Road Test: Holden Commodore SS VE Series II

Review by Jay Williams - 29/March/2011

New technology, slight revisions to the cars styling, and the addition of a flex-fuel capable 6.0-litre V8 engine, the new 2011 Holden Commodore SS VE Series II sounds promising.

With Hybrid cars growing in number and affordable electric cars, the days of a big fuel burning V8 seem to be numbered. Chances are, if you are buying a big car like the Holden Commodore SS VE Series II, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions aren't exactly high on your list of concerns.

However, the flex-fuel capable 6.0-litre V8 engine found in the Holden Commodore SS VE Series II allows the car to run on a range of ethanol-blended fuels up to E85 (which is 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol). The flex-fuel engine can also run on conventional E10, and any ethanol proportion up to E85, as well as 100 per cent petrol.

So, how does the beefy ethanol sipping Holden Commodore SS VE Series II drive? Lets find out.

Drive: 3/5

Firing the Gen IV 6.0-litre V8 engine up for the first time I was quite surprised as to how quiet the engine was. As I settled in behind the wheel of the big V8 sedan I noticed how comfortable and easy the car was to drive.

This is where I praise Holden for delivering a nice balance between sports performance and family friendly sedan. You see, you can drive the new Holden Commodore SS Series II around like a normal family sedan, dropping kids off at school and doing the weekly shop. 

But, putting your right foot down, the quite family sedan transforms into a weekend supercar that sounds great and offers enough performance to put a smile on the face of most driving enthusiasts.

The 6.0-litre can happily spin effortlessly between 5000 and 6000rpm. Pushing the V8 engine above 4000rpm and the Holden SS really comes alive, a low, deep down grumble coming from the engine bay tempts you to push your right foot down a little more.

While not the best feeling manual transmission going around, the Series II does feel better to drive than previous models. The six-speed box feels firm and precise, however, you really have to use some elbow grease to get it into gear and changes still aren't as short as they could be.

The clutch could be a little bit lighter, definitely one aspect that Holden should take a look at, while not as cumbersome as previous models the clutch can be a bit heavy during constant gear changes in stop-start traffic. 

But, in saying that I think most drivers will like the rock solid feel of Holden's transmission.

In terms of handling I found the Holden SS Series II fun and exciting. The big V8 was surprisingly nimble in the twisty sections of road, the suspension kept the car reasonably flat through most turns, while the ESP worked in the background keeping the car on the right track.

Engine: 3/5

Powering our test vehicle was a Gen IV 6.0-litre V8 that pumps out 270kW of power and 530Nm of torque, matched to a six-speed manual.

The unique thing about this engine is that it is flex-fuel capable, meaning that it can run on Bio E-Flex fuel, as well as E10, Unleaded, Premium or any combination.

For those of you who haven't heard of Bio E-Flex, the fuel is a high ethanol blend mix containing up to 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. It is often known as E85 or even bio-ethanol.

There are several important benefits in using this fuel, it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels and ethanol, the major component of the fuel, is a renewable resource.

However, when driving on fuel with a high ethanol content, the consumption per kilometre is higher because ethanol contains less energy than petrol. The car needs the same amount of energy; consequently it needs more fuel.

Although there is less energy in E85, the ethanol component has a higher octane rating than petrol, so you're likely to notice an increase in power and overall performance when driving on E85.

Over the course of a week the Holden Commodore SS VE Series II managed 12.9-litres per 100km slightly above the 12.2-litre claimed figure.

Exterior: 3/5

While the exterior remains mostly unchanged from the previous model, new additions include a new sports front bumper featuring a larger grille and bigger lower air intakes as well as restyled headlamps, while at the rear of the car is the aero lip and a rear spoiler. New 18-inch wheels round out the cars sporty styling.

Interior: 3/5

Stepping inside, the Holden Commodore SS VE Series II gets new front seats with "body-hugging contours" and high bolsters, while the dash sees a set of new circular air vents that sit above the 6.5-inch multimedia unit.

Perhaps the most notable change to the interior is the addition of Holden's new iQ system that combines music, telephone and satellite navigation.

The all new infotainment system delivers full Bluetooth, USB, iPod and MP3 player integration.

Holden-iQ is controlled through a 6.5-inch full colour multifunction touch screen mounted in the centre stack.

Introducing increased plug-and-play music functions and the ability to rip and store CDs on an internal flash drive, the system also delivers advanced satellite navigation features on selected models including live traffic condition alerts to help drivers avoid road congestion.

Overall: 3/5

The Holden Commodore SS VE Series II is a great package offering up great value for money in a versatile sedan that has a good balance between sports performance and day-to-day driving that can accommodate a family. 

New additions like the flex-fuel capable engine and Holden-iQ media system sweeten the deal making the Holden Commodore SS VE Series II a tough and worthy competitor in the big car segment.