Holden Adventra 2005 Review

What we liked
>> Nimble on-road dynamics
>> Grip galore off-road
>> A rockhopper with manners

Not so much
>> V8 engine loves a drink
>> Five-speed gearbox can trip up
>> Steering too heavy

OVERVIEW
The Holden Adventra wagon had the distinction of being the first Australian-made four-wheel drive when it launched in 2003. A derivation of the ubiquitous Commodore V-car platform, the Adventra possessed the dynamic strengths of a passenger wagon with the ground clearance and off-road ability of more conventional four-wheel drives.

The first generation, released in August 2003, was V8-only because Holden's venerable Buick-sourced 3.8-litre V6 was rapidly nearing its end. Twelve months later the much-publicised Global V6 began production in Port Melbourne, sliding beneath bonnets of the 2004 model VZ Commodore.

Holden's phenomenal range of Commodore variants dictates the staggered release of new variants and technology, which is why all-wheel drive models waited until February 2005 to receive the VZ generation upgrade. New pricing, new models and a fresh outlook on life give Adventra the strongest appeal it's ever possessed.

FEATURES
Headline-grabbing upgrades for VZ Adventra are clearly the 3.6-litre V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission. Before we lose ourselves in these newcomers, let's quickly cast an eye on the range as it stands today (Feb 2005).

Holden Adventra is based on the Commodore passenger wagon, and gets a number of significant changes to tackle off-road situations. Foremost is its CrossTrac all-wheel drive system which splits drive 38/62 front to rear. Adventra also rides higher than a conventional wagon with an impressive 200mm ground clearance underneath.

The underbody gets additional armouring and protection to survive brushes with boulders, while the body itself wears rugged-looking black cladding along the sills and wheelarches.

Entry to Adventra ownership starts at the $40,990 SX6 -- good value when compared to the Ford Territory ($42,990 with AWD) -- and extends to the flagship LX8 at $56,990. In between sit the CX6 and LX6, offering increased levels of equipment but no noticeable mechanical changes apart level ride suspension on the latter.

All six-cylinder models enjoy the AlloyTec V6 in 190kW tune mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Holden's CrossTrac all-wheel drive system carries through essentially unchanged.

The solitary V8 model (LX8) gains a little extra 15kW and 10Nm to 250kW/470Nm. It retains the previous model's four-speed automatic transmission but gets a software upgrade to improve shift quality and speed. You may hear talk of a second V8 model (SX8), but it's a police special and not available to the public at the time of writing.

COMFORT
All models come with good levels of equipment, including air-conditioning, remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors, CD player and cruise control. The CX6 adds six-stack CD player, climate control, leather seats, gear shift paddles and projector headlamps, along with more electronic adjustments on the front seats.

LX6 and LX8 gain level ride suspension, sunroof, foglamps, sports seats, premium sound system and even more electronic adjustment for front seats. Safety gets a minor boost with active head restraints that reduce whiplash in rear-end collisions.

There's decent room in both front and rear seats for adults. Headroom's a charm, as is legroom, and you will fit three across the back if a little snugly. Given the nature of the vehicle particular attention has been paid to storage and the rear cargo bay, which includes alloy aircraft-style load tie-down rails.

In addition, the AWD wagon gets extra storage compartments (compared to Commodore wagon) on both sides of the cargo area. These incorporate cup, phone and thermos storage (interchangeable with front console) as well as an auxiliary power outlet and carpeted 'lockers'. Six multi-purpose hooks are fitted and some models also get a 'convenience net' as standard equipment.

Roof rails are standard on all models, and LX models get a roof mounted luggage carrier with tie down points. Compatible roof-top options available include ski carrier, bike carrier and tray with spare wheel carrier. Finally, Adventra offers a seven-seat option via an accessory third row front-facing seat.

SAFETY
Active safety gets a real boost on VZ Adventra, thanks largely to the Bosch 8.0 chassis control system employed on V6 models. ESP electronic stability program, HDC hill descent control and EBA electronic brake assist all enhance the driver's ability to control the vehicle in difficult situations. The LX8 model misses out on ESP, HDC and EBA because it uses an older Bosch 5.3 chassis control system.

All models employ disc brakes at each wheel, ABS-equipped. Traction control is also standard, and let's not forget the significant safety benefits of all-wheel drive.

Passive safety features include front and side airbags for the driver and front seat passenger. LX6 and LX8 add active head restraints which reduce the severity of whiplash in read-end collisions.

Adventra is equipped with a full-size spare and a modified jack to cope with modified ride height. Befitting its intended purpose, the car comes with beefy recovery points front and rear.

MECHANICAL
Clearly Commodore-based, the Adventra shares the majority of its mechanicals with the mainstream wagon, including suspension components. Front and rear track are significantly wider than the standard wagon, and wheelbase is extended a further 10mm. Ground clearance of 200mm is on par with similar vehicles like the Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70, as is approach and departure angles of 20 degrees and 21 degrees respectively.

Changes made to VYII Adventra's already impressive suspension tune were dictated by the weight disparity between Gen III V8 and lighter Alloytec V6 engine. All models benefit from a new lightweight steering pump with new hoses which addresses a known weakness in previous generations. Add to this a recalibrated power steering control valve and revised front stabiliser bar intended to reduce steering effort.

Two drivetrain options exist: 3.6-litre V6 with five-speed automatic or 5.7-litre V8 with older four-speed automatic. Holden says a manual version is simply not demanded by the public. Both transmissions have been specially calibrated to work in an all-wheel drive environment, and in the case of the 4L60 four-speeder, shift times and harshness have been reduced.

Both Alloytec V6 and Gen III V8 models employ a new electronic throttle which is tailored for a wider range of driving conditions and said to provide smoother pedal response. The V8 also gets a new cooling system equipped with a 'get home' mode that allows limited driving in the event of a cooling system failure.

COMPETITORS
'Tis a tricky subject, this one, because Adventra is the only Australian-made passenger car-based all-wheel drive wagon. Imported competition includes the Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70, but both play higher up the price/luxury chain than the Adventra.

Ford's locally-built Territory could be considered a competitor because of similarities in all-wheel drive and people carrying. Price also is lineball between the two, but Territory's taller body, more conventional SUV styling and command driving position see it outselling Adventra by nearly 10 to one. Still, there's no V8 option in the Territory.

It's a similar tale with the Toyota Kluger, which is V6 only, and possesses an appeal which sees it comfortably outselling Adventra. Toyota's bulletproof outback reputation built on the LandCruiser's back is tough to match.

ON THE ROAD
If driving dynamics alone dictated vehicle appeal, Adventra would be the best-selling SUV on the Australian market. Sadly, Holden's cross-bred wagon is far from the top of the sales sheets, but the added appeal of an Alloytec V6 model may redress some of the wrong.

Adventra V6 is a far more economical beast to drive, and not short on power either. It'll never be considered quick, but 190kW and 340Nm is adequate to move it along Aussie roads at law-abiding speeds. There's a noticeable lack of aggression with overtaking acceleration (rolling on from 80km/h) and the Alloytec needs all its wits to add speed to the nearly two-tonne Adventra.

The five-speed automatic gearbox packaged with V6 Adventra is a smooth shifting unit which slips easily between ratios. Some kinks in the mapping still need to be worked out as it can get confused at times.

For those who want a more aggressive proposition, the extra power of the Gen III V8 adds massively to the fun factor. The new electronic throttle speeds up the link between driver and engine, and that lovely V8 exhaust note adds an aural dimension to the excitement. Be prepared to pay at the pump for your joys, however.

The rearward bias of the torque split and calibration of the CrossTrac system yields a drive experience that is familiar to regular Commodore drivers. This is something Holden's happy to trumpet -- the Adventra project team's aim was to produce a vehicle that was car-like in both ride and handling. Job done.

What is impressive is the high level of grip the CrossTrac affords, on bitumen and dirt. Adventra's dirt track ability is a real highlight; it's responsive, chuckable and eminently entertaining when driven enthusiastically. The ESP's dirt calibration is spot on, allowing some side angle slip before carefully bringing the show back in line.

The Adventra's ABS system has been optimized for allroad use and works particularly well in concert with Adventra V6's HDC hill descent control. Steep tracks can be tackled safely in forward as the software slows Adventra to a veritable crawl. And, should you not make the ascent, Adventra's HDC works equally well in reverse.

Changes to the steering for VZ have reduced the effort required, slightly. It's still too heavy for our liking, and may become tiresome in slow city driving. Note too that the turning circle is marginally increased over the Commodore wagon (11.9 vs 11.5m). This was not noticeable in the wide open spaces of the Flinders Ranges, and in reality shouldn't handicap the vehicle unduly in the urban jungle.

BOTTOM LINE: V6 version comes closer to contending with Ford Territory

Big, heavy cars usually require big thirsty engines and until now that's the formula Holden's Adventra subscribed to, so it was interesting to see how the smaller 3.6-litre V6 engine propelled almost two-tonnes of all-wheel drive wagon.

Despite weighing just 20kg under its 5.7-litre Gen III-powered sibling, the V6 1965kg Adventra is no slouch, though it isn't frighteningly quick, either. The new Alloytec engine's 190kW and 340Nm offers more than adequate performance for the car's intended use, although it certainly works Holden's new, smooth shifting five-speed auto transmission when asked to do the hard yards, particularly when accelerating up hills.

But unless you tow something heavy, want greater performance more than you need it, or simply want the roar of a V8 ringing in your ears, the fuel-saving (in relative terms!) V6 should be the answer. While on the subject of fuel usage, our drive around town produced a consumption figure of 15.57L/100km.

With comfortable suspension settings, car-like ride and handling and revised steering that lightens the previous Adventra's heavy steering effort, the LX6 is easy is on the driver. Save for a slightly-raised driving position and some movement in the steering wheel when cornering hard, there's not much to suggest you're driving anything other than a regular Commodore wagon.

Glenn Butler notes above that the steering is still too heavy for his liking and questioned the ease of regular city driving, but after seven days in the LX6 I had no such concern: driving the LX6 around town is an easy gig. However, I did find the increased turning circle - which is almost half a metre greater than Commodore wagon - frustrating when turning into shopping centre parking spaces.

With all the features of a regular Commodore inside, the LX6 is comfortable and practical, and though it now has an engine that appeals to wider audience (and matched for Ford's Territory), it still loses out on many of the market's most desirable attributes, such as the command driving position and the perceived safety of traditional 'tank-like' SUVs.

Whether the V6 Adventra can make significant inroads into Territory's dominating sales lead remains to be seen.