Holden Commodore VE 2007 Review

Not so much (provisional*)
>> Added weight, reduced payload
>> Fewer variants and options for 'working' owners
>> That f-f-flaming handbrake

* Vehicle not driven (see review)

OVERVIEW
We haven't even driven it yet, but we're already betting the VE Ute will be a substantially improved driving experience -- beyond even the difference between the VZ and VE sedans.

With standard ESP across the board, plus the multi-link IRS system and Holden's commitment to improved NVH in this class of vehicle, it may well be hard to distinguish between driving the Ute and a Commodore sedan from the driver's seat.

Holden has done more than just tacked on a goods-carrying body section to the rear of a Commodore to create the new Ute. It's a fully integrated design with improved torsional rigidity and strength, which leads us to believe that passive safety and NVH will show some significant gains over the old VZ models.

There is a downside to the good news. In making the Ute more acceptable as a part-time goods hauler and part-time show pony, Holden has allowed more weight to creep in, offsetting the vehicle's payload capacity. Holden is quick to explain that towing capacity has not changed from VZ to VE, so the new car will still tow the same weight as before.

Work on the VE Ute began years before fuel prices escalated, so Holden -- already locked into the VE Commodore package -- has had to commit to a design that was bound to be larger and heavier than its predecessor. The fact that the VE Ute manages to remain mostly line-ball with the VZ model for fuel consumption -- despite the extra refinement and safety elements -- is quite an accomplishment.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Holden has priced both manual and automatic variants of the Omega the same. Omega is the only grade of Ute for which air conditioning is an option (an extra $2000). In practice, most buyers would opt for it anyway, but that means in practice the Omega Ute's entry price is $30,990, not $28,990.

The next step up from the Omega is the SV6 manual, which is $5000 more at $35,990. For an additional $1000, buyers can specify the five-speed automatic transmission with the SV6.

Pricing for the SS starts with the six-speed manual at $39,990. Opting for the six-speed automatic will cost a further $2000 ($41,990). The SS V manual is priced at $44,990 and the six-speed auto option costs a further $2000, as is the case for the SS.

Holden offers a 'leather smart pack' for $1250 and this option is available for the SV6 and SS. The SS V is already fitted with leather trim as standard.

Features fitted as standard for all models include ESP, a full-size spare, rear mudflaps, electrically-adjustable driver's seat, electric windows, polyethylene cargo liner, dual cupholders in centre console, auto headlights, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel with reach and height adjustment, trip computer, dual front airbags and remote central locking.

Omega makes do with a conventional diff, when the sporting variants are all fitted with a limited slip differential as standard. The sporting variants also feature sports-tuned suspension, alloy wheels, front fog lights, a body kit, a soft tonneau and leather-bound steering wheel.

The SV6 is a mix-and-match model with the single-disc CD audio system from the Omega and the 18-inch alloy wheels of the SS. Bluetooth is optional for the sporty V6 grade.

The SS comes with the 270kW Gen IV 6.0-litre V8. Over the SV6's specification, the SS gains a centre high-mount LED stop light, a six-disc CD audio system (which can be optioned for the Omega and SV6) and Bluetooth connectivity.

Standard features of the SS V beyond the SS's specification comprise 19-inch alloy wheels, projector beam headlights, leather trim, a 6.5-inch multi-function display for audio and HVAC facilities, alloy-faced sports pedals, colour-coordinated instrumentation graphics, leather-bound gear shifter, leather-bound sports steering wheel.

Metallic paint and satellite navigation are extra-cost options for all models. For the SS V, the satnav features a full colour display.

MECHANICAL
If 'mechanicals' mean drivetrain components to you, then there are no great surprises to be found in the Ute. Engines are the 180kW V6 (Omega auto), 195kW V6 (Omega manual/SV6) and the 270kW V8 (SS & SS V) already introduced with the VE Commodore.

In the case of the V8, the engine management has been re-mapped for a less aggressive response from launch and smoother acceleration from around 40-50km/h.

Transmissions have been mildly revised for the Ute application. The five and six-speed automatics available optionally in the sporting variants feature Ute-specific calibration for engine braking. A new torque converter for the SV6's five-speed auto is more efficient and provides more drive sooner "with less wind-up", in the words of Holden Powertrain Calibration Group guru, Kevin Yardley.

Holden has worked on the six-speed manual T56 Tremec box for the V8 variants. Taking a leaf out of Ford's book with this transmission, Holden has 'shortened' the ratios for improved acceleration from launch and in-gear -- and that includes the fifth gear, which is now a better option for overtaking. The company claims shift quality is better too.

Fuel consumption of the Ute doesn't match that of the Commodore sedan, as a consequence of the Ute's moderately worse aerodynamic coefficient of drag.

As with the sedan, changes to the steering move the VE a major step beyond the VZ model. The steering rack has been shifted forward of the front axle line and Holden claims significantly improved lane-change behaviour over the VZ's, thanks also to lowering the outer steering tie rod knuckle connections and upping the diameter of the front anti-roll bar from 23mm for the VE sedan to 24mm.

Ride height has been increased for the VE Ute. In the case of the Omega Ute, it rides 30mm higher than the Omega sedan. Sporting variants of the Ute ride 10mm higher than their sedan counterparts.

Compared with the outgoing VZ models, VE is larger in every dimension, although overall length has grown by just 3mm. However, even in the case of the Omega auto, the kerb weight difference between the VE and VZ is roughly 150kg -- and that difference escalates as you climb the model ladder to the higher-grade variants.

PACKAGING
Despite being 10mm higher than the VZ, the VE sacrifices over 30mm of headroom. Unlike previous Ute models, the VE's internal dimensions for the Ute are common to the sedan as well. This is one of the pitfalls of building a commercial vehicle that can be manufactured on the same production line as the sedan. It also points to Holden's shift in marketing strategy for the Ute, less attractive now to the 'tradies' demographic.

Tony Stolfo, Holden's head of design, insists that "we've got room for a hard hat...headroom's not compromised on the car; H-point's low, seating position is great. It's a case of not dropping the roof, but it's a case of actually lifting the body sides up, so you've got good mass, body mass at the side...which works well with biggish wheels and tyres."

The styling factor also resulted in some utilitarian features of the new Ute; features such as the recessed registration plate in the tailgate and the concealed tailgate hinges. Holden does not endorse driving the Ute with the tailgate lowered, so the registration plate mount isn't hinged.

We in the real world can see this being a stumbling block for buyers who are carrying lengths of pipe, a brace of trailbikes or whatever. The advantage to the registration plate mount being relocated is that it is less likely to be obscured by trailers.

'Pull-bar' door handles are another styling element more practical than the VZ Ute's door pulls. Driver or passenger can unlatch the door while pulling it open, so it represents a small but significant ergonomic gain.

Inside the cabin, there are two storage bins set within the rear bulkhead and running under the load floor. These contribute to the 245 litres of additional storage space behind the front seats.

It's largely a styling affectation, but Holden is quite proud of its 'T panel' at the rear of the cabin. Basically, it's a T-shaped sculptured section in the plastic moulding underneath the rear window. Unique to the Ute, it carries the legend for the particular level of trim if the V8 engine is specified (so either SS or SS V).

From a utilitarian perspective, the VE boasts 1208 litres of cargo capacity, a substantial improvement over the VZ's 1165 litres. VE's wheelbase is longer by 79mm, but overall length is shorter than the VZ. Despite this -- and the VE's cargo bed being shorter -- the VE has better 'open dimension' measurement; that's the figure derived from the length of the bed from the rear-most point of the cabin to the tailgate, not including the recessed section under the rear window.

There are several points of the Ute's design which suggest that Holden was inspired by Ford's Falcon. There's the cargo liner in the back, replete with 'can holders' in the tailgate section for resting one's stubby with the tailgate lowered. Holden has taken this one step further, with angular recesses in the plastic on both sides of the tailgate -- just the thing for locating wheel ramps to load your ATV or motocrosser.

Holden has plainly put a lot of 'Ute' thinking into the design of the new model, but it's the sort of 'utethink' that manifests itself in 'circle work' more so than carting the pigs to market. The world has changed and we're moving on, it seems.

SAFETY
The VE must rate a chance as the safest light commercial vehicle in the market. Firstly, there's the standard ESP system. Piggy-backing off the ABS, ESP (electronic stability program) modulates braking effort for each wheel to ensure that the car's handling is consistently safe. This feature is fitted across the range, from the lowliest Omega to the SS V.

With the VE's multi-link IRS, combined with changes to the front suspension and steering, the new Ute has plenty of active safety wizardry to avoid collisions in the first place.

Passive safety features include a 'ride-down' steering column and 'break-away' brake pedal. In the event of a collision, both features effectively resist inflicting injury to the driver.

Dual front airbags are also fitted as standard and are adaptive. The Ute doesn't offer side impact airbags, because the curtain airbags in the VE sedan hang off the 'C' pillars and there's not that structural member in the Ute.

Holden has committed a lot of effort to reinforcing the side of the car for optimum structural strength. The torsional rigidity of the Ute is "almost car-like", according to Tony Hyde, Holden's engineering boss. That quality derives from using one-piece side pressings, a composite (and there corrosion resistant) floor panel in the load bed and extensive use of high strength steels.

Much of the VE Ute's design program was conducted in a virtual environment. Virtual analysis allowed Holden to develop the new model with just five real-world barrier crash tests.

COMPETITORS
In reality, there's only one model range that competes head-to-head with the VE Ute. That's Ford's Falcon. Both the XL and XLS Falcon 'styleside' utes are cheaper than the VE Ute, but by the time you add a further $2500 for air conditioning -- assuming you pay full tilt -- the VE is bracketed by XL below and XLS above.

They're close in pricing, but they're different enough not to trample each other's turf too much. It becomes a question of horses for courses. As a passenger car with useful load-carrying features, the VE Ute comprehensively out-guns the Falcon in most ways.

The Falcon has a better base engine in terms of power, the 4.0-litre six developing 10kW more power than the VE Omega with Alloytec and automatic transmission, but in every other variant, the VE can boast more power than the Falcon equivalent. Torque is a different issue, with the Falcon boasting 43Nm more 'twist' than even the SV6's high output engine, let alone the Omega auto's.

Falcon's XR8 doesn't have the power or torque of the SS or SS V models. It's shy about 10kW of power and 30Nm of torque -- and that's a DOHC engine, as opposed to the Holden's pushrod Gen IV.

Automatic transmission options for the Falcon are limited to the BTR four-speed automatic only, whereas the sporting variants of the VE Ute get a five-speed box for the SV6 and a six-speeder for the SS and SS V. All manual transmissions for the VE Ute offer six speeds.

Ford's sophisticated double-wishbone front end is probably still a good bet compared with the Holden's MacPherson strut front end, but at the rear, the story's different. The Falcon's semi-elliptic leaf-sprung live axle will carry more load, but it lacks the refinement and active safety potential of Holden's IRS set-up.

Using the SV6 and XR6 for a benchmark comparison, the XR6 is cheaper with more power and torque. The Falcon is also longer, with a longer wheelbase. Falcon has a tighter turning circle and slightly lower kerb mass. Curiously, the SV6 will cope with a significantly better payload than the Falcon can manage.

Overall, the Falcon proves there's still a bit of life in the old beast yet. Ford offers a greater diversity of bodies (cab chassis & utility), engines (including XR6 Turbo and E-Gas), levels of trim/purposes (RTV) and goods-carrying vehicle-type options. Prices are comparable and competitive with the VE, but it's plain to see that the balance has now shifted, with the Ford offering a commercial vehicle skewed more towards the utilitarian and Holden is now -- with the exception of Omega -- a sportscar with a long tub where the boot should be.

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