My girlfriends review of a brand new VE SV6 Ute

[4.0i_SiX]

As the title suggets, my girlfriend arrived home after spending the day in a brand new VE SV6 work ute. She is completely unbiased and knows next to nothing about cars. Granted she drives a BA Futura but her previous car was a Holden vectra and her dads car is a VT calais which she enjoys driving.

Her exact words were, I drove a brand new commodore SV6 ute today. My reply ( expecting the worst, ie "I want to trade in the BA for one" ) What did you think?

Her reply to my relief, It was ok but............It felt pretty slow, the motor was very noisy ( she described the sound which cracked me up) , the steering was heavy and the handbrake was very flimsy. She thought the interior was pretty tacky and much preferred everything about her BA.

She said it was "ok" but if she were looking for a new ute and test drove it, she would be very disappointed. Keep in mind this is someone who doesnt know jack all about cars. How do Holden sell so many cars to the masses? I dont want this to be a Holden bashing thread by any means, but its painfully obvious which is the better car to drive

[Grippy]

Sounds like you've got yourself a keeper (girlfriend that is)

[grandpa_spec_F6]

I drove the SV6 ute (2010 model) when they first came out, we had it as a work basher... it was fun for the first 10kms, until you try and use the gearbox in 'sports shift' mode. Then things go downhill....

Laggy gearbox, tacky interior, horrible visibility (especially with the canopy on) which I can only liken to playing russian roulette when changing lanes.

I'm a big fan of the sedans, can't stand the utes. My 2c.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by 4.0i_SiX

As the title suggets, my girlfriend arrived home after spending the day in a brand new VE SV6 work ute. She is completely unbiased and knows next to nothing about cars. Granted she drives a BA Futura but her previous car was a Holden vectra and her dads car is a VT calais which she enjoys driving.

Her exact words were, I drove a brand new commodore SV6 ute today. My reply ( expecting the worst, ie "I want to trade in the BA for one" ) What did you think?

Her reply to my relief, It was ok but............It felt pretty slow, the motor was very noisy ( she described the sound which cracked me up) , the steering was heavy and the handbrake was very flimsy. She thought the interior was pretty tacky and much preferred everything about her BA.

She said it was "ok" but if she were looking for a new ute and test drove it, she would be very disappointed. Keep in mind this is someone who doesnt know jack all about cars. How do Holden sell so many cars to the masses? I dont want this to be a Holden bashing thread by any means, but its painfully obvious which is the better car to drive

She should drive the falcon ute then.
I don't think the falcon ute has as much room in the back.
If it was a V8 como ute there would be no complaint about the noise.

[04redxr8]

I don't mind my Commodore ute. I would prefer a Falcon though. And I agree the sound in V8 is pretty good. (the only plus over my Falcon).

[Ford_The_Win]

Why do they keep selling so well? It has nothing to do with the car itself, how it looks or drives. The answer is simple.

It's a Holden, maaaaate!

It's culturally ingrained - part of that "Australian dream" that cropped up in the prosperity of the post-war era. Mummy and Daddy, two kids, three bedroom house on 1/4 acre block, white picket fence, and a new Holden in the drive.

[glavas]

maybe because its a sv6? if it was a ssv or a maloo im sure she would have liked it.

[Trevor 57]

Lets compare apples with apples here, how many SV6 utes sell compared to XR6 Utes?

Over 80% of new car sales are to fleets, and fleets by on price and change over price, nothing more, nothing less.

[Ben73]

I drove brand new sv6, omega and xr6. The xr6 was miles ahead and I was majorly disappointed with the sv6. Not worth the money.

[EB#]

Originally Posted by mick_1010

Why do they keep selling so well? It has nothing to do with the car itself, how it looks or drives. The answer is simple.
It's a Holden, maaaaate!
It's culturally ingrained - part of that "Australian dream" that cropped up in the prosperity of the post-war era. Mummy and Daddy, two kids, three bedroom house on 1/4 acre block, white picket fence, and a new Holden in the drive.

It's amazing how the the Holden brand has hung onto it's "Aussie icon" type
status, even though the Commodores used to be re-branded Opels, and
many models are now Daewoos with a lion badge....
Clever marketing I guess.. ?

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by mick_1010

It's a Holden, maaaaate!

It's culturally ingrained - part of that "Australian dream"

I was robbed I asked Thrifty rent a car for my $80 back.
Test drive a Cruze, it's the most horrible new car I have ever driven, concrete seats, 2.0L engine that feels like 200cc engine....

We had a VE SV6 for a day, gutless compared to the Falcon.

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

I was robbed I asked Thrifty rent a car for my $80 back.
Test drive a Cruze, it's the most horrible new car I have ever driven, concrete seats, 2.0L engine that feels like 200cc engine....

We had a VE SV6 for a day, gutless compared to the Falcon.

They shouldve called it the Cruze SL/R in honour of Gemmys

As for the SV6, havent driven one of them specifically. I have driven a VE with the old Alloytec V6, it really was a gutless POS that had no idea what gear to stay in.

[tapeworm]

from past experience the auto gear box is always hideous in commodore

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by Scotty85

They shouldve called it the Cruze SL/R in honour of Gemmys
.

I was thinking Camira.

I too cannot understand how anyone could drive any of the other large cars on offer at the moment and buy a Commodore.

[spvd02]

Holden seem to keep their cars looking fresher, and I think advertising has a huge role to play in this. They advertise their new IQ system like it's the next big invention after the wheel, and that SIDI - wow it's amazing! The advertising is very clever, and leaves one thinking if it's not a Holden, it's not as good. The effect of their advertising is incredible IMO..

[AUfairmont00]

Fords always have been and always will be, better.

[kezzer]

People saying they are gutless? They recorded better times in Motor mag then the ford xr6.

[oranpark addict]

I wouldnt call many 6 cylinders in this day and age gutless. What would you guys be like if you went for a drive in a 4 cylinder?

[MexicanBatman]

well the camry hybrid 4 cyl thing is faster than the 3.0L sidi

and thats an economy car, there are plenty of pepppy 4's, just as long as its not a 2.0 or less and auto

[Fireblade]

Its all relative I guess, can't say I'm impressed with my XR6 at all, come to think of it wish I hadn't been conned by the missus to buy it. Been in many Holdens and Fords over the years and have always been impressed with the domestic offerings in the performance range, outside of that they do not excite me one bit.

[oranpark addict]

Point taken.

As F6 FOON says, It's all relative.

[FocusLX06]

She is right about the noise. It must be a V6 thing 'cause the Kluger suffers from the same problem.

[Brazen]

Having recently bought a SV6 Sportwagon, im suprised they sell as many as they do. The current Commodore is focused too much at the enthusiast and not enough at the mums and A-B drivers.

The wheels sticking out by 3 inches outside of the body make it handle but its a bugger to park, the battery in the boot helps give the car 50-50 weight distribution but it reduces bootspace, the thick pillars make the car very stiff but it reduces visability.

There are many aspects to the Commodore that they spent money on which probably wasnt necessary, the rear suspension is georgous, but they perhaps should of saved 50 milllion and put it into the handbrake and power window switches. The new direct injected 3.6 motor hammers like a 350Z but they should of made it less noisy (although I like it).

Ive had the SV6 for two days now and LOVE IT. Best car I have ever owned. Fast, incredibly good handling, grip is fantastic, brakes are great for a standard car. Wagon practicality is already being used with picking up a washing machine and carting the dog. Getting low 8s in highway consumption and it isnt even run in. Solid as a rock at high speeds and it turns heads in my town. The series 2 improvements with touchscreen makes it feel a generation newer.

Having said all that, I would be in a FG wagon if it existed. But so far very happy with the car.

[bigsta]

The SV6 is a bit nosier over the standard as it has the sports exhaust package but most ppl spending the extra $$ on the SV6 appreciate that garble.

If i needed a work ute i would go for either a diesel Colorado or a falcon ute, the commodore is 10 times better to drive but all that changes once you throw more than a few hundred kilos in the back it turns to a dog where as you can put a tonne in the falcon or Colorado and not notice it.

the rangers are crap and the hilux is a joke with no where near the reliability of the old model, the v6 version is not available on the dual cab and my mate did in 2 4 cylinder heads towing with it.

so for work = falcon or diesel Colorado
for show = commodore ute

[jamesson1980]

similar thing but other way round, my sister's boyfriend who has an 08 VE SV6 sedan, scooted down the bottle'o in my FG on Saturday evening and came back convinced he wanted to swap me. He mentioned the FG feeling far lighter and zippier but also far more solid with more tourque too.. oh and much, much quieter. Never even sat in an SV6 myself but this isn't the first time an SV6 fan has given a glowing review of an FG.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by jamesson1980

similar thing but other way round, my sister's boyfriend who has an 08 VE SV6 sedan, scooted down the bottle'o in my FG on Saturday evening and came back convinced he wanted to swap me. He mentioned the FG feeling far lighter and zippier but also far more solid with more tourque too.. oh and much, much quieter. Never even sat in an SV6 myself but this isn't the first time an SV6 fan has given a glowing review of an FG.

I think the FG would have to have one of the best ride/handling and engine/trans combos out there. But still the steering for me is the highlight, they really are fantastic cars even in base model form.

[jamesson1980]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I think the FG would have to have one of the best ride/handling and engine/trans combos out there. But still the steering for me is the highlight, they really are fantastic cars even in base model form.

they are indeed. and even in past models, falcons have always felt tough and powerful and just overly better than the Commo even though they aren't always quicker, a fine example is the EA-VN comparison. Previos model Commos I've tried always feel like 'hollow' power, like all squeal with no real guts. And your above comment was good too, Ford really dropped the ball scrapping the wagon. Yeh, I know, we're all gonna say, Territory this, and global platform that, but an FG wagon with full engine options (not just the BF donk and glorified EA 4speed), woulda stolen so many Wagon fans away from Holden's wild VE examples. So much potential, if only someone at Ford had taken the punt on a new wagon.

[4.0i_SiX]

Originally Posted by bigsta

The SV6 is a bit nosier over the standard as it has the sports exhaust package but most ppl spending the extra $$ on the SV6 appreciate that garble.

Yeah I asked her if it was the exahust and she said no, the engine was far noisier/harsher than her BA. Which I think even by todays standards is a nice quiet and smooth engine. The Commodores are sold before the buyer enters the dealership. If only they test drove the Falcon first....