is worst in class.

    Save your pity for Corolla buyers.LOL.

    Hybrid Camry isn’t selling either.Just canabilising Avalon I mean Aurion sales. Maybe Toyota should do the Lexcen thing again.

    • Toyota Camry lover

      Each to his or her own. I consider the eminent Corolla model to be a stellar choice in the small car segment, and could 41,632 motorists really misjudge a less competitve car for the class superlative?

      • HP

        You say 41,632 motorists but personally I wouldn’t classify fleet sales as being chosen by motorists, more chosen by businesses.

        If you want to look at the sales where people actually choose to buy the car then you need to go to private sales figures and I’m pretty sure that when it comes to private sales the Mazda3 is actually first in its class, not the Corolla.

        • Golfschwein

          If you soccer a goal through in AFL, it’s still a goal, right? Who cares who buys them? Someone, somewhere, makes an informed decision to do so, and the result is the top selling car in the country.

          • Joker

            Informed decisions on the vehicle itself don’t count for much when it comes to price. $$$ Reigns supreme (I.e Fleet buyers). A True informed choice would taking into account more than that.

          • Eric

            No The article says “Holden Commodore Australia’s favourite car for 15 years”

            It suggests that private buyer who test dive a few cars and do online comparisons ect ect. Have chosen to buy a Holden Commodore.

            This is not the case, a percentage are fleet buys who buy on fleet discounts and corporate deals.

            Same can be said for Toyota.

            “Mazda M3 Australia’s favourite car” Is a more accurate statement.

            Eric

      • Devil’s Advocate

        Don’t you mean the 41,631 Corollas purchased by fleets TCL and the 1 purchased by a private buyer who didn’t know any better? (I know it is a large exaggeration but you get what I mean)
        If you go off the buying public using their own money and not fleets, the Mazda3 out-sells the Corolla in the ‘small’ car class by quite a reasonable margin. IIRC the Mazda3 even beats the Commodore most months in private sales.
        The Corolla is such a hit with fleets because Toyota offer quite substantial fleet discounts and NOT because it is a the most competitive car and a “class superlative”. Afterall, for a fleet the bottom line counts more than anything else.
        Most private buyers only buy the Corolla because they are set in their ways and/or didn’t bother to test drive any other car in it’s class…

        • RickyC

          Commodore fleet sales are close to 80%. Meaning private sales of Commodore are approx 9,000. I think it’s safe to say Mazda3 is more popular with private buyers!

      • Toyota Camry lover

        My wife and I are acquainted with several (private) Toyota Corolla owners, one of which is onto her fifth, with another on his fourth. Private buyers purchase these vehicles in very substantial numbers, a fact which can be verified by the number encountered on the road without enterprise decals.

        With stability control, six airbags, and rear electric windows now standard equipment, the Corolla is even more competitive in the intricate small-car class. The Corolla is a very refined car, with minimal road, wind, and engine noise; one of the most influential factors in the purchase of an automobile for many motorists.

        • Devil’s Advocate

          Not all fleet cars have “enterprise decals” you know. It still doesn’t change the fact that the Corolla is not the biggest selling car in it’s class for private sales and hasn’t been for quite some time now. Rear electric windows? Wow, how novel and good to see Toyota have finally caught up with the majority of the other cars in the class. Maybe one day they will offer more than a 4 speed auto and an engine greater than 1.8L across the entire range and not just in the overpriced top end models (even though the 2L gives a whopping 2kw extra power to offset the extra weight of all the ‘luxury appointments’). Toyota are becoming too lazy…

        • sandy stone

          Yes i back camry lover’s comments about the quietness of the corolla , most of us turn our hearing aids off at the nursing home , so they are very subdued .

          However we do not like the 4 speed auto its very jerky and quite lethargic like us in its urge to move on .

          Some of our inmates have moved to korean cars with modern 5 and 6 speed autos , so smooth .

          • HP

            I completely agree about the 4 speed auto, being a student I had to settle for a fairly old car with a 4 speed auto and while it is the thing I hate most about my car I can understand it being in a 14 year old car.

            The Corolla on the other hand is a brand new car and Toyota really need to up their game a bit with an extra ratio or 2 to keep up with the competition.

        • Joker

          Along with Minimal driver feedback, Minimal Handling, Minimal taste in interior design. I see your point but at the same time, I still don’t get it.
          Me personally, I would agree with Drive’s/CA’s decision on the Mid Sizer and go with a Mondeo over a Camry…. or for less than a mid class Corolla, a TDCI Focus with 6 speed powershift..

        • rentakeyboard

          if you add all Cdor4e variants you come up with 59300.
          \”could 59300 motorists really misjudge a less competitve car for the class superlative?\”

      • Kasa

        41,632 people probaly thought a corrola was better than a bicycle.

      • phase3

        Top seller does not equal best in class or class superlative. all it really means is that Toyota have the best fleet discounts and probably the best marketing of the locals.
        I’ve personally owned a few corollas, and in no way were they purchased because they were the “best” – it was about buying the most reliable car available for the money that i had.
        toyota make safe, reliable and boring cars. they don’t do anything class-leading, but nor do they do anything class-trailing.

        • Billionaire Bot

          Too true. Look how many albums Nickelback sell…

  • Shak

    CA are you sure the figure doesnt include the Ute, because that figure is quite amazing if you do include the ute.

    • http://www.caradvice.com.au Tim Beissmann

      Shak

      In total, 59,362 locally manufactured Holden vehicles were registered in Australia in 2010. Adding the figures for Commodore, Ute and Statesman/Caprice gives 59,360. The remaining two vehicles are not accounted for, but we expect they may have been Cruze prototypes.

      Tim Beissmann

      • Joker

        Tim,

        Do we know what share of these were private sales?
        IMO, that’s where it counts in terms of popularity.

        • Technofreak

          Totally agree on this point. These figures a total malarkey if real popularity is considered.

    • bob

      Actually shak its not,

      In 1998 the sold 94,642
      even in 2007 they sold 57,307

      thats of commodores and variants, not other models

      • Shak

        Im talking about todays world. in 1998, many factors combined to provide that figure.

  • Modern Man

    Although i am a ford fan through and through coudl someone please tell me how a commodore or a falcon of today is classified as a dinosour. They have extremely fuel efficient engines considering their size and capacity to lug around a family including their luggage (something a hybrid camry can’t do), they all have a five star crash rating world class suspension systems and in car technology that you have to pay squillions of dollars for in luxury cars. How much for bluetooth in an audi or bmw. more than $1500- in most cases. Ford also has a car better than camry that competes in the medium class called the mondeo. better fuel consumption (even against the hybrid) Cheaper and with more technology than a 5series or e class. look beyond your nose and see that toyota needs to lift their game considerably to be in contention, even if it is just on the saftey front. 4 stars for a new car. please don’t make me laugh.

    • Richo

      Because they’re one trick ponies Modern Man, its much easier to just classify anything Holden as a dinosour rather then come up with a well reasoned and factual argument.

      Fact of the matter is both the Commodore and Falcon are have very modern and sophistacted suspension setups, the Commodore is built off a brand new state of the art platform, the Ford I6 is as good an engine as your likely to find anywhere and has a 6 speed auto shared with BMW’s and Mercedes, and the economy Holden gets out of the Commodores with the DI V6′s is competitive with any european manufacturer when comaparing models of similar size and engine capacity.

  • UMWHAT

    maybe by dinosaur they mean they’re as ugly as one?

  • Henry

    Agreed ‘Modern Man’ you do pay like $4000 for Sattelite Navigation them lux cars and about the Holden Epica been a bad Car I would buy it over a camry any day most of the features are the same 4 star crash, 6 stack CD, Auto on Headlamps, etc and u can get the Epica For cheaper!

    • nickdl

      Or you could get a Hyundai i45 which is slightly better to drive, better looking and nicer in general. All for much cheaper.

      • RickyC

        i45 is not cheaper than Epica. Epica is $23,990 drive-away for the auto. i45 is $31,090 + ORC.

        • bangel

          The epica is an epic failure , i wouldnt pay more than 16k drive away for such an uninteresting ugly car .

          However it and the i45 have the worst handling in this class by far , even the camry handles better than these , and thats saying something .

          • RickyC

            And I suppose you’ve driven both the i45 and Camry, have you? I highly doubt it.

          • MattW

            We had an Epica as a hire car once… I’d rather ride a bicycle back from Sydney to Newcastle

        • nickdl

          Ok I take back the cheaper part but it is still an all round better car which will inevitably have better resale than the Epica. Plus because it’s better you would want to keep it for longer. But I’d probably take a base Camry considering I’ve got an ABN number.

  • bangel

    Significantly 10 years ago they were selling double this amount of commers , biggest seller in a shrinking BIG car market , means nothing .

    They way this part of the market is going , it should see off the falcon before long , the viability must be a struggle .

  • Goodfa

    I predict that the Commodore will lose the number one status if not this year definetly next year unless Holden has something up its sleeve very soon to Freshen the look of the Commodore both outside and inside.

    The good news for Holden is that Cruze maybe the new number 1 next year.(if prices are kept down)

    I cannot understand how Toyota sell so many of those bland Corolla’s.

    • Sumpguard

      It won’t be the styling that kills it but rather the slow upward spiral of petrol prices as the world economy recovers. Every 10 cents at the bowser means a fall in the sales of large, relatively thirsty cars.

      • Richo

        If you look at the economy trends of both the Commodore and Falcon, they have been keeping in line with european manufacturers and in some cases ahead of the curve.

        People just think “Commodore + V6, must be bad on fuel” but when you look at the facts, the Commodore Omega uses just 0.2L/100km more fuel then a Toyota Camry, but has 70kw more… I know which I’d rather own

        • Sumpguard

          I agree with you Richo and my post has been misinterpreted. It is a perception thing in this country that large cars are thirsty. Hence why the ignorant flock to corollas. As fuel prices go up, holden’s commodore sales go into decline.

          Notice I said “relatively thirsty”.

          I’m also not surprised at its consumption v’s Camry. Toyota kept making the Camry heavier and thirsty but stuck with a 4 cylinder engine. the result is a given. I notice they don’t run any fuel efficiency ads for the Aurion V6. If they did people would discover it uses less than the 4 cylinder car it was built from.

        • MattW

          A few friends of mine with the “oh that’s a gas guzzler” have then gone and bought SUVs without actually looking at how much they use lmao. Then they bitch and moan about 2 months later when I explain to them that my XR6T uses less fuel than their SUV

    • Devil’s Advocate

      3 words. Substantial Fleet Discounts…

    • RickyC

      Another car that I can’t understand the successs of is the i30. It’s blandly styled, has the same old 4-speed auto as the Corolla, and is just about the same price. I can’t understand why it sells in such large numbers – must be a large fleet proportion there. The Mazda3 is far superior and only about $500 more.

      • Andrew M

        And while you are on the Hyundai train, what about the Getz??
        That thing is a solid little seller, and I cant figure it.
        Getz is worse than Barina

        • Robin Graves

          Getz is 10 times better than a Barina, I know 10×0 is still 0 but at least the Getz is reliable, doesnt rattle and squeak after 30k and takes a bit of punishment. Have you actually driven both?

          • Andrew M

            Yes I have,
            both arent much chop, But I reckon to be fair, the Barina is just an inch better.

            Seats front and rear are a bit better, fit and finish is a bit better, and ergonomics are also just that bit better.

            Either way, Im always surprised each month that the Getz is a solid top 10 seller

        • Al Juraj

          Obviously, neither of these cars were made to give buyers great drives. Their interior materials are just poor, but the lower driveaway prices are such an attraction especially to those who want something new but cannot afford anything better. A used Yaris or Jazz would be a lot nicer.

  • Richo

    Having to get a new IP so car websites can’t block you… wow your my hero! You must be like the bestest person ever with the biggest penis of any man on the planet!

    • Mikey_94

      I’m upset that I can’t vote you ‘up’ more times :D

  • Richo

    Having to get a new IP so car websites can’t block you… wow your my hero! You must be like the bestest person ever with the biggest dong of any man on the planet!

    • Andrew M

      Yep, must be an exciting life to go to so much trouble too be visibly making a fool of himself.

      Its borderline physcotic, it really is.

  • Shak

    Completely agree with Richo. If you were to go up to Joe Citizen on the street and ask them what they thought of a Commodore or Falcon, they would instantly say lots of room, equipment but very thirsty. The fact of the matter is we finally have two cars that Can compete on almost all levels with much more expensive opposition from Germany and Japan.

  • Mark

    Your all a bunch of w&%nkers. Get a life and stop bickering about useless crap.

    • Billionaire Bot

      Welcome to the internet princess.

  • Pauly

    Well done Holden, I think 2011 will be the year of the Holden Cruze. With the sedan being built here very soon and with the hatch and hot hatch variants being launched later in the year, it’s going to put alot of pressure on Toyota, Mazda, Honda and Volkswagen.

    2012 will be the year of the Holden Volt and all the hype that will come from that.

    Holden have it all planned out and I can’t see their sales dropping anytime soon.

  • The Realist

    “Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mike Devereux, said after more than 30 years on sale, the Commodore continued to resonate with Australian drivers.”

    So how many were sold to private buyers then? Will Holden make a profit in 2011 FY? They haven’t for six years now… shame tax payers pay billions to keep the 100% American company afloat…

    • JEKYL & HYDE

      just so long as it’s all YOUR taxable income,WE ALL don’t give a toss,after all,someone who come afford a 5 series is being paid to much,and not taxed enough…

      • Tomas79

        So you are saying anyone working hard to earn enough income to purchase a BMW 5 series, should have his wealth stolen by the government to fund bum low lifes on wealthfare such as your self?!!
        Typical labour muppet mentality!!

        • jekyl & hyde

          if you wish you to big note yourself constantly like the realist does,then yes,quite frankly.i hope you and him fall off your social ladder,clipping every step on the way down…

          by the way dipstick,i’ve never taken a dole payment in my life…

          is it the liberal party’s wish to crush the likes of the middle class,like say george bushes party tried to in the states.history on the wall there.by the way,i’ll be voting liberal in the nsw state election.labor have lost their way…

    • Shak

      SO we shouldn’t give any assistance to Ford or Toyota either?

      • Tomas79

        Yes sir

  • John

    “Just because it is popular does not mean it is good”. Macca’s is popular but it is sh*t that only tastes good when you are either drunk as a skunk or so hungry that the local rodent population looks edible!

    • Robert

      Believe it or not, i actually know people who don’t mind maccas lol

  • Save It for the track

    What will assist Holden viability is sales to the US. Yes Holden & Ford have made improvements and refinements over the years, but where Holden has it over Ford is marketing. taking an objective look at a Commodore, people should see thagt it has many shortcomings. poor handbrake placement/shape and action, woeful air conditioning for Australian conditions, including small vents that can’t be moved as far as you would like, the persistence in putting the window controls in the centre, the 12V plug inside the centre armrest, in the v8 the six speed auto is not a patch on the ZF used in Falcon, and now there is buzz around with mechanics not recommending people buy a v6 (is that an impending ACA or TT story there??). But as for the air condtioning and the other issues I consider to be poor, many would not as they have only ever driven Commodores or other Holdens over the years and don’t know any better. The way i see Commodore and even falcon is that only in recent years have they come up to standard of many an older midsize Japanese or European sedan. As for Corolla, please, top seller with fleets and nursing home residents.

  • Craig

    Ive test driven a VE series 2. Not a bad car. There is one reason I wouldnt buy it. Poor resale value, the fact that they are as common as anything and also the fact that they end up being driven by feral bogans and I dont want to be associated in the same class with that lot. Ill stick to my Fiesta thanks

    • JEKYL & HYDE

      and thank your god you didn’t buy a falcon,if you think the commie’s got bad resale.there’s and old saying in the car game…what sells today is what going to be popular tomorrow.think about that one…

      • Robert

        @craig, if it’s a good car, you don’t worry about the investment of the purchase you just enjoy the car you own. but as far as them being bogans cars, i’m sure the bogans i see drive VN’s VP’s they pick up for 1k, not a $30,000 brand new car. thats not a bogan. besides you drive a fiesta, woman much?

    • http://www.jans.com.au Drive safe

      They are very common because they are the top selling car

  • Ox

    If only ford did a falcon wagon…and had a decent marketing dept

  • Ima Hogg

    Sure they are a nice car but for the last 20+ years they have been unreliable pieces of rubbish.

    • Sumpguard

      I’d say closer to 15 of the past 20 years would be telling the truth. The past 5 years or so both Holden and Ford have really lifted their game.

  • BK

    Only a holden. Whats the big fuss about it.

  • UMWHAT

    do you guys think people would buy our Holdens if we exported them to the world

    • Richo

      Well, given that the Commodore was one of the only cars Pontiac could actually sell in the US, and the US customers liked it so much Chev is going to bring it back later this year, and the fact the commodore is very popular in the middle east, then I guess the answer is yes, people do seem to buy them in other places around the world.

    • Tomas79

      They do export them, but it is a flop, such as the g8!

    • Shak

      They are exported to China, Singapore, the UK, A lot of Middle Eastern Countries, and very soon an export program of our Commodore will begin again to the US. And judging by most reviews and reports, people all say the same thing. This is a car that can hold its own against much pricier competition from Germany and Japan. BTW Tomas, the G8 wasnt a flop, just badly timed. It was introduced just as the worst of the GFC hit.

      • Tomas79

        Nah it was a flop, plenty of other cars succeeded during that time! And no, bombadore isn’t anywhere close to the Germans apart from power figures on paper…

        • Bent 8 Brigade

          Maybe Tomas and Robyn could get married and have bitter Australia hating children

  • Byron

    Anyone got December figures for Holden Epica, Colorado, Captiva, Combo & Caprice + axed Statesman

  • Octavian

    Now we just need Holden to design/engineer and produce a more fuel efficient medium sized car within this country for the smaller Australian families.

  • Al Juraj

    It goes to show that for a decade and a half, a simple claim of being Australian triumphs over proper engineering on the charts.

  • anthony

    Corollas will ALWAYS sell because of its brilliant reputation,but its suprising more people dont buy mid size sedans like the VW Jetta and Honda Accord Euro over Commodores,as they are far more efficient,and just as stylish…with far better resale values.

  • paulb

    Just recently drove my BF Fairmont on direct gas injection from Perth to Albany,400km.For a cost of $25 of LPG.In convoy with VE Omega on lpg injection.Spent a lot of time overtaking Korean,Japanese+European saloons.HA,HA,ha,and dirty polluting diesels.Long live the large Aussie sedan

    • My Cars Called T-Rex

      I just want to say the last bit again but louder.

      LONG LIVE THE LARGE AUSSIE SEDAN

      Thankyou

      • http://holden paulb

        You beauty,another proud Aussie in the house

  • paulb

    Wheels Magazine January 2011 (NOx).Nitrogen Oxide Ommisions in Diesel engines are 10 times higher than that of Petrol engines.The end of the diesel engine means the end of THE SUV and turbo diesel ute+big 4wd.The market will all be back in Commodores and Falcons soon

  • Dave S

    People talk about 1 million cars. 1 000 000 cars is a lot of cars. Great for the motoring industry. But my question is total value. What is better 1 million sales with an average 25k sale or 900 000 sales where the average sale is 35k? I wonder if the total sale value of 2010 is less or more than say 10 years ago when small cars had a smaller market share?