Holden Commodore AWD ute 2005 Review

What we liked
>> One Tonner Cross6 works
>> Crewman's second row versatility
>> Steering lighter than before

Not so much
>> Steering still too heavy
>> V8 likes a drink
>> Crewman's back seat not great

OVERVIEW
Seems every time we turn around Holden fragments its light commercial vehicle range. It's becoming so unwieldy that CarPoint's actually split it into two articles; one covering the rear-wheel drive variants and this one which deals with the all-wheel drive versions of the Crewman and the One Tonner.

Ayup, you heard correctly. Holden has discovered a previously unfulfilled niche for an all-wheel drive version of the chassis cab utility capable of carrying one ton in the tray. And we reckon it's a desirable beast, especially decked out in blood red with a wood tray floor sourced from HBD: Holden By Design. This baby's got some serious appeal, both to the builder and possibly weekend campers looking for a passenger-car-like ride from a trayback. Not sure how the Blue Heeler would cope in the tray, however.

Anyway, back to the VZ generation of Holden's all-wheel drive utes, which gain a V6 engine for the first time. Changes to steering gear, engine intake and throttle control ensure V8 models aren't left behind.

The next step in Holden's Ute-ology is arguably the addition of all-wheel drive to the styleside ute, but our Holden sources advise against holding your breath. Seems these owners are too attached to the performance and burnout nature of their ute to embrace the tractive benefits of all-wheel drive. Well, for now at least.

FEATURES
Holden's Crewman Cross6 and Cross8 are the longest vehicles Holden's ever built, outstretching the ute by a substantial 261mm. Commonality with Australia's most popular car -- the Commodore -- are easily seen at the front, both inside and out. The idea here is to offer seating for five with the load-carrying practicalities of a ute.

Add to that the off-road abilities of all-wheel drive and high-riding suspension and we're looking at one seriously versatile vehicle, limited only by your imagination, or so it would seem.

As of VZ cycle update (early 2005) Holden offers its Crewman duo with both six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines, both mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. No manual: Holden mutters something about a lack of market demand…

Then we move onto the new-boy; the Holden One-Tonner Cross6. It's based on a conventional Holden Ute One Tonner, but with added ground clearance and driven through all four wheels. This vehicle is designed to tackle the trickier building sites in the land. Farmers, too, will find merit in this vehicle's attributes, as will forestry workers and the like. In fact, we reckon it could become a weekend camper's weapon of choice, too.

The One Tonner Cross6 is offered with a 175kW Alloytec V6 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission only. No V8, and no manual. But why not the 190kW V6 version? To differentiate these commercial vehicles from the Adventra passenger model, we reckon.

All Cross6 and Cross8 utes feature Holden's CrossTrac all-wheel drive system which divides torque 38/62 front to rear.

COMFORT
All derivatives offer Commodore-like levels of comfort in the front rows, with plenty of room for the average Aussie man or woman. All models have electric windows and remote central locking, CD player and air-conditioning.

For reasons we can't fathom, Holden's all-wheel drive LCVs miss out on the dash-mounted swing-down cupholder, and make do with a centrally-located bin, which -- in the models we tested -- had a lid on it preventing can or bottle stowing. Door pockets aren't wide enough to hold a water bottle, either.

The Crewman's second row of seats is unique in the Commodore world, and still cause for discomfort on long trips. The seatback angle is too upright for our liking. Legroom is not up to usual Commodore standards, either.

SAFETY
Sharing DNA with Australia's most popular passenger car has its advantages and one of them is a high degree of engineered safety.

The Crewman incorporates components from several Holden models; the door system from the Caprice and Statesman, for example, and rear glass from the Ute and One Tonner. But the most innovative safety feature, and one it shares with the One Tonner, is the part-monocoque, part-chassis construction; a design that is said to give a long load carrying vehicle like this one superior structural integrity.

Passenger and driver airbags are standard across the AWD LCV range, and side airbags are standard on the Cross8 Disc brakes are a given, and fitted with four-channel ABS calibrated for bitumen and dirt surfaces. All variants employ a new brake booster and master cylinder, in essence reducing pedal effort.

Six-cylinder AWD models get the latest generation Bosch 8.0 chassis control system with traction control, but not the more advanced ESP electronic stability program and HDC hill descent control it brings to Adventra.

MECHANICAL
Six-cylinder all-wheel drives get the 175kW version of Holden's Alloytec V6 mated to a heavy duty four-speed automatic transmission. Changes to the transmission software are said to decrease shift times and reduce shift shock.

The Crewman Cross8 steps up 10kW in power like its rear-drive cousin, to 235kW and 460Nm. The cooling system has been upgraded to reduce temperatures, and now features a get-home mode to allow limited driving in the event of coolant loss.

Holden has attempted to address criticisms of heavy steering by fitting a new, lighter power steering pump with stronger hoses, and recalibrating the control valve. It's also tickled the front stabiliser bar to sharpen turn-in and reduce steering weight.

No modification was made to Crewman's leaf spring rear suspension, but springs and damper settings were tweaked slightly to account for the lighter V6 engine.

Holden's CrossTrac system, which splits engine output 38/62 front to rear, remains essentially unchanged.

COMPETITORS
Holden's got this market all to itself, for now. Ford's yet to drop all-wheel drive in anything but the Territory, though its high-riding RTV ute (with locking diff) may be considered by some a competitor for the One Tonner Cross6.

Crewman Cross6 and Cross8, however, are without a direct challenger and there's no sign of anything soon in the crystal ball.

Secondary competition comes from Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Ford Courier and Holden Rodeo. All these models come with a mix of petrol and diesel engines as well as rear- and all-wheel drive. None of them are passenger car-based, which gives Holden ute a distinct advantage in the comfort and refinement stakes.

ON THE ROAD
CarPoint spent plenty of time behind the wheel of the One Tonner Cross6 at launch -- something about this workman's ute appealed to us. It's the lightest six-cylinder all-wheel drive vehicle Holden builds, and offers an exciting drive for anyone comfortable having fun on dirt.

The responsive Alloytec V6 engine and its electronic throttle inject immediacy into the drive experience. In fact, it takes conscious effort to remember that this is a utilitarian workhorse and not an all-paw sports coupe. We can only imagine the extra performance adding the five-speed auto would have unleashed. Shame…

Strong acceleration through the gears, a ready kickdown from the revised transmission and stability under brakes are everything we could ask. It also a surprisingly smooth ride on the road, with none of the bucking and heaving usually associated with unladen utes.

Ground clearance is a very impressive 235mm with nothing in the tray, and it still clears 164mm with a full ton onboard.

No complaints about the Crewman Cross6, either, though the 1900kg-plus kerb weight certainly impacts on the Alloytec engine's ability to provide acceleration. Faint praise to describe the drivetrain as adequate, but accurate nevertheless. The V6's better fuel economy will no doubt be welcomed by tradies looking for a reliable, economical work ute.

Holden's One Tonner is an expansion of an already good idea that began with the ute's ability to blend commercial carrying ability with passenger car comfort. With more load capacity than the ute, the One Tonner is even more versatile, and now that design and engineering philosophy has been taken a step further with the addition of Holden's all-wheel drive system, CrossTrack, to the One Tonner range.

While that has increased the vehicle's scope, those looking for a combination of weekday workhorse and weekend pleasure machine will have to endure some compromises.

Though it is equipped with the 175kW 320Nm 3.6-litre V6 engine and four-speed auto - compared to the Adventra's 190kW 340Nm and five-speed auto - the One Tonner's performance doesn't suffer because it weights almost 300kg lighter than the wagon-based all-wheel driver.

Where it does suffer however, is ride quality. Unladen, the light One Tonner delivers a bumpy ride even around town and while that's expected in such a vehicle, it was annoying. If used exclusively for work that wouldn't be a problem but if you're seeking a dual purpose vehicle where you can drive your date to a restaurant on a Saturday night, it might not be so well accepted. But motorcross-loving tradies who love to venture into the wilds with bikes in tow should love it.

Despite being well-equipped with cruise control, power windows and CD standard, the interior is underwhelming and conveys the utilitarian nature of the car, though it is a pleasant enough place to spend the working week.

The steering feels heavier than in the LX 6 Adventra and the brake pedal firmer. With CrossTrack's all-wheel drive 38/62 split, the One Tonner handles well and drives very much like a rear-wheel car with little to indicate the front wheels are also driving. All-wheel drive made driving in the wet a breeze; the CrossTrack system negating the inherent tendency of torquey, unladen utes to be tail-happy on damp roads.

Attractively-styled, the One Tonner gained admiring glances as it passed through the suburbs though apart from the increased ride height, there is little to distinguish the Cross 6 from the rear-wheel drive version. A negative however was the minor blindspot created by the bar that rises from the front of the tray.