- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.8i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 304Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 8.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
NA
- Ancap Safety
NA
1995 Holden Commodore Executive review
I was after a Commodore for a bit of a project and my first car. I have always liked the Commodores and I was getting my Ls in six months, so I started looking for one.
- Price
- Reliability
- Handling
- Powerful V6 and RWD
- Size
- Fuel economy
- No longer building Aussie Commodores
I really liked the ’90s era Commodores, especially the VR–VS series, so when a one-owner 1995 VS Executive popped up, I had to go and have a look. It was a one-owner car its whole life with only 179,100km on it and it had a full Holden service history. It also had all of the options including the country suspension pack, driver airbag, ABS and a transmission cooler.
The older fella was going into a nursing home and just wanted to get rid of it. So, for $1000 the Commodore was mine. Eighteen months on, the car is going great. It has crossed the Nullarbor twice and has been used as a daily.
There's really not much to not like about this car for this price. It seats five comfortably and has heaps of leg room in the back. Its boot is also pretty big and really not too much smaller than an SUV, and you can fit all sorts of awkward items in it thanks to the ski port. Obviously, the cabin is pretty dated due to the car's age, but the cabin still remains practical and feels roomy compared to a comparable, newer car.
The car's design, even though again dated and 23 years old, still looks good and doesn't look stupid. How does the Commodore drive? It drives like a Commodore should: heaps of power from the big 3.8-litre Ecotec up front, and the four-speed auto does the job and really doesn't feel like it needs another gear.
The ride and handling are perfect – suited to city driving, but is at home on country roads. It also handled the Nullarbor nicely cruising at up to 140km/h easily. The Commodore has been really reliable, never had a breakdown in that last 18 months, and hasn't required any major work. The only thing I have done to it is replace the rotors and pads and just serviced it a few times.
The car has also been pretty practical. It has carted the family around town and across Australia with ease. The only letdown is the fuel economy around town, but it's to be expected with the size of the car and the size of the engine.
Overall, the Commodore has been great, and just shows you really don't need to spend much to get a car that has a bit of power, is reliable, and in new condition.