Holden Commodore Sportwagon SS V 2014 Review

But realistically, does the big banger wrapped in the trappings of the traditional family wagon warrant inclusion on the new car shopping list in the current era? SUVs are all the rage, after all.

The Holden offers better performance and dynamic ability – both virtues that will be exploited more often in the real world than the often tenuous off-road ability of SUVs. On top of that the Holden concedes little in luggage capacity and interior comfort for five adults, as we learned recently.

Finished in a striking metallic blue ('Perfect Blue'), the Holden on test was a beast to stand out among the pack. And under the bonnet was an alloy V8 to back up the car's visual presence.

Driving through Holden's six-speed automatic to the rear wheels, the engine was docile and tractable – or lazy, to put it another way. Once goaded into action the bent eight delivered on its promise but also showed a hankering for 'Texas tea'. Two adults and two kids insisting on air con set at a level to suit penguins didn't help fuel economy much either. According to the SS V's trip computer, consumption hovered around 17.0L/100km in town, but came down a few litres (to a 'best' average of 12.8L/100km) the more time spent at cruising speed.

Kudos go to the Holden engineers who have worked on the brakes for the VF model, which now halts softly but effectively – and with better feel through the pedal. Ride quality felt initially harsh over smaller bumps, but was more compliant on country roads.

The Sportwagon's handling and grip were dynamically safe for a big-torque wagon with rear-wheel drive, and the steering feedback was commendable, given the VF's electric power assistance. Other than reducing fuel consumption slightly, the big advantage to the new steering system was the automatic park assist, which defaulted to parallel parking with the first press of the button next to the gear lever.

Holding the button pressed a second time facilitated 90-degree reverse parking. So this feature addresses one of the oft-cited reasons why people won't buy a car like the Sportwagon SS V: its large footprint and the associated difficulty parking the car. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a knack involved making the system work to specification, and if you can judge for yourself how much room the car needs to turn you're probably ahead of the computerised system – meaning you can almost certainly park the car faster without the aid of the new-fangled electronic parking wallah. The Sportwagon is actually a pretty easy car to park in the time-honoured way (largish turning circle notwithstanding).

Inside, the Holden features plenty of nice trim materials (piano black gloss acrylic, carbon fibre, suede, leather and satin-finish brightwork), comfortable well-shaped seats with electrically adjustable lumbar support and the excellent infotainment systems, including Holden's MyLink, among the key elements of the VF upgrade.

MyLink can navigate you to your destination through Holden's own on-board satnav system, or – with iPhone plugged in – by means of Google Maps. Holden's system seems to offer slightly better map data and audible alerts come at the right time, although the voice prompts did go missing in action at one stage for no apparent reason. Manually adjusting the volume made no difference. It was not until turning the car off and restarting that 'Satnav Sally' rejoined the workforce.

The Holden's driving position takes a little while to find the right adjustment – particularly following a recent diet of BMWs. VF's A pillars are no slimmer than VE's – and they thus continue to obstruct the forward field of vision. It will quickly become second nature for owners to double and triple-check at intersections. At one roundabout a woman waiting to cross from a pedestrian island was completely obscured by the starboard A pillar until the car was straightening up on the exit from the roundabout.

At least Holden has sorted the Commodore's other ergonomic no-no, having introduced an electric parking brake in the VF and doing away with the clunky handbrake of the VE.

There was so much legroom in the rear of the Holden that you find yourself questioning why Holden previously based their wagons on the extra-long Statesman wheelbase. With the Sportwagon, furthermore, entering or leaving the rear is made easier by the level roofline over the C pillars; something that can't be said of the sedan.

In Sportwagon form the SS V offered a large compartment capable of swallowing whole the luggage required for a family of four holidaying two weeks. The tailgate lifts from a pivot point about 30cm along the roof, meaning the tailgate is less likely to hit the overhead structure in a garage, but still opens wide enough to load larger items. It also cinches up tight electrically, if not closed securely by the user. For all those reasons the Sportwagon is a little more flexible and user-friendly than a higher-riding SUV of similar external size. However, the price of that is the car's larger external dimensions... and that turning circle.

Overall however, the Holden's size was no more a challenge than a similarly spacious SUV – and there were other compensating factors in the Sportwagon's favour. With its potent performance and the sort of driving dynamics you're unlikely to find in an SUV for the same price, this is not a car to be dismissed merely because it won't "go bush."

2014 Holden Commodore Sportwagon SS V pricing and specifications:
Price: $50,190 (including on-road costs)
Engine: 6.0-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 260kW/517Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 278g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP