Best Motorbuys: June 07, 2019

By Ross Kiddie
Price: Holden Commodore RS-V
liftback, $58,990
Dimensions: Length, 4897mm;
width, 1863mm; height, 1455mm
Configuration: V6, four-wheel-drive,
3649cc, 235kW, 381Nm, nine-speed
automatic
Performance: 0-100km/h, 7.8sec
Fuel usage: 8.9l/100km
Holden Commodore RS-V liftback
I’m reluctant to turn down any
invitation that involves laps on a
racetrack.
So when Holden New Zealand asked
me if I would like to spend a morning
at Pukekohe Raceway with other
media, and former race car driver Greg
Murphy in attendance, I jumped at the
opportunity.
The cars we were to drive were
variations of the new ZB-series
Commodore, both four-cylinder and
V6 models, coinciding with the first
anniversary of its launch here.
To mark the occasion, Holden has also
issued a limited release Black Edition
variant. It has a special collection of
aesthetic adornments available in just
40 units throughout April, and is a nocost
option on the sport liftback models
2-litre and 3.6-litre V6.
Notably, the pack includes black facia
inserts, black grille surrounds, black
grille wings, black window surrounds
and Black Edition badging.
The new Commodore lands here with
three engine variations. There are two
four-cylinder 2-litre models, one petrol
and one diesel, and the V6 which has
four-wheel-drive. The four-cylinder
units are both turbocharged and drive
through the front wheels only.
While the drivelines are vastly different
to what Commodore owners have
previously enjoyed, there are both
wagon and liftback options along with
varying grade levels. There are 12 models
in the line-up, this evaluation focuses on
the V6 RS-V liftback.
The new European-sourced Commodore
is everything big car owners will relate
to, it is quiet, comfortable and in V6
form it is very powerful, although it
took me a while to get my head around
the fact that it is four-wheel-drive and
the engine sits transversely under the
bonnet, in contrast to its Aussie-built
predecessors which all had longitudinal
configurations.
Developing 235kW and 381Nm, the
engine is strong and delivers with a nice
sound, it isn’t overbearing, but you can
tell it is an angry, feisty unit which likes
to work hard. Of course, being a large
capacity V6 it doesn’t have to hunt
towards the high end of the rev band, it
is hooked to a conventional nine-speed
automatic transmission that works to
keep the revs low, changing early so that
fuel use is minimised. On that subject,
Holden claim an 8.9l/100km (32mpg)
combined cycle average for the V6.
The driveline is wonderful, it is silky
smooth in all areas and provides that
large car power that we have come to
expect from Commodore. At open road
speed, movement is hushed and it glides
over road ripples balanced and poised.
A lot of the latter is due to the all-drive
system, the new Commodore feels
controlled and tight in the chassis.
Saying that, the suspension is absorbent,
the spring and damper rates are biased
towards moderate and the in-cabin ride
is glorious. It also cruises beautifully on
the highway, it has poise, balance and a
high level of comfort.
When pushed into the quick corners
on the Pukekohe track, surety within
the floorpan provides confidence, there
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is a lot of feedback from what the
tyres are doing in relation to the track
surface, and sitting on high quality sport
specification Continental rubber (245/45
x 18in) there is a lot of natural grip and
directional stability on offer. And with
‘Murph’ guiding journalists to the best
lines and apexes, the Commodore does
reflect sporty performance. A lot of that
also has to do with the development
work Holden Australia did with the
Commodore for the down under market.
Of course, it is also about replicating
the large car profile we are used to as
buyers, and it does that brilliantly. Not
only is there a huge area to spread
around inside, there is alsogenerous load
space.
In RS-V specification, the V6 liftback
sits at $58,990. For that money it comes
with a high degree of specification,
major items include full leather trim
with heated seats, MyLink infotainment
network, head-up display, paddle-shift
transmission selectors and satellite
navigation. Of course, the new
generation Commodore also qualifies
for a five-star Australasian New Car
Assessment Program safety rating.
Even though it is different in many areas,
General Motors has done well to make
the new Commodore feel like what a
buyer would expect from the nameplate.
I’d go as far as to say it has done that
well, it feels very Commodore-like and it
is a pleasurable drive for all occupants.
For anyone contemplating a
Commodore purchase and likes what the
Black Edition has to offer, you had better
be quick. It’s not likely to be a model
that will sit around on showroom floors.