Seven great GM cars we think Aussie buyers would love
General Motors may have axed Holden, but it has a treasure trove of new models it could sell Down Under insteadHolden is no longer part of the Australian automotive landscape, but its parent General Motors maintains a modest presence providing aftersales support for discontinued vehicles and selling the Chevrolet Silverado and Corvette.
The Silverado undergoes an extensive conversion process to relocate the steering wheel on the right-hand side, in turn making it an expensive – but highly desirable – vehicle, while the Corvette rolls out of the factory in right-hand-drive.
Blame it on GM’s decision to walk away from right-hand drive production, in turn leaving markets like Australia without mainstream representation by what was once the world’s biggest car-maker.
But there are some glistening GM lights off in the distance. The company is expected to take Cadillac global once it finalises the quintessentially American brand’s transition to an EV-only range by the end of the decade. That at least opens the possibility that Cadillac could spearhead a more serious GM return to Australia.
With Chevrolet also gearing up to ditch fossil fuels by 2035, it would certainly be a very different GM than what the world has been used to.
And there’s no shortage of new models to get excited about. So, which cars should GM ship Down Under to rebuild? Here’s our top seven to revive the ghost of Holden…
Chevrolet Blazer
Once a boxy, brutish SUV with little in the way of round edges, the new Chevy Blazer is now sleek and stylish, albeit with a tad less visual testosterone.
And in its recently revealed EV guise it brings a world-first: it’s the first electric car to be offered with the choice of front-, rear- or all-wheel drive.
Throw in a heap of tech – including a huge 17.7-inch touch-screen – and it makes for a compelling SUV case to take on everything from a Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5 to the Tesla Model Y.
Cadillac Lyriq
There’s a temptation to go with the upcoming Celestiq when scouring the fast-changing Cadillac range for something via which Australians would love to welcome back one of the world’s most iconic luxury brands.
But the Celestiq is largely a chest-beating exercise and irrelevant in terms of sales volume. Instead, it’s the Lyriq that makes more sense for Australia. The mid-size SUV rides on the Ultium platform so is powered solely by electricity.
As well as a suitable injection of tech, it gets distinctive lines and a stylish interior that could at least provide a counterpunch to mid-size luxury SUVs like the BMW iX3, Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC.
Chevrolet Silverado EV
Aussies already queue to own the V8-powered Silverado pick-up and interest is the US is booming for the electric version. There’s little doubt the Silverado EV would get similar attention Down Under.
There’s a full 500kW of power, up to 10 power outlets and adjustable height air suspension, as well as up to 650km of EV range from the Ultium architecture underneath (something that means it’s only the name it shares with other Silverados).
Oh, and GM has promised a future workhorse version that can tow about nine tonnes.
GMC Hummer EV Pick-up
It’s officially a GMC, but the GMC badging – and design – takes a third-row seat compared with the Hummer branding that defines one of the most radical pick-up trucks in memory.
GM casually refers to it as a ‘supertruck’, which gives you an idea of its positioning. The Hummer EV ditches diesel for an EV onslaught with up to three motors delivering 1000hp (about 745kW) and the ability to blast to 60mph (96km/h) in three seconds.
There’s also a nifty crabwalk feature and Extract Mode, which temporarily jacks the air suspension up about 150mm to help navigate tough terrain. Removable glass roof panels and a 14-speaker Bose audio system make for something way different to the battle-ready Hummers that created the legend.
Chevrolet Colorado
It wears the same name as the ute that provided Holden with some decent sales volumes in its last decade, but the new Chevrolet Colorado is a different beast. It’s a replacement for the US-made Colorado – a ute that that was always bigger than the one we got here.
Still, Australians have never shied away from a bigger-is-better sales pitch and we’re guessing they’d be happy to put the new Colorado to the test, right down to its new 2.7-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. Better still, send us the electric version that’s due in 2026…
Chevrolet Equinox EV
Forget the Chevy Bolt EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle) that’s done little to shake the EV establishment. It’s the upcoming Equinox EV that would look more at home in Bondi or Brighton.
Of course, Holden already thrust the Equinox at Australian buyers and they welcomed it with the same sort of warmth and enthusiasm we’d give to a dog that’s recently emerged dripping from an ocean dip.
But the Equinox EV has is a completely different prospect, benefiting from the Ultium electrical architecture and a circa-$US30K starting price. If (yes, it’s a huuuuge “if”) it could sneak in here below $50K, it’d be a tempting alternative to the existing electric options.
Chevrolet Suburban
It’s currently powered by beefy V8s, which Australians would no doubt embrace, and it would need to emerge from the US factory with the steering wheel on the correct side – something that isn’t even vaguely on the horizon.
But it’s the inevitable electric version around the corner that is arguably more appealing for Aussies. Give it some sort of off-road capability and there’s suddenly a zero-emissions reason to look past a Toyota LandCruiser.
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