Holden Commodore SV6 Black 2016 new car review
Holden brand has always been excellent at providing ‘added value at no extra cost’.
General Motors Holden brand has always been excellent at providing ‘added value at no extra cost’ with limited-edition versions of its passenger car and light commercial ranges.
There have been more added-value Commodores sold here than possibly any other such GM product, due to its longevity in the New Zealand car market. The ‘Black’ pictured here in red is the latest vehicle in a long line of this added-value Commodore history. Previous incarnations have included the Z series, the Equipe, the GTR, the International (Australian market), Reserve Edition (Australian market), and way-way back many generations ago there was also the mighty Commodore Vacationer!
Inside and out
The Black for sale in New Zealand is limited to a run of 130 vehicles, being 90 SV6 and 40 V8 SS sedans. In a first for an SV6 Commodore variant according to Holden New Zealand, the Head-Up Display, and an integrated Satellite Navigation system, are standard features.
In keeping with the name of the limited edition, Holden has given the SV6 the black-pack treatment all around. As well as those unique black accent 18-inch alloy wheels, which I must say are very easily cleaned, the sedan's lip spoiler, fender vents, mirror caps, grille surround, and daytime running light surround, are all finished in gloss black.
Against the red of our review car, those black details did stand out leaving others in no doubt this beast was something special.
Both the SV6 and SS feature the latest version of Holden’s MyLink infotainment system, including a full-colour touchscreen display, Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio, Smartphone connectivity, enhanced voice control and Bluetooth with audio streaming.
The Black cars also receive unique badges on the rear doors, and special embossed carpet mats in the footwells, which is a nice touch.
The Commodore has held the crown of being New Zealand's top selling large car since 2002, according to Holden New Zealand, even though sales of traditional large sedans and wagons have declined substantially in those 14 years, as the market has moved to SUVs.
In the calendar year 2015 it was our third highest selling passenger vehicle with 2710 registrations, behind the second-placed Toyota RAV4 on 3519, and the market-leading Toyota Corolla on 6514.
For the record, the next top-selling Holden is the venerable Captiva SUV at number 8 on the charts at 2450 units sold in the calendar year 2015.
On the road
Why, in a sea of four-cylinder hatches and SUVs that make up the top 15 nameplates in New Zealand, does a six-cylinder Aussie-built sedan survive? The answer to that question is easy.
The VF Commodore is a world-class rear-wheel-drive sedan, which offers high levels of equipment and specification, as well as performance and handling to rival Euro brands such as BMW and Mercedes, but for much, much less moolah.
Intense development of the Commodore over its 38-year lifetime by GM Holden Australia saw it turn from a basic fleet and family car with relatively standard specification and uninspired handling into an attractive and desired sports sedan for sale locally, as well as being exported to the Middle East and the USA.
The VB series Commodore of 1978 now looks positively utilitarian and small against the current 2016 VF II series, with its stunning curves and angular exterior design. Ironically, the 2016 Holden Cruze small sedan is similar in dimensions, if not damned near line ball to the first gen '78 VB.
As well as better V6 and V8 engines, transmissions, superb suspension, the VF II series Commodore car line also gained much better active and passive safety features, and specifications such as the Head-Up display and voice control that once were the preserve of much more expensive luxury vehicles.
It still retained the basic premise of being a roomy family sedan with a decent-sized boot (if small aperture), excellent towing capacity, as well as keeping the all-important fun-to-drive factor when the mood took you.
The SV6 Black enjoys all the classic Commodore hallmarks, being comfortable seats with electric adjustment for the driver, as well as good visibility, a very comfortable ride, and excellent handling, as well as a responsive 3.6-litre V6 engine and pin sharp steering.
Adding in navigation as well as the head-up display has made this particular SV6 an excellent value proposition. It’s also reasonably fuel-efficient and loves open road cruising which is its forte
Overall
What the 2018/9 Holden Commodore will look like, and drive like is anyone's guess. A Buick? An Opel? The field is wide open to speculation. Holden has confirmed the nameplate will continue, but we know for a fact it's more than likely going to be front-wheel-drive, possibly with a four-wheel-drive option, but there won't be a V8 engine.
Production of the V6 engine range at the Melbourne Fisherman's Bend plant is winding down too this year, and Holden will stockpile enough engines to carry the Commodore through to the end of production in 2017.
So, if you want a world-class V6 rear-wheel-drive sedan, I would suggest you get a move on before they are all spoken for because once the limited-run Black is gone, like the Moa, it's gone forever.
Price: $51,490
Note: this was reviewed as a new vehicle.
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