Road Test: Holden VZ SS Ute

By Feann Torr

If an Australian sports sedan such as the SS Commodore is like a Barossa Valley red in the General Motors Holden range, then the SS ute is surely a thirst quenching beer.

A good drop of red wine is often matured for years, where the beer is less sophisticated, and instead of sipping the wine slowly and carefully, savouring it's multifaceted flavours, you chug back the beer with not a care in the world, happily letting it's contents spill down your chin.

And so it is with the SS ute.

It's brash, it's unsophisticated, you revel in its inadequacies such as the lack of traction control or a six-speaker stereo, and just like the beer, you gulp it down like a dehydrated spectator at the cricket.

The new ute is considerably cheaper than the sedan models - often by up to almost $10,000 - and this idea of cost effectiveness has helped keep the performance ute alive and well in the Australian marketplace. In fact more often than not, the ute is the cheapest way to get yourself into a 300+ horsepower V8.

In this test we are looking at the range-topping VZ Holden ute, the performance oriented SS. Compared to the now superceded VY model, it gets a new look, more power and a tweaked 6-speed manual gearbox, but will these changes be enough to get both regular Holden ute and new buyers alike to check out the new models?

And, perhaps more tellingly, would you opt for a tasty drop of red wine with its smooth favours and subtle aromas, or just grab a slab of beer?

Drive

Holden's new range-topping VZ ute, the SS

First things first, and beyond the SS ute's new look there's not a great deal of difference between the way the VY and VZ utes handle on road.

They're both very powerful machines, they both look good on the road and they both makes all the right noises, which should please a lot of customers looking to upgrade or trade in.

The interior of the 2004 SS VZ ute looks similar to the 2003 VY model, which is a bit of a bummer - but then Ford's MkII Falcon hasn't changed much either, so it becomes somewhat of a moot point when comparing the long time rivals.

From behind the leather steering wheel, the Holden ute's V8 thrum isn't as prominent as that offered by its arch- rival, the Ford Falcon XR8 ute - particularly when the accelerator is slammed vehemently into the firewall.

When flying past 4500, 5000, then 5500rpm, there is a level of acoustic intensity that will make many drivers feel good about themselves, it's just not quite as bold as the Falc's. When it comes to performance though, the SS ute excels, and if you're one of these thrill seekers who likes the feel of being pushed into the seat cushions thanks to high G-forces, you're going love this utility vehicle.

The rejigged 6-speed gearbox is an absolute joy to use compared to the previous 4-speed auto we tested, and the clutch is incredibly light for the amount of torque being produced, which means your left leg won't take a battering. Some notchiness can be felt between shifting gears, and it takes time to get quick shifts down pat, but in general the gearbox is a reliable piece of kit, and helps keep the ute steaming along at a good clip.

In 250kW form, the 5.7-litre V8 under the SS ute's bonnet is a potent piece of work, no doubt about that, but this side of a dynamometer, there would be few who could tell the difference between the 2003 model VY Series II ute and the VZ on test.

Still, when it comes to top end performance, the SS ute really doesn't need any more. Thanks to the lack of traction control, things can get somewhat thrilling when your hacking down a coastal road, rapidly approaching a bend.

For instance, you may change back into second gear as you approach the corner, then apply the brakes - more firmly now because they're starting to fade - and then stamp hard the throttle through the exit of the corner.

Unfortunately, your premeditated trajectory doesn't always eventuate thanks to the combination of a light rear end and ageing rear suspension. 470Nm of torque quickly overrides rear wheel grip, most often resulting in big doses of power oversteer. Indeed, I had a lot of trouble keeping the rear wheels stuck to the bitumen, which could be a positive or a negative thing dependent on how old you are, or how old you feel you are.

The suspension is well adjusted to deal with Australia's roadways

It also highlights how responsive the new drive-by-wire electronic throttle is, and when combined with the revised 6-speed manual transmission, it makes for one very quick, very responsive ute.

Unlike the rear hoops, the front wheels tracked round corners quite nicely, offering above average levels of feedback via the steering wheel, so if you can keep from flooring the throttle out of the exit of every corner, you'll really enjoy what the SS ute has to offer.

The ute can handle high levels of lateral G forces, thanks largely to the 17-inch wheels shod with 235/45 tyres and the stiffer sports suspension, yet I never quite felt supremely confident in it, something that the Falcon managed straight off the bat.

Perhaps another week or two would have helped, but the way the 6-speed manual puts power the ground is sometimes scary.

In combination with the profusion of power on tap, there is also a massive fuel drain, and this really hurts the SS ute as a viable commuter. Unless you have a never ending supply of Coles shopper dockets or you own a Russian oil field, the SS will cost you a pretty penny in fuel.

Away from the hairpin corners, the sharp lefts and the blind 100km/h crests, the VZ ute was quite practical. On the highway and away from the city the fuel drain is much less (thanks to the tall 6th gear) and the ride is nice and comfortable. The wide leather sports seats provide for great support, and really stood out as one of the interior's best assets.

Ventilated discs brakes sit at all four corners of the ute, 296mm up front and 286mm at the rear, but were probably one of the worst aspects of the ute's chassis. The brake pedal felt a little spongy and the calipers lacked initial bite, so that the pedal needed to be pumped vigorously to get decent deceleration from high speeds, and the fade - while not terminal - didn't inspire confidence. The car we tested only had about 4000km on the clock, so it's unlikely this was due to brake pad wear.

When it came down to it, I wasn't convinced that the VZ SS ute was much different to drive than the VY, save for slightly quicker acceleration. But the more time spent driving it, the more the little nuances made themselves felt, and at the end of the day it is a nicer vehicle to drive than the VY ute.

Engine

The more I drive the the 5.7-litre Gen III V8, the more I like it's Jekyl and Hyde nature.

The difference between the top and bottom ends of the engine are quite noticeable, as you can putt around town without the rev needle passing 2000rpm, enjoying the creamy characteristics of eight cylinders pumping out low power and middling torque, yet still have a grand old time feeling the throb of V8 through the gear stick.

The engine can also be pushed, quite obviously, and when pushed it transforms into a nasty, snarling animal. Once the screech of the rear wheels has subsided - usually when second gear is selected - the roar of the engine begins to intensify, and the most pleasing music happens quite high in the rev range - anything above 5000rpm.

Thanks to a few tweaks here and there, Holden's spanner men have managed to squeeze yet more poke from the 5665cc V8 mill. Outputting 250kW @ 5600rpm, it becomes clear that the big ute needs to be revved hard to attain peak performance, and 470Nm of torque @ 4800rpm gives it a fairly tight powerband. These figures represent a 5 kilowatt and 5 Newton metre rise in power and torque respectively.

The Holden's kerb weight of 1613kg and the lack of traction control makes it hard not to see the ute through hooligan-coloured glasses, and the hard-charging engine only reinforces this idea. As you row through the gears, foot the floor, the speed pours on effortlessly. It's an amazingly rapid vehicle, and it's no slouch point to point either.

There is, of course, the nasty issue of fuel consumption to look at, but if paying out big bucks for fuel isn't an problem when buying a new car, skip the next few paragraphs. Starting with a full tank of fuel, a 300 kilometre round trip that incorporated suburbs, a bit of city and a good deal of country roads, the fuel gauge read close to empty. By my reasoning, with a 70 litre fuel tank, this equates to about 23 litres of fuel used per 100km travelled. In anyone's book, this is pretty lousy.

The snub nosed VZ is easy on the eye, retaining its predecessor's sleek profile

Sure, I gave the big blue ute a bit of schtick here and there, but with Victoria's zero-tolerance policy on speeding, I made very sure to keep things legal and took it rather slowly in general.

On the freeway things are pretty sweet, as in sixth gear the engine will tick over @ 1250rpm, while in the city extensive use of first and second gear means you'll pay a high price for navigating the concrete jungle.

Exterior

From afar, the sleek VZ ute doesn't look dramatically different to its forebear, the VY SS ute, but the closer you get, the more differences you'll be able to spot.

The front end has been restyled and together with its flatter nose it incorporates a larger front air dam, egg-crate grille, twin 'power' lines on the bonnet and there are also those oft-talked about air vents located on the front flanks, covered by the side indicator bulbs.

While these vents look really cool, and help identify the new VZ model more clearly, they are in fact cosmetic. In other words, they are put there to look good, and don't actually vent anything, which is a bit of a let down.

We asked Holden if we could hack through the metal with our power tools, assuring them it was a good idea and one that would yield more top end performance. Sadly they'd have none of it, and now no one will ever know...

The new look front end gives the ute an appealing fresh face and the striking new blue paint job on offer - Impulse Metallic - attracted lots of attention. The new 17-inch wheels didn't really do it for me personally - the 'safe' 5-spoke design is getting a little old - but they suit the car's personality well enough.

The addition of halogen headlights with smooth spherical projector lenses also gives the ute a more upmarket personality and, on the whole, the new VZ ute is a very stylish addition to Holden's light commercial range, yet with more than enough machismo to keep the burnout brigade happy.

Interior

By and large, the SS ute's interior looks good, but cheap dash plastics let it down

The interior of the SS ute is quite nice - there's lots of colour coded leather, such as the seats and door inserts, plus the speedo and tachometer dials also match the exterior colour too, which gives the car an almost customised look and feel.

The plastics surrounding the dash, however, are in great need of an update. They're harsh, cheap looking and don't feel very nice to touch either.

The top of the gearshift is made of silver-coloured plastic too, adding little to the tactility of shifting gears, but overall - and for the price you pay - it's a pretty good deal.

The SS ute with the optional leather trim ($1490), which includes electronic climate control is quite a nice place to be, and save for the electric window controls located on the transmission tunnel near the handbrake, the ergonomics are also nicely done.

The cruise control isn't as intuitive as the wheel-mounted items on the Falcon models, but it works just as well and the leather bound steering wheel is delightfully chunky and feels good under hands.

Drilled alloy-covered pedals and a 6-stack CD stereo are standard in the SS, and both add a bit more novelty to proceedings, while not exactly blowing you away with their quality.

The factory-fitted options list for the new ute is quite impressive: there's the sports/roll bar with integrated LED stop lamp for $742, or if you like the idea of a panel van why not opt for the HBD canopy, which at just over $6000 ain't cheap, but will ensure exclusivity and a visual link to the 'Sandman' surf mobile of days gone by.

There's even a Bluetooth phone kit for under five hundred bucks for those who want to mix business with pleasure, and the popular $2073.50 hard tonneau cover that comes with locks and is a good replacement for the standard rear cloth cover, ensuring better security of items stowed in the large rear tray.

Overall: 3.5/5

By and large, I was at first disappointed with how few mechanical changes have made it into the VZ SS ute. It was as though I was driving the VY Series II model with a custom-look front end to begin with.

After spending some quality time with the blue ute however, I remembered just how enjoyable utes can be, and the SS is up there as Holden's best handling, quickest performance ute, and the minor changes to steering geometry and suspension increase its civility. It rides well, offering a good balance between sporty and smooth, and won't protest when you push it. Unless you push too hard...

The introduction of the recalibrated 6-speed manual and the electronic throttle will help the Holden take the fight back to Ford, as the VZ a much sharper, and somewhat scarier prospect than the VY ute.

While there are a number of criticisms to be levelled at the VZ SS ute, such as the dash plastics, the fake fender vents, the abysmal fuel consumption and the sometimes unforgiving rear suspension, the price of admission more than makes up for this.

If you prefer the matured flavours and complexity of a good red wine to those of a pale ale, you'll want to stay tuned for our review of the more composed SS sedan before splurging on the ute. On the other hand, if you want to spend a good $10k less than what the sedan costs and don't mind sacrificing the rear seats and a little sophistication, the ute presents itself as a very solid alternative.