Road Test: VE Holden SS Ute vs SV6 Ute

Review by Feann Torr - 23/November/2007

So you've decided you want a brand new ute, and you like the look of what Holden has brought to the table with its sporty VE utility. 

But which model - the V6 or the V8?

There's a fair amount of difference in the asking price of the SV6 and SS - $4,000 more for the V8 model - but they look very similar. Same 18-inch wheels, same body kit, same smooth silhouette. 

These brutes are separated only by their engines, gearboxes, and exhaust pipes at the rear.

Holden's SS Ute has a whopping 6.0-litres of displacement, drinks spirits on the rocks, and likes to yell really loudly at inopportune moments.

The other character, the SV6 Ute, is a far more sophisticated and smooth character. He has table manners and doesn't curse as much. Sure, he's not as tough and didn't kick as many goals as his mate, but he can read and write.

The brain versus the brawn, 6-cylinders versus eight, toasted sandwiches versus, um, meat pies or something. However you care to symbolise it, choosing between the 6- and 8-cylinder ute will not be an instantaneous decision for some buyers. It's one of those head versus heart, need versus desire struggles. Hopefully we can help: 

Drive: SV64/5 SS4/5

Holden has moved the car-based VE Ute further away from its commercial origins and closer to that of a purebred sports car. For better or worse, the humble Holden Ute is not so humble anymore.

It's got attitude and street presence. Three quarters of the Holden VE Ute range are dedicated sports models, giving rise to what could be called the Sportility.

Holden expects that a whopping 80% of sales will be for the sports models too, so we thought we'd test two of the most popular - the SV6 ($35,990) and SS ($39,990) variants, both with 6-speed manual gearboxes.

First things first, and the new Holden Ute drives like a car. It's a very relaxed vehicle to drive for the most part and you don't feel too many bumps coming into the cabin. It's pretty much like driving a Commodore sedan, only with a truncated view out the back as the tray obstructs rearward vision.

The suspension setup is very similar to the Commodore sedan - we're talking a smooth, quiet ride for the most part and impressive handling to match.

The front suspension is identical to the VE Commodore sedan, while the rear end features a more rigid setup than the sedan  for load bearing. On the road, both the V6-powered SV6 and V8-powered SS Ute are smooth operators with a level of refinement that would impress HQ Ute owners.

This is easily the most sophisticated ute ever made in Australia, but that's not to say it doesn't still have a few rough edges.

In and around town, and cruising through suburbs the SS drank more petrol, but overall I thought it was a better vehicle primarily because you don't have to change gears as much. The V6 is not slow but you sometimes have to make a couple of gear changes to overtake a slow truck in traffic, whereas the V8 has copious power reserves and can ride a wave of torque in any gear.

Of course, if you decided on the automatic gearbox this point would be moot.

Both utes feature the same running gear: 18-inch alloy rims shod with 245/45 R18 tyres. They provide good grip in most situations, but the V8-powered SS ute could do with wider rear tyres as it sometimes breaks traction at the rear when you're really start moving (more on that soon).

The SV6 has a touch more precision in the handling department and when we put it through its paces on some winding coastal roads it exhibited better initial turn-in than the SS, which is most likely due to the fact that there's less weight over the front axle.

Using its V6 to the tune of 195kW, the rear-wheel drive SV6 is a well-balanced sports car that can be highly rewarding when driven with a bit of gusto.

In general however, the points go the way of the SS because it's so effortlessly powerful. It's got a muscle car feel and charges out of corners with the kind of force that pushes you into your seat very firmly.

My first impression after steering the Holden SS Ute through an initial 25 kilometres section of twists and turns was that it wasn't quite as poised as the SV6 and drank far more petrol -- but was huge fun nonetheless.

Part of the spontaneous enjoyment you get from driving the SS Ute comes from the sounds it makes. Without doubt this is one of the best sounding Holdens I've ever driven, and Holden's engineers said they made changes to the V8 (compared to the sedan) to provide drivers with a more involving experience. Mission accomplished.

While the brakes in the SS are larger than the stoppers fitted to the SV6 (321mm vs 298mm front discs), they didn't feel as positive. I reckon the brakes are better matched in the SV6 than the SS.

There's not a great deal of feel through the pedal when you request strong response in the SS - it just kind of sinks in and this one one of the SS Ute's few shortcomings.

Another issue with the SS that didn't affect the SV6 Ute was rear end looseness. This could explained by a number of factors. A) the engine has more power than a Russian nuclear sub and B) the weight distribution favours the front end - 53:47.

During high intensity driving the tail end of the SS felt a bit loose and I reckon the ESP threshold is a bit cloying, reigning things in too quickly for my liking. 

The ESP is an excellent feature and improves both cars roadholding and safety credentials by a huge margin, while making wet weather driving far more manageable than in the past. But in the dry it tends to inhibit the vehicle's progress when you really turn up the heat. 

While the SV6 will rarely spin its rear wheels during hard driving, the SS's prodigious 270kW power charge means it fights a constant battle with the ESP that often gave me the irrits. Turn it off and the rear end feels too flighty thanks to the huge mid-range surge of torque that the 6.0-litre V8 develops. 

With ESP turned off, the Holden SS rear end sees more fishtails than a fishmongers offal bucket. There's even touch of flex in the body when you gun the throttle on the V8 SS, which highlights just how much twist the V8 engine exerts on the chassis.

The Holden SS Ute can be driven enthusiastically along twists and turns with ESP switched off, but you have to be ultra smooth with your throttle control. Otherwise the rears light up quicker than you can say "Holy El Camino". If you go all or nothing on the throttle, expect to be wrestling the tiller and replacing your rear tyres every other month.

But as much as I thought the rear end could have used more rubber (HSV Maloo anyone?), the SS is a very entertaining car to drive and demonically quick. I guess it's just that the SS Ute's power delivery is more suited to wide open sweeping corners, while the SV6 thrives on tighter corners, switchbacks and flip-flops.

The rear ends of these vehicles highlight the main differences in how they feel to drive, which are largely governed by their respective power outputs, while the front ends have less difference.

The front suspension setups on both cars are very conducive to sports driving, tipping into bends cleanly, tracking quite nicely through corners with a precise, if light, steering feel.

Ultimately, the rear end is the only part that reminds you you're driving a ute. But hey, what's a ute without a couple of rough edges here and there?

While both the SV6 and SS Holden VE Utes have 6-speed manual gearboxes, they are both quite different in operation. To be blunt, the SS gearchange is heavy and notchy, while the SV6 feels smoother and lighter.

The SV6's transmission is generally very good, except that reverse is tricky to pinpoint at times. I noticed that going from reverse to first gear (roughly in the same spot) sometimes kept snagging reverse.

In practise, I actually liked the heavier gearchange from the SS, but I reckon quite a few people will appreciate the more refined Aisin 6-speed manual connected to the 3.6-litre V6 of the SV6 ute.

Both utes are very cruisey highway vehicles but the SV6 takes the honours in this respect thanks to its more disciplined conduct. 

Even though the SS Ute's LS2 V8 engine revs lower in 6th gear when travelling at 100km/h - 1500rpm to be precise - it drinks more petrol per kilometre than the V6. The SV6's engine sits on 1700rpm at 100km/h in 6th gear.

At the end of the day, it turns out there's quite a bit of difference in the way these two sports utes behave. You'd think that being almost identical except for engine type wouldn't have a huge effect on the cars dynamics, but they do. 

If you're going to be doing more highway driving and are concerned about how much petrol you pour into your transport I'd suggest talking to your dealer about the SV6. If you want hell-raising tyre-frying power, awesome acceleration, and one of the best sounding Holden's ever built, the SS will be your first port of call.

Overall I personally liked the SS better. It's not perfect and doesn't have the refinement of the SV6's smoother engine and lighter body, but I found myself coming back to the SS more than the SV6.

Engine: SV64/5 SS3.5/5

This is the most important battle ground for these two Holden Utes. The engines are the single biggest differentiating factor between the two vehicles and, though the V8 is more powerful and more entertaining to manipulate, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a better engine.

If you plan on lugging a heavy load or towing an oversized trailer, then the V8 would be the pick (it can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 3825kg). It also affords the Holden VE SS Ute a more sporting flavour, but the SV6 is still a very rewarding vehicle to drive with plenty of acceleration.

In terms of refinement however, the 3.6-litre V6 engine (which is also built in Australia - brownie points there) wins hands down. It's smoother, quieter, more refined and only deviates from its creamy smooth characteristics when the engine revs past 6500rpm. It also revs higher and can be more involving in some situations as you really have to squeeze every last drop from the engine, whereas you rarely have to rev out the beefy LS2 6.0-litre mill.

The fact of the matter is that the Alloytec V6 is a more advanced engine in every respect. It's got 4-valves per cylinder: the V8 has two. It's got quad overhead chain-driven camshafts: the V8 has archaic gear driven over head valves.

The only thing the V8 has going for it is it's sheer size. Compare 3.6-litres worth of high-tech V6 auto gadgetry to 6.0-litres of stone-age V8 rust and the bigger engine will win every time. 

This also explains the disparity in the fuel consumption rates:

SV6 11.4L/100km
 SS 14.5L/100km

The above figures are Holden's claims, and after driving the vehicles for a week we recorded similar figures (11.8 and 14.6L/100km respectively). We covered just over 700km in the SS Ute with one tank of fuel, while the SV6 managed more than 800km. Both models have the same 73 litre fuel tank.

Through it's first three gears the SV6 feels very fleet of foot while the SS exhibits powerful acceleration in pretty much every gear except for 6th, and overdrive if you will.

There is a huge gap in the power outputs - the V6 makes 195kW compared with the V8's 270kW - and the torque development tells a similar story. As such it's no surprise the SS Ute tromps from 0-100km/h in slightly under 6.0 seconds. 

Only one gearchange is needed to reach 100km/h in the SS, as second gear tops out at a ferocious 110km/h. Always good to know when you're in a hurry. Third gear will hit 155km/h, and the story gets even more sordid as you progress through the gears.

The SV6 meanwhile will hit 100km/h in about 7.7 seconds, which isn't too bad considering its got almost 200Nm less torque than the V8.

The 3.6-litre V6 takes longer to build steam, hitting its stride at about 4000-4500rpm and feeling very quick as the engine powers past its 6500rpm peak power mark.

The V8 on the other hand has a huge spread of torque that gives the SS Ute a massive kick from as low as 3000rpm. The V8 is happy to cruise around the suburbs at 50 or 60km/h with the engine sitting on anything between 1250 and 2000rpm and will pull away from standstill with serious force.

While the V6 is a more efficient, more advanced, more refined and quieter engine - and as a result it gets the gong here - I actually prefer driving the V8. When it comes to desire versus need, I usually end up on the desire side of the fence. Logic tells me that the V6 is the wiser choice, but there's something about a V8 that's undeniably soul stirring.

Exterior: SV64/5 SS4/5

There's not much visual difference between these two sports utes apart from badging and quad versus dual exhaust mufflers, so let's call this segment a draw.

The new look borrows heavily from the Holden VE Commodore sedan, and looks fairly classy as a result. With their sports body kits - new front and rear aprons plus side skirts - the SV6 and SS Ute's have a suitably aggressive stance, one which is exaggerated thanks to the vehicle's overtly flared front wheel arches.

The new design brings a European flavour to the ute, but not at the expense of its Australian character.

Much of the new design is concentrated at the rear end which again features flared wheel arches. There also a much deeper rear apron for a sportier rump that features semi-integrated exhaust mouldings.

The 18-inch wheels are identical on both models and are currently my favourite wheels in the current Holden VE range. The 19-inch wheels are big but are largely devoid of any style, whereas these 18-inchers get the double spoke treatment and small black hubs. 

All Holden VE Utes come standard with a new cloth cargo cover which is their best creation yet. It seals very tightly with the tray and produces less flap than previous models'. It's supposed to be more durable (hard to tell during a seven day test) and the clever seal makes attachment/detachment quick and easy.

Payloads are down by about 20 to 40 kilograms across the range. The SS can haul 617kg worth of junk, while the SV6 can lug slightly more: 634kg. The days of the 1-tonner are no more.

The tray measures 1878mm which is 14mm longer than the VZ Ute's cargo area. It'll fit most dirt bike makes diagonally and also features new 'hidden' hinges for the fold-down tailgate and small grooves to hold ramps for motorbike loading. There's also six tie points with rope cleats and a modular box option to stow tools and equipment.

While the Holden Ute may have gone all sporty with a dynamically integrated new look, it's still got a decent amount of practicality which is good to see.

Interior: SV63.5/5 SS3.5/5

Compared to the previous Holden Ute, the VE interior has come a long way and things like the dash plastics are much improved, as are general cabin ergonomics.

At the same time, the placement of controls hasn't changed so much as to alienate VZ buyers, and with significantly more interior room than before it's quite a comfy vehicle too. What used to be 90 litres of space behind the seats is now 245 litres - enough for the shopping or a few backpacks full of gear - and together with quick release seat handles that rear space is far more accessible.

This improved interior space means the seats slide back a little further as well, which is good for larger and taller drivers and while the HVAC controls are pretty chunky they're intuitive to use and are based on the same controls from the award-winning VE Commodore.

Like the exteriors, there's very little separating the SV6 and SS models here so again it's a draw.

Some of the noteworthy aspects of the interiors were the instruments clusters, with simple-but-modern looking speedo and tachometer dials. Even better is when they light up at night with a crimson hue. Very cool.

The modern-looking dashpads give the utes a clean, contemporary look and feel and the various dot matrix displays add a touch of techno-cool to proceedings. The seats are uniformly comfy, with so-so side bolsters but good cushioning that improves long haul comfort.

The air-conditioning system cools the cabin down remarkably quickly (it is a small cabin), and the stereo systems in both models come with CD players that offer above average audio clarity. They both get central locking, power windows, cruise control and power steering. Leather steering wheels on both models with audio and trip meter controls work well and in all both utes feel modern and sporty. They also get dual airbags, ESP and traction control.

Holden's new handbrake has offended a few people. I personally don't mind it but I know a lot of people who aren't happy with it. Complaints include: flimsy feel, the position of the release button, and the potential to pinch your hand when releasing it. I thought it was fine, but there you go.

One aspect that does annoy me, and always has about modern Commodore designs, are the electric window controls - they're mounted between the front seats behind the gear stick. It's a small quibble, but whenever I wanted to drop the windows my hand instinctively reached for the driver's door insert before I realised there was nothing there.

Having the window controls mounted between driver and passenger makes sense on a couple of fronts though. The passenger has access to all windows, and when building the car for left-hand drive export markets nothing needs to be moved.

Overall: SV64/5 SS4.25/5

It was a tough decision but in the end the gong goes to the disturbingly powerful Holden SS Ute. 

It's one of those decisions that will involve careful consideration for many buyers looking at the new ute. Do you follow your head (SV6), or your heart (SS)? In the need versus desire struggle, I've been swayed by desire. Call me weak-willed, but the SS is just too enjoyable.

While the SV6 is a very capable vehicle, engaging to drive and in some respects sharper than the SS, and of course far less damaging to the environment and your wallet, I still can't go past the SS.

With it's monstrous power and awe-inspiring 8-cylinder soundtrack, coupled with what is the most accomplished chassis to ever debut in a utility in this country, the Holden SS Ute is a full bore performance vehicle.

The SS does have some shortcomings in terms of refinement, rear end grip, and a policy of battling with the ESP at times, but overall it's a relatively smooth and sophisticated vehicle to drive in almost all scenarios. The SV6 is a toned down version of the SS, but if you're not too concerned about flat out performance I would recommend the SV6 in a heartbeat. It offers the same storming visual package, can carry heavier loads, and costs a good $4,000 less.

Though Holden has designed the new VE Ute to shift away from commercial load lugging and more towards a sporty lifestyle vehicle - goodbye tools, hello surfboard - it's still one of the most versatile vehicles on the road.