Road Test: Holden Commodore SV6

Review by Jay Williams - 02/December/2009

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.

Drive: 4/5

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.

The SV6 felt right at home on the freeway, cruising along in sixth gear was easy because the SV6 still had enough usable torque.

However, driving around town was a different story. It can be quite laborious, shifting through the gears of the six-speed manual is a bit of a chore especially in stop/start traffic. The clutch feels heavy under foot and has a long distance to travel, but the sporty gear shift feels good under hand and once you become familiar with the clutch the SIDI engine begins to come alive.

Engine: 4.5/5

The 3.6-litre SIDI unit found in the SV6 feels very strong and reliable. With 210kW at 6400rpm and 350Nm at 2900rpm the new SIDI unit is creeping into V8 territory, with around eight per cent more power than previous models. This extra power is more than noticeable under heavy acceleration.

The new direct injection engine feels more responsive than previous models. The SV6 previously felt like there was something restricting its performance, but now with this new powerplant the SV6 revs freely and pulls hard under acceleration. Also, the new unit doesn't sound half bad either, putting the foot down releases a quite roar that makes the SV6 sound rather tough.

The six-speed manual is a responsive unit and can really move. Importantly, from speeds of 60km/h to 100km/h, most critical speeds for overtaking safely, the SV6 can really boot.

With the help of Holdens new Spark Ignition Direct Injection or SIDI technology official fuel consumption is rated at 10.2-L/100km, on test we achieved something around 10.7L/100km with around 60/40 on combined highway/city driving. These numbers a quite impressive when you take into consideration the sheer weight of the vehicle, almost two tonne.

Exterior: 4/5

Exterior styling of the VE SV6 hasn't changed since it was released in 2006, the only visible changes are the SIDI badges on the side of the vehicle and on the boot. But, with new Poison Ivy paint and body kit the SV6 still manages to look quite modern.

I must say that I am a fan of the body-kit, it worked well in giving the SV6 an aggressive stance on the road. The new Poison Ivy paint was a clear stand out. After only being in the car for 30 minutes it attracted stares from every street corner, it even had one guy come over and strike up a conversation on how much he loved the new colour.

A large part of the SV6’s appeal is its sporty looks without the V8 price tag and fuel prices. The body kit, rear spoiler, new paint and 18 alloys really make the SV6 an attractive car.

Interior: 3/5

Interior room is very impressive with more than enough legroom for front and rear occupants. The rear seating is very generous, there is so much room back there passengers almost get lost in the black leather seating, while front passengers can almost extended their seat back as far as it will allow with out infringing on rear occupants leg room. Passengers of any size can jump into the SV6 and stretch out in comfort. The boot is also very generous providing for ample boot access.

The interior styling is quite bland, with mainly black and gray tones throughout the interior. This being a 'sport' model you would expect an interior to match the sporty exterior, but unfortunately not. The seats are all covered in black leather and the door trim is much the same with the only exception being the silver plastic details on the door handles and around the speakers.

Centre console controls are set out in a clear and easy to use layout. Four main knobs are used, three for the climate control and one is to adjust the audio settings and volume.

I really liked the SV6s dash set up, especially at night, the white dials are illuminated red which offers great visibility - plus if the light is too intense there is a dimmer function to reduce the red glow. The dash also features a small LCD screen in between the speed and rev dials, the LCD screen displays total kms travelled, average fuel consumption, average speed and a digital speed display.

The leather seats were comfortable and even more so for the driver who gets adjustable lumber support and electrically adjustable height and angle driving positions.

The Multifunction steering wheel is also leather, featuring bluetooth hands free, audio controls and trip computer controls.

Overall: 4/5

The Holden SV6 isn't an SS but it sure looks the goods, the SV6 is a good choice for anyone looking for a family sedan with a little extra poke.

Standard features include: seven-speaker sound system with CD-player, 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, alarm and trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity, air conditioning, central locking, power mirrors, power windows, partial electric driver’s seat and leather steering wheel all for just $42,790*.

Visual enhancements, new engine, suspension and transmission work well to elevate the SV6 above its competitors, but it's the new Poison Ivy paint scheme is what seals the deal for me.