Holden Commodore VE Series II SS Ute Review

The 2012 Commodore SS ute looks a lot like its 2006 predecessor, but it was much improved in Series II guise (September 2010) and continues to evolve. Its formidable 6.0-litre V8 engine can run on E85 fuel, as well as shutting down four cylinders at every opportunity for further economy gains. At the start of this century the idea of three of these potentially life-saving devices per occupant in the good old Aussie ute would have been difficult to imagine but the SS has six of ‘em. While the SS ute is somewhat outpointed by the SS-V, it remains seriously sporty in nature and you can always go the extra metre with the Redline options pack.

Exterior and Interior Design

The styling of the SS ute still looks great – hunkered down and purposeful. Some might even suggest that the theme is better suited to the two-door ute than the sedan or even the acclaimed Sportwagon. The SS looks like the sports car which it really is. With the Redline pack, you can be sure of turning more heads more quickly. The interior is less impressive, dogged by the absurdly fat A-pillars but the dash layout is reasonably and the Holden-iQ infotainment system proudly occupies centre stage.

Accommodation

The standard cloth seats are well shaped and comfortable. Leather is an option. The most obvious disadvantage is the lack of Falcon-like storage space behind the seats, followed closely by poor rear and sidewards vision, thanks to thick B-pillars. These do incorporate a window but it is too small. The VE A-pillar is still a problem, making vision the biggest negative about the VE range. It is not only too wide, but its steep rake compromises horizontal vision, for example when looking left before joining a busy road (it can easily obscure a whole vehicle!) The soft feel fabric covering much of the dash is of high quality and contrasts markedly with the hard plastic of the gearknob. Why can’t Holden put buttons for the cruise on the steering wheel rather than using an unattractive, lumpy stalk?

Performance and Economy
Holden’s Chevrolet-sourced 6.0-litre V8 is a sizzler and shows how far expectations have risen in the past decade. It develops 270 kW of power (which not so long back was HSV territory) and 530 Nm of torque. While fuel usage is heavy in urban and suburban driving, it drops to nine litres per 100 kilometres under steady cruising conditions. Choose the automatic transmission and the brilliant, unobtrusive AFM is included.

Ride and Handling
It is difficult to fault the SS ute on the road. Even mid-corner bumps don’t unsettle the rear, which grips well even when the tray is empty. Independent rear suspension is a real advantage for Commodore utes compared with Falcons. Ride comfort is surprisingly good and would be better with a load. The steering is pleasingly sharp and this is one ute that can be tipped quite hard into corners in standard form. Again, the Redline options package takes things to the next level again. Electronic stability control, traction control and a limited slip differential are all standard kit.

Conclusion 
This is a good ute with an outstanding powertrain which showcases General Motors’ determination to make efficient vehicles.