Posts Tagged ‘Holden’

Holden Cruze CD Diesel

November 30th, 2010 Comments Off

I was anticipating this drive for some time. What will the new kid on the block offer local punters keenly focused on price and the environment? The Cruze Diesel has the makings of surprising the market with all that and provides quality too.

First impressions sitting in the car was that it was quite basic in respect to the interior. But once I got myself comfortable, and drove around town a little, I got a real sense that this Korean built Cruze has what it takes to deliver the local market a value for money, economical, low cost and even environmentally friendly car that actually looks pretty damn good too.

Even though the new Cruze is built in Korea, improved build quality seen in recent models sourced from the Gunsan manufacturing facility by Holden are present in the new Cruze. Plus Holden plans to build the Cruze in Australia at Holden's South Australian Elizabeth plant late in 2010, which will be a positive to their local economy.
I like a zippy car and have fallen in love with the low-end torque offered by the Holden Cruze CD Diesel.

The Cruze CD felt great while driving it around town. The best part was that the fuel gauge nearly stuck on full. This is a great feeling, especially with city driving.

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Holden Commodore SV6

November 20th, 2010 Comments Off

With petrol prices soaring and the emphasis on preserving the environment, more and more people are becoming eco-friendly. From the influx of hybrid cars, energy-saving appliances and even more efficient light bulbs, Holden has also taken note with its latest Spark Ignition Direct Injection or SIDI engines.

Holden's latest technology promises better fuel economy than any current V6 in its class and, surprisingly, even some 4-cylinder engines.

The 3.6-litre direct injection V6 engine has significant advances over the old, not only in technology but also in refinement. The 210kW's produced by the 3.6-litre show that efficiency and lowered emissions do not constrict overall performance and enjoyment at the wheel.

Make: Holden
Model: Commodore SV6 Sedan
Price: $42,790*
Transmission: Six-speed Manual
Engine: 3.6-litre, six-cylinder DOHC, Spark Ignition Direct Injection (SIDI), petrol
Drivetrain: front-engine, Rear-wheel-drive
Fuel consumption: 10.2L/100km
CO2 Emissions: 241g/km
Max Power: 210kW @ 6400rpm
Max Torque: 350Nm @ 2900rpm
0-100km/h: N/A
Seats: Five
Safety: Six airbags as standard (driver/front passenger front (x2), front side (x2), curtain airbags (x2), ABS with EBD, BA, Traction control, Electronic Stability Control, Five star ANCAP.

Jumping into the leather wrapped seats for the first time the SV6 feels massive. It is the kind of car that you would want to take the family on a long road trip.

The SV6 is a very comfortable drive, the suspension soaked up pot holes and rutted roads, which led me to believe that the SV6's sport suspension could have been stiffer and the ride height a bit lower. This was evident when taking the SV6 on a spirited country blast, yeah sure it was a bit of fun with plenty of power and usable torque, but the suspension really let the vehicle down, body roll was noticeable and the spring rate just felt a little to cushy. The SV6 could be more sport rather than family cruiser.

Brake feel wasn't to bad, the brake pedal was responsive but requires plenty of boot. But after a few corners of heavy braking they begin to fade, which doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence while driving hard.

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Posted in Car Reviews, Road Test | Tags:

Holden Captiva 5

November 13th, 2010 Comments Off

The Captiva 5 sits 200mm off the ground which gives drivers a better view of the road thanks to the high riding position. Holden has desigined this vechicle with active duties in mind - going to the supermarket, commuting to work, picking up the kids from school or sports, gathering up the family and heading away for the weekend.

For these activities, the car holds up very well. It's got plenty of storage space and numerous pockets and holders for putting items large and small. The spacious boot offers 430 litres of cargo capacity with the rear seats upright.

Rearward visibility isn't great, and you can't see what's going on below the rear window line, but the reversing proximity sensors warn you of any hidden objects which is very handy. In general it's a very relaxed vehicle to drive once you get used to the cars large dimensions.

The brakes aren't going to win any awards but they do a solid job of decelerating the sizable Captiva, and with ABS and ESP there's not much to worry about in terms of driving safety.

By SUV standards the Captiva isn't the best drive. Steering response is vague and the two-wheel-drive set up only offers moderate levels of front-end grip before you begin to feel uneasy. The ride is a bit soft and it becomes more noticeable when the car is on a corrugated road with small pot holes and ruts.

The model we test drove featured the 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which produes 103kW of power at 5200rpm and 220Nm of torque at 2400rpm.

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