Holden Commodore Omega 2009 Review

Holden VE Commodore Omega auto

Road Test

Overall rating: 2.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 2.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 2.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.5/5.0

Here's a very solid car with appealing levels of roominess, practicality, a fantastic chassis and attractive looks -- but it's let down by the engine and transmission.

It's amazing that a car with a DOHC V6 can be as noisy from below 5000rpm in this day and age. Nor is it a pleasant engine note, droning like a taxi from low speeds and sounding muscular-but-strained at higher revs. As one of the staffers here at the Carsales Network recalled, this is the engine that forms the basis of much more likeable powerplants in Alfa Romeos and Saabs.

Holden has recently turned down the power on this engine, reducing the output from 180 to 175kW, in order to reduce the car's fuel consumption. This particular car on test was the petrol/auto variant, which doesn't gain as much in terms of improved economy as the dual-fuel Omega. For the week in our hands -- and admittedly with very little opportunity for open-road driving -- the car averaged a poor 14.1L/100km.

Overall, the Commodore doesn't feel subjectively slower than with the earlier engine tune. It's quite quick, although it doesn't feel as effortless from low speeds as Ford's FG Falcon XT.

A major factor in the Omega's lack of ease in the driving can be traced back to the four-speed automatic transmission. For lack of ratios -- and wrong ratios -- plus slow response and clunkiness, this is not one of our favourites.

The ratios are too high for reasonable straight line performance, a compromise forced on Holden by the lack of at least a fifth ratio. There's very little in the way of engine braking available and the box will drop into fourth at low speeds on a light throttle, inducing some unpleasant vibration from the engine at a speed barely above 1000rpm.

It's also slow to change down manually, but admittedly, hardly any typical owner will ever attempt to do so

The Omega did muster enough verve to spin a drive wheel on a damp section of road after a light downpour -- and the wheelspin didn't ease up as the speed rose, either. That, however, is probably more a reflection of the tyres' general lack of grip.

Fitted with standard 16-inch alloy wheels, the Omega didn't really benefit from the original equipment Bridgestone Turanza ER300 225/60 R16 tyres. They rode well, which is a plus in a car like this, but they were not supremely silent on country roads and they definitely need more 'cartilage' in the sidewalls. Even during gentle cornering the tyres could be felt and heard kneeling over.

During a downhill dash into a corner with the brakes applied, the otherwise unflappable steering became a little 'squiffy', possibly as a consequence of the stability control intervening to check understeer -- and we're inclined to blame the tyres for that.

Yet, for our criticisms above, the basic sales rep special Omega retains some appeal. When cruising, it's a relatively quiet car, with just a bit of wind rustle and some low-level rumble from the drivetrain. The tyres are very quiet on freeways, but noisier on coarse bitumen.

Country reps will appreciate the performance of the headlamps on high beam, but curse the dipped coverage as less than satisfactory. By best guess, they barely illuminate 50m in front of the car and as soon as another car approaches, the driver's night vision is badly compromised. It's not as if the lights are set too low, they just plain lack power.

Handling is very close to neutral and without the stability control's input there's little doubt the Omega would let go at the rear, throttle-off -- though perhaps not quite as readily as the Falcon, with its simpler cross-blade IRS system. With some throttle applied, the multi-link IRS provides strong roadholding, despite feeling tuned softer than the MacPherson struts at the front.

It's the suspension's very softness in the springs and damping that contribute to what feels like a little float in the rear at higher speeds.

The Omega's turn-in is responsive and steering feel is also impressive. Ultimately, the ride and handling are not as finely balanced as in the Falcon XT, but it's still a very effective car in the twisties -- especially for the money!

It's more throttle-sensitive than the Falcon too. There seems to be a bit more push exiting a corner under power than we recall for the Ford. Once again, chances are that the Commodore's basic handling and steering traits are degraded by the tyres.

We've covered the Commodore's packaging in some detail previously, but we'll reiterate some points that might have been lost in the mists of time.

The Commodore is allocated to the Large Car segment in VFACTS and it meets the definition superbly. Legroom is as big as all outdoors and as for headroom, it's remarkable for a vehicle with a standard roofline.

In the rear seat, there's plenty of leg and knee-room for adults. Even with the front seats set as far back as they'll go (and they don't need to be that far back for the accommodation of basketballers) there's still adequate kneeroom in the back for adults and there's also room under the front seats for rear-seat occupants to place their feet. Only taller adults may find the headlining in the rear is just a bit close to the bonce.

One of our readers recently observed, with some chagrin, that the VE Commodore's boot won't accommodate a boxed 51cm TV. Well, no it won't -- but Holden would probably point out that's what the Sportwagon's for... We'll play the politician and ask the Lion to deliver a split-fold rear seat for the sedan at update time.

Tellies aside, the boot is not a bad thing as it is... A little shallow, as a consequence of drivetrain components under the floor, but it extends forward a fair way and it's 'boxy' enough with relatively little intrusion from the sides.

As we've often said about VE Commodores in the past, the A-pillars are too thick. Objectively, they're not way too thick -- but enough to detract from the field of vision and affect safety. Driving at night, the offside (right) A-pillar was wide enough to conceal an on-coming car through a right-hand bend until it was within about 150m.

Another 'known' about the VE Commodore is the handbrake, with which we're gradually coming to grips. In the VE's latest incarnation, it seems to have come in for some tweaking. No longer does it seem quite as cheap and rattly. It's still not ergonomically intuitive, but we can see owners quickly getting used to it as it requires less effort to operate these days.

It's just struck the reviewer from driving the Commodore that the exterior mirrors fitted are really rather small. They're delicate and dainty -- they basically do the job and are probably aerodynamic to boot -- but you're left wondering whether you're seeing the full picture to the diagonal rear, although we didn't experience any problems with blind spots while the Commodore was in our possession.

There are a couple of points specific to the base-grade Omega: The seats are a little more Euro-flavour than in the Falcon. They're comfortable enough and hold the occupant quite well, but in the test car the driver's seat didn't seem located properly and the reviewer felt like he was sitting slightly at odds with the direction of the seat.

The steering wheel is a large tiller, but provides a very clear view of instruments. It's not an especially wonderful thing in a tactile sense, but for an inexpensive large family sedan, that can be forgiven.

We liked the auto headlights, but felt the lack of an MP3-compatible audio system in the car. Think of a metaphor to describe the transmission selector in the Omega and that would be 'curate's egg'. It's slow, stodgy and long -- but it's in perfect harmony with the transmission itself. The reviewer did eventually adjust to the lever though.

If there's one thing that really impresses about the Commodore, it's the tight-as-a-drum body construction. Combine that with its very safe dynamics (now a five-star car, according to ANCAP), its spaciousness and its value for money, and you have a very strong package -- in spite of the mechanicals.

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the Omega is a car that is flawed because of its lacklustre engine and transmission combination. There are superseded diesel engines that feel more refined than the Alloytec V6 and surely it's past time for Holden to upgrade to the five-speed automatic transmission option available in the SV6?

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