Road test: Holden Commodore S
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Comfort and Handling
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The S model ate up corners
with glee
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Taking the Commodore S around town is easy, as the supercharger
doesn't kick in if you're light on the throttle.
Fuel consumption takes a hit if you like to go fast - and
frequently - but in general, it's not horrendously thirsty
for a 3.8-litre mill.
While the chassis felt good when pushing the car to its limit,
and very collected under hard brakes, the Commodore didn't
switch directions as neatly as I was hoping.
In retrospect however, this is more due to the car's overall
weight than any glaring problems with suspension or chassis.
The suspension does an admirable job of soaking up road imperfections,
though it does use stiffer sports suspension, so every so
often you'd hear a 'thump' when wheels went through deep pot
holes or over large roadkill.
On the upside, the re-jigged FE2 suspension gives the Commodore
S sure footed grip when you drive with more enthusiasm. With
traction control on, the supercharged car took to the twisties
with aplomb, feeling much less like its 1560kg kerb weight,
and more like about 1200kg.
Turn traction control off however, and you better be very
sure of your driving skills, as the torque builds extrememly
quickly, which will often convert into loss of traction at
the rear.
Even so, lift off the throttle, dial in a smidge more steering
and Holden pulls back into line like a train on rails.
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New exhaust outlet is the
money
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The brakes, while not outstanding, still offer solid performance
and when hooked up with ABS make for a very smart safety package.
Even when we pushed the car to its limits, the excessive braking
we put it through wasn't enough to induce brake fade.
Cruise control also comes in handy during those monotonous
highway journeys; a standard feature on all Commodore S models.
The steering wheel conveys a good amount of feedback through
the road - much more than I would have thought for such a
large car. This, in turn, translates into more confidence
on the road as you are always being informed of what the front
wheels are doing.
Slow-speed maneouvering is a cinch, and again, the Commodore
felt a lot less like its large car pretensions would have
you believe. An 11-metre turning circle is also well above
par, and while parallel parking is pretty straighforward,
rearward vision isn't the best thanks to the high bootline
and rear wing.
Engine
The Commodore S comes standard with the same 3.8-litre pushrod
V6 as all other Commodores, but for an extra two-grand, you
get the supercharged mill.
The naturally aspirated six makes 152kW @ 5200rpm, and while
the supercharged engine makes 171kW @ the same peak of 5200rpm,
torque is a different story.
The non-forced induction engine offers maximum torque of
305Nm @ 3600rpm, though if you opt for the crankshaft-driven
Eaton M90 supercharged V6, 375Nm of torque peaks @ a low 3000rpm.
According to Holden, the car sprints from 0-100km/h in 8.7
seconds, though I must say that it felt much quicker than
this, even loaded with four passengers.
When the 'charger is at full boost everyone involved will
know, as all are firmly pressed into their seat cushions.
It's almost as if you can feel the extra amounts of air being
forced into the cylinders.
At the same token, some drivers may not appreciated the intense
rush of power as the charger spools up, but then you can also
get the Commodore S without one, so everyone is suitably catered
for.
Despite its age, the Buick-sourced 3.8-litre V6 is still
quite smooth through the rev range, with the supercharger
making sure it's never out of breath.
Extras
A multi-purpose cup-holder made from extra-grippy rubber
can take two standard sized drinks and also smaller bottles,
while in the rear, the centre seat folds out to form a rather
practical stable table, replete with dual cup holders.
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The bodykit is really impressive
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Switchable traction control is a nice inclusion, as is the
power button, which basically allows the engine to reach higher
revs before the automatic gearbox decides another ratio is
in order.
The model we tested also had the proximity sensors in the
rear apron, which emit a beep that intensifies as you close
in on an object and while useful, they are a cost extra.
The Blaupunkt stereo, now standard with all Commodores, is
a pretty sweet piece of kit, and the S model we drove included
a handy in-dash CD six stacker.
Even at the highest volumes the stereo would only distort
when serious bass was being played, and provided for good
acoustics throughout.
New to the VY Commodore is a small multi-fuction display,
located just below the tacho and speedo. Upon starting it
does a quick check of primary engine systems, and also has
added extras such as a stop-watch, trip computer, fuel consumption,
overspeed alarm and distance to empty. It's also pretty cool
when you push the power or traction control buttons, as animated
icons flash up to let you know they've been de/activated.
Interior finishings are good for a sub 40k vehicle, with
seatbelt holsters nicely concealed in the walls and door trimmings
matched to the seats. The engine immobiliser and alarm help
keep things secure, while air-con will keep things cool. A
three year, 100,000km warranty is good, but still pretty standard
these days.
Overall: 4/5
If it's a big family car that you're after, you can't go
past Holden's new VY Commodore. The new look is very modern
and will probably age a lot more elegantly than the previous
models, which erred more on the curvy side.
But if it's a family car you're after during the week, and
something with a more sporting character for the weekend,
then this supercharged Commodore S will be just the ticket.
To be frank, I was expecting a low-tech, heavy-feeling car,
but the new VY felt really accomplished in almost any task,
particularly on the open the road. The newly designed interior
is refreshing: Everything's within reach and easy to operate.
The price is good, considering what you get, but if its sheer
grunt you're after, then perhaps the new SV8 would be a better
proposition.
At the end of the day, Holden has done what it needed to
do to fend off a reinvigorated Ford, and the new styling alone
is worth the price of admission.
Perfect for Australian conditions, the new VY impressed more
than anticipated, and turned plenty of heads, to boot. The
Commodore S is easily one of the most aggressively styled
sports sedans that's ever come out of Fisherman's Bend, and
with performance and comfort to match, it comes highly recommended.
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