Really good honest review considering your affection towards the blue oval, and I agree the Holden interior really dated the Fords offering! The best of both worlds would be sticking a turbo Barra engine in an SV6! Cheers for sharing...
@@RossReviewsau Holden had access to the LF3 and LF4, its a shame the 6 got ignored for its farewell. I hoped that guy who owned ZF (I think) could have bought Holden, and got the rights to the Barra since Ford global didn't want anything to do with it.
@@chrisrosie0584 or even the 2.8 turbo V6 from the Holden insignia vxr, which they sold alongside the vf. If they shoehorned that motor into the sv6 and tuned it to like 250kw or something then it would’ve been a legitimate xr6 turbo competitor
I always hate seeing these when coming around a corner I'm always worried it's an undercover police car so foot straight on the clutch to shut the pooping off the exhaust 😅🤣
I've had the non Black edition for 3 yrs Driving it about 300 - 400km per week, taking 75kph corners at 100kph, flying around the winding country roads of New Zealand and I love it.
Holden did such an awesome job with the VF series, they really lifted the bar with the design both inside and out. I'm more so into Ford's, but there are definitely things Holden do that make me car-gasm haha (For lack of a better term) I'm gunna call it, the ONE MAJOR FAULT = Not having TURBO ;) The SV6's go pretty bloody hard for a Non Turbo, looking forward to this one Ross
The SV6 range in holden was not made for performance or to try and break the land speed records on the streets, like the fords were . SV6 was designed to be more economical and or a family car, which the commodore was orignally designed to be. For performance and speed , thats what the V8s were for
@@CurtisLSA And what a rippa job Holden did with their V8's! Yeah I get that.. I suppose there would have been increased pressure from the rise in SUV's and smaller cars with great fuel economy, to need to follow suit in order to keep the Commodore in production that little bit longer. I'm saddened that the production of both the Commodore and Falcon have come to an end, especially with the VF series, so damn good! And also even the FG-X with an XR8 supercharged V8 as standard.. I suppose it was inevitable, but still sad.. Fingers crossed they come out with Electric versions in the future :P
@@CurtisLSA lol...for performance and speed that's what the XR6 Turbos are for which absolutely cream the LS. (stock vs stock) 💯%. Lol..even a 2007 Toyota Aurion NA V6 with their stock 200kw absolutely cream a VF 3.6 V6 everyday of the week. Per litre LS motors make bugger all power for a V8.
@@victorsmith5699 as they say , put a turbo on anything and it makes it quicker . The point of my post or reply is that the Barra lovers think the sv6 was built for performance and to try and break speed records which it was not . It’s purely a family designed car , That’s what a supercharged LS is for , for performance. And please don’t start on the “a stock Barra will chop a supercharged LS “ because it won’t
I have exactly the same car in blue but sedan version and handles the road very well and plenty of comfort as well. The sv6 for what it is, it has plenty of power for day to day use and with a couple of good basic mods and a good tune I think the sv6 can shine as well. Fantastic review Ross, always delivering good quality video’s, keep them coming.
I have driven both extensively, including the VE. My one serious criticism of the VE/F is the massive A and B pillars, the A pillars especially are terrible like when turning 90 degrees into a side street. They fully block out any vision like pedestrians and the drivers B pillar when looking over your shoulder doing a lane change to the right. Otherwise they're a good solid car, the suspension in the Holden to me rides a bit nicer and is quieter with no annoying maintenance issues like the diff bush issues. But yes, those metres of multiple timing chains on the V6 are a worry though.
I went 3 years without servicing my 2013 VF SV6 and was driving due to Covid (2019-2022) and losing my job did a oil change once myself. Car is currently at 180000 kms thing still runs fine (for now).
I’m a Ford guy at heart, but when I was after a station wagon only 3-4 options were in my price point. Between a Skoda, VW and Holden, I picked the Holden. Love the interior, fairly economical and has plenty of punch when I want it. I also think the body lines are the on point. Shame Ford dropped the sport wagon with the EF XR6.
My mate has one of these and I have the G6E turbo. I have to admit I’d rather have the interior of the sv6. The seating position and steering & suspension feels so much more composed and precise. If they had combined these two beasts they would have flew off the shelf I’m sure
We rented a 2016 Falcon at Longreach in 2018. Thought it was ok untill it died on a dirt raod and we got a lift to town. They then gave us a VF 2 SV6 - the difference was amazing. Just a great car to drive.
Holden has always spent more time on looks and handling. where as Ford has been more on performance then looks and handling. It's always been this way.
Are you high? This is not correct. Holden and HSV always smoked Ford in a straight line. Which is why Ford created FTE then FPV. Up until the XR6T, Holdens shat all over Ford in a straight line but the Ford's were better handling.
@@RossReviewsau I agree with you. The SS wasn't really a popular choice. It was basically a family sedan with a V8 and Bodykit. I would much rather own a V8 Calais at least you are getting your moneys worth out of that.
Bought my first xr6t when they first came out and I couldn’t drive to the shop without some wanker in an SS tryna drag me. People sure learned quickly that the xr6t was a beast. Never lost to a holden in a quick street drag. R34’s were the only things i had trouble with. Love my falcon had my fg xr6t for 13 years now
Great review! Love my Barra’s, I have a 04 F6 Typhoon and I bleed Blue, however my company car is 2017 SV6 VF Series 2, had it for 3 years and what a great car!!
I am a proud owner of the 2016 Vf SV6 LFX Black Edition Holden Commodore Sedan. in the colour Prussian Steel and absolutely loving owning it from brand new. Thankyou for the great review on this beautiful car.
The best thing someone can do with a Commodore SV6 is let somebody else buy it. Then get yourself an VE or VF SS / V Commodore... I hired an SV6 in Brisbane years ago. Someone asked me what it went like compared to my SS with a 6 litre L98 engine....my reply was it almost as bad as flogging a tired old dog. The V6 was under powered to buggery. I have a VE SS and a modded VF SSV ..both are 6 litre manual sedans. The Commodores need to be lowered and then have roughly an extra 75kg sitting over the rear axle. With a decent set of tyres they will sit well on the road and stick like sh*t to a blanket. I have used Continentals for the last 5 sets. When I bought the VF, it got booked in straight away and the tyres replaced with Continentals. What I would do with an SV6 Commodore is the full air to exhaust and at least cam the engine.... after having the suspension lowered.
With the Holden hfv6, the timing chain issue is actually an oil issue. They should never have had a 15000km service interval because the oil deteriorated too much and gummed up the pcv on right bank that then caused oil flow restrictions to the timing chains. Change the oil often and there is no timing chain issue. Barra? 220000 on the gas cars and the head cracks and can't be fixed.
Interestingly this popped up on my FB feed today, so in reading this even Australia's fuel standards for 91 octane may contribute to the timing chains. Be interesting to hear if people running 98 have the same issues. facebook.com/100063606451052/posts/192581222872092/?sfnsn=mo
when people refer to sv6s they think it's unreliable, but really it's the service intervals and manual trannys that is close to a barra. Not to mention every car breaks lol, it's up to the owner how they take care of it.
Vf is definitely the best generation Commodore. Such refined cars and they finally got an awesome interior. The LFX V6 definitely isn’t anything special and while the 6.0 L76 was a good motor it didn’t do the Vf any favours. Luckily Holden sent the commodore away on a high note with the 6.2 LS3 for the series 2, Vf2 SS is just the perfect package and no denying the best SS ever. Best sounding too from my non biased opinion 😂😂
I've got a VF Calais S2 v6 wagon which is pretty much the same as this, and I love driving it even if it is only a V6 - did around 150ks yesterday with the whole family and its always a comfy ride. Love the heated seats in the Calais and the rest of the interior as you talked about. Good review 👍
i reckon your on the money mate.. its a great family car! id have one.. would it be my performance car choice no.. but its so nice inside and gets the family around safely and comfortably.. ad a GT to the garage and you will be sorted mate :)
I have a 2017 Chevrolet SS basically a Holden Commodore vf. Fully converted inside and out to be a Holden the vf. I am a Holden die hard fan now. But honestly I'm a fan of all cars. We just all need to enjoy and appreciate it all cause pretty soon there will only be suv and electric cars
@@RossReviewsau yes sir not planning ever getting rid of her. Soon you should do a trip to the USA to film my full converted VF2 Commodore.. Forged built motor with turbos. 1500hp. I would love you to review it bro
@@RossReviewsau Yeh men I'm down anytime you ever come to United States Come down to my area I'll have a place for you to stay is a place for you to stay my house is Is plenty big And you can review that shit for 2 to 3 days. It would be an honor man.
My brother bought a VE mk2 SV6 and after driving it myself, they really are surprising in their performance and certainly love the red line. The timing chains are a worry tho so defs keeping an eye on it😬
In the past I’ve been a Ford person going as far back as XB V8, XC V8, one of the very first EF XR6’s sold and several other Barra engined cars like a BF Fairmont. I’ve loved them all. Currently I have Honda Type R FK8, VE SS 6.0 manual and 2017 VF SV6. Other than my early 90’s Honda’s, my favourite is the SV6 to drive. Beautiful interior, handles quite well, and acceleration is really good since fitting an electronic throttle controller which has transformed responsiveness.
Interior room. My experience GMH is that with no effort the driver can open the glovebox, and do whatever. Thing is that in all of my Fords the seatbelt comes off to reach the same glovebox. Holdens are smaller inside. Especially the Holden wagon rear cargo space? The Fords ride better (wagon) on country roads. GVM is higher as well. Like the colour though dude.
whoever decided IRS was required on commodore wagons should take a long hard look at themselves, cant carry anything in them without getting some serious negative camber on the rears, everyone bagged ford out for keeping it live rear in the utes and wagons but at least they could do what they were designed to do, hundred percent agree on the falcons being more spacious too
Alectraproject....lol, you reckon a leaf sprung rear end on a Falcon wagon has a better ride on country roads??...lol, what have you been smoking?...they are rough as guts on shitty country roads.💯%
@@victorsmith5699 never found mine that uncomfortable and if youre worried about comfort drive a sedan, wagons and utes are for hauling shit and being a utility vehicle. Each to their own and suiting the tool to the job i guess
@@victorsmith5699 I have owned my series 2 AU wagon for 19 years. It is very well maintained and there is no rough or guts out in the country...must be just one out of the box I guess.
I have this exact car in the sedan, I love it. It's a nice place to be, I know the barra is Australias 2jz but interior wise, the Holden is easily better than the falcons.
@@RossReviewsau shame Holden never gave us a hot v6 model, I think they really missed a market, how hard would of it been for them to chuck an OTR on an more aggressive tune and brake upgrade, so it could wear the SV6 badge properly.
@@RossReviewsau yeah that's their logic, but I think Ford showed them it could be done. Because guys that are going to buy a V8 are always going to buy a V8, their not going to swap just because there's a fast 6
@@RossReviewsau to be fair tho, buying the OEM parts to do chains, phasers, plugs and oil pickup together with special tools required adds up to about $3000.
The 3.6 LFX is an absolute beast in reliability with one condition. Max km/oil change at 10000km. The bottom ends are copping 700hp with no issues in US race applications. Its also popular switch into Miata/MX5 for circuit racing with its light weight and similar power curve. My one criticism of the VF is the front seats look flash but are awful to sit in. Timing chains in the Aussie built LFX are a wives tail! You know someone is talking out their butts or just saying words when they chuck "timing chains" in about an LFX. Just change the oil for the sake of all the lovely cam features and you will be fine. As it has a modern direct combustion chamber injection. There is a high pressure fuel pump which is about $1000 when eventually after about 200k if you service the injectors, replace that too because your pulling the intake manifold and all sorts off to get them out. May as well do it all. If youre a driver pal, stick to the car and leave the donk talk out. The Barra is a monster and Ford Australia should be proud! If youre modifying, the Barra destroys the LFX. In saying that the LFX is slowly getting some after market goodies.
Exactly right mate ! Yes the Aussie built LFX has long passed the "timing chain issues " I work as a mechanic and have seen an VF evoke with 160000km on the clock at only FOUR years old.. that high km for the age . The car was in SHOWROOM condition perfect all round.. another sv6 I've seen with 240000km and again zero leaks and absolutely no underbody issues ... my tuned sv6 has 120000km I drive it like its a racing car everyday and the car has had NO issues whatsoever haven't even needed to replace a light globe let alone anything else it's bulletproof!
If everyone really wanted SUV’s as Ford & Holden pointed to when they shut up shop , why has the price of Aussie built cars , kept well gone up so much !
People didn't both Ford & Holden got greedy. Paying too much wages they make a killing now selling Thai utes.. Holden's plastic cough Opel didn't work out well Ford at least had the Mustang to keep some enthusiasts saited.
@@blunt3777 unfortunatley thats what the camaro and ZL1 was for for holdens or HSVs sake to keep the V8 enthusiasts happy after HSV/ V8 commodore finished up. But the ridiculous conversion to RHD pricing on top of a already higher then your average price compaired to say s stock SS or a N/A HSV put many people out of it . 25,000 on top of an imported car by HSV was ridiculous . Mustang made theirs RHD from factory and imported here. You could pretty much pick up 2 stock mustangs for the price of a camaro stock or a ZL1 etc
I have owned both commodores and falcons. I would take vf any day for a daily driver BUT if I was to do any performance work, I would go the falcon. If I was to go the ultimate, all-out build, I would go the vf with the FG running gear, now that would be the best car.
No doubt I am a barra man but the holden does have the edge with the interior and their wheel arch/guards take wider tyres more easily. The strait six barra has the better torque curve, thanks for showing us Jono, maybe I'm biased barra t for me Tony
your dead right Tony.. if only they had got the engine right like ford.. they would have been unstoppable.. great car great interior but ill still go the barra
Before I bought a fg xr6 two years ago I almost went for the sv6 sport wagon but missed out. I've pretty much always been a Ford guy but during the pandemic it became incredibly hard to land an xr6 they would be snapped up in seconds especially if it's in the bright colours like we all wanted.
I had a 2009 SV6 Ute, flogged the shit out of it as a daily. Never had a single issue, definitely had no timing chain issues and that was at 180,000km’s
Great review mate.. I don't think you mentioned that the throttle blips on downshifts making it so smooth when you're having a crack.. From memory the ZF never had that feature ( happy to be corrected though) 👍
I've driven a vf gts and sv6 and one of my kids owns an evoke which was mine previously. Just picked up a ve sv6 for my son and I've gotta say the steering on the VE is much better than the electric steering in the VF, the VF's have a weird dead zone where you can wiggle the steering a few cm's left and right even whilst doing 100 on the freeway and nothing happens while the VE sv6 has firmer steering which feels a lot like older BMW steering which I like.
I always felt like I was sitting in a taxi when getting into any Falcon made in the last 20 years... The only cosmetic downside of the VE/ VF commodores & statesman’s was the small exterior mirrors. I was hoping. Holden would have increased the mirror surface area by 10% would have made a difference, and been more comparable to the VZ series.
L67 was the best performing 6s straight out of the Holden factory with 171kw and 375nm(hsv models had 180kw and 380nm) the torque is why it was the best performer it isn't as powerful as the 210kw 350nm vf but that 375nm is enough to get it ahead of the vf I would have said RB30 turbo in the VL but... stock they only had 150kw and I can't nail the torque but apparently its less than 300nm My favourite 6 though is the ecotec Similar performance to a turbo diesel v6 of the same era minus the turbo but simple enough to work on compared to things like Audi and Mercedes of the same year and parts have always been readily available and can be replaced in ya drive way
@@RossReviewsau id suggest testing the supercharged L67 version but you have to think of them as if they are diesel thats just how the power band has always been in the 3.8 I think its due to being a push rod setup
It's not necessarily true you have to do the timing chains, change the oil regularly (5000ks) and you'll be fine. The older alloytec engines used to gunk up the PCV but they improved that in the LFXs so they don't suffer from the same issues.
The timing chain issue wasnt just the 3.0, it started with the early vz sv6's with the 3.6, i think series 2 ve is when they fixed the timing chain issue
Agree with you, VF interior way better than the Falcon. I had the 2015 VF as a company vehicle and loved it. Loved the remote start up during winter months in Melbourne 😄 drove this car more than my BA Falcon lol
I have never seen one of your videos before and I only found this one as I own the exact same car you are driving, VF II black wagon and I must say I did enjoy it… very honest. The comments are interesting with people comparing the two motors and look I’m a fan of both Aussie made falcon and commodore but the LFX is very reliable when maintained correctly and same can be said for the LY7 and LLT. Let’s not forget the Barra has a bigger displacement and uses far more fuel to make that extra low end torque. I personally love reving out my LFX to redline to get the most power, kinda makes it exciting haha. Both great cars in different ways but if people knew more about these engines and how to take care of them I think people would like them more. Timing chains are something that need to be replaced on all modern overhead cam V shaped motors eventually.
hope you will consider subscribing and joining the tribe mate.. we feature a lot of aussie cars here.. this country was so lucky to get the amazing cars it did.. crying shame the industry left us
I have VF11 SV6 manual sedan. I've always been a Ford guy but the interior in the Holden was hard to ignore (also, I worked in the manufacturing plant for 20 plus years). If I could have a Barra engine in my VF it would be almost the perfect car.
@@RossReviewsau NEVER collab with Zac Baldy again. His vids are cringeworthy and you and your channel would lose credibility if you did collab. Your channel is already so great by itself. Dont do it. You will regret it.💯%....but you should collab with Motoring Box...he knows what he is talking about and his vids are incredibly well made.
As a Ford man there is no doubt Holden went out with a bang on the VF. There was a price to pay and that was a boat load of tax payers money to make it happen. Unlike the FGX that Ford made for the fans at zero tax payers cost. So yes the VF was well refined but everyone payed for it
its a better "car" in terms of design and looks.. to most people i would say.. but no denying the Falcon just hits on another level fo enthusiasts and people that know about engines and mechanics
Had you driven the latest model Commodore with its more powerful engine, it would of been worth comparing it to the last V6 Camry ever to be sold in Australia. The final Commodore V6 might have 15 kw more than the 217 kw Camry, but the way it puts the power down would be interesting, especially given the Commodore's extra weight and all wheel drive.
Hey Johnny,yeah the Commodore has always had the better interior,but I'll trade that every day for the reliability of the Falcon,I've had Commodores a VK & VL in the past great cars,but this time when I weighed up the pros & cons between th FG & VE the FG won,the Barra engine & the ZF gearbox is a perfect match runs so good,I've had my FG XR6 2011 N/A for over 4yrs first Falcon I've ever owned, I put my foot down nothing crazy,always garaged,like brand new inside & out,done a catback & a few mods only run BP 98 fuel it's done 102,000km the only problem I've had is a flat battery in over 4yrs,now who doesn't want that in a car I'm telling you mate this thing would drive to Mars lol,eventually I'd like a Turbo but for now I'm happy with this car,loved the review like always take care buddy.
A few years back I was looking to replace my old BF Falcon sedan. Looked at the new falcon, and the interior was almost exactly the same interior. Looked the Holden, it was nice but, not my cup of tea. So in the end I went Chrysler 300 SRT, I'm glad I went with that, it's a really nice car to drive.
I had one of these when they first came out Bang for buck it was a great car. Bells and whistles included in this model like auto parking unreal. I loved mine.
@@lobsterwhisperer7932 haha yeah your right but wrong cause yeah a lancer or wrx won’t keep up with a supra or souped up xr6 even but they can take the corners like a beast and with the right driver behind the wheel it’s pretty crazy you think your gonna crash every turn but nah it just grips 😂👌🏽
I am a former GM Holden employee, worked at Holden's Engine Operations at Fisherman's Bend, in the HFV6 plant, assembling these Alloytec V6s until November 2016 when the plant shut down , we made enough V6 engines by then to supply the Vehicle Assembly Plant in Elizabeth SA, until it closed late 2017.
@@computerguy222, the Alloytec engines are generally good, many may have had timing chain issues, but not all, of course, I still own a 2004 VZ Lumina, I bought new, it has the very first Alloytec V6, and it's been a champ, so far, I still love my VZ. 😊
I've driven both XR6 and VF SV6 quite a bit. VF feels a generation ahead of an FG2/FGX. Falcon has a 90s agricultural feel to it still, whereas VF feels a lot more cohesive, with better weight distribution , NVH control and a far better driving position. Main saving grace for Falcon is the engines....
Wouldn't mind one of these, good for the dog, cheaper than the added price a V8 will cost 2nd hand, and would love one of these with a topmount supercharger as a spiritual successor to the boosted Ecotecs.. Unfortunately, there aren't any topmount the Alloytec, sidemounts ain't cool, and turbos... ok I'd have a twin turbo one of these I guess 🤣🤣
hey mate, im getting my p's soon and im thinking about either a vf or a ss crewman. the crewman has the v8 gen 3 but its heavy enough to be legal so its fine to drive with p's, what do you think??
Seating position is way better in commodore , the arguement about dash being better imo is personal preference . Fgx xr6 (n/a) vs vf sv6 , it's a horses for courses (i.e the falcon is nicer on the highway where the commodore is nicer on the streets . If you take badge preference away from the comparison , and judged the car on what it is , you'd be happy living with either as a daily driven car . For performance , xr6t , xr8 , ss are obviously a better choice , out of the 3 , the 2 xr trump the ss (hsv is another story , but $$ puts them in a different category in my opinion) . Maybe you should test an amg or m spec beemer against the Australian cars (of the same era to be fair)
I got a 2012 VE SV6 sedan 6sp Manual, had it for 2.5 years now beautiful car used to run around 6.2s 0-100 stock but now have cold airintake, and catback exhaust making 180rwkw with a tune. a 0-100 5.8 secs as my best time now (obviously not gonna do anymore then that and don't expect lower then that.) Just getting ansty with wanting either an 8 or a turbo 6 in a years time when i turn 20, but driven, raced, barras wicked engines haven't lost to either bf, ba or fg. but barras have such a nicer torque curve and sound way nicer then the sv6. but very equal cars can't go wrong either or unless series 1 ve and below ahha *timing chains*
and dont forget that in the US they came out with a twin turbo v6 which was in the Cadillac CTS v sport, the same motor as what we got in aus but without the turbos. factory the TT v6 had 313kw (420hp) as they were also in the Camaro's people have pushed em well over 1000hp. if they continued production of the sv6 and released a turbo model they would have a serious contender with the xr6t and f6!
@@RossReviewsau I think there is 1, when/if my LFX goes there will be 2. From memory RedBull used the LF4-R engine (or parts of it) as the engine in the Sandman Supercar.
@@nickycrea6075 yeah, I knew there were a handful of the engines out here, but I only knew of 1 in a Commodore. And for a V6 they don't sound all that bad either. Should ad that we probably could have built them down here to considering the same engine plant built the export 2.8-V6T for SAAB.
@@chrisrosie0584 mine has an after market exhaust, it's quiet when I'm stopped, and sounds pretty good when I'm going, This is the one that I've been eyeing off ruclips.net/video/aFX3qGBpCO8/видео.html I really want to keep mine low key, a sleeper. no flamboyant wheels or an inch off the ground.
Probably been either flat footed everywhere , poorly maintained or went way past at least one service interval , the timing chain setup on a Barra is certainly not a weak point . Religious & thorough servicing holds as true today with more complex mechanicals as it did 50 years ago. My au 457000 & counting , timing cover never been off , uses no oil , short trips weekdays & tows heavy & idles a lot on weekends , been overheated once when a shithouse aftermarket plastic vain waterpump failed after one year , drove the car 4klm with temp off the gauge and coolant spraying up over the windscreen & was told the head gasket would probably blow within 3 months , that was 4 years & 120000klm ago , still runs perfect . Ran over a large wombat with drivers front wheel at 50 Kim per hour , again about 3 years ago , nothing broke & never had a ball joint or bush replaced until now , how tough do you want a car to be ? try that with many under engineered modern marvels & see how far you get . Oil & filter every 7000klm & auto religiously serviced , I once asked a wise old man how did he get his engine to 700000klm without major work , his reply 100 plus oil changes , try & use GENUINE PARTS , especially for critical components like water pumps , cooling system replacement every 10 years regardless of Kim travelled , oh & that wise man was my father , a truck driver of 55 years.
I like the SV6 interior and overall looks but what many viewers will forget is that GMH poured a record amount of money into the VE series development ( *$1.2 BILLION!* ) and then a huge (but less) mount into the VF series. By comparison Ford spent a fraction of that cost to revamp the last model.
there is no denying holden got handouts more than ford... bigger budget so was no doubt they could make a "nicer" vehicle.. i still gotta say tho something about a ford here.. its a real enthusiast car
@@RossReviewsau yep, glad you can say that Ross, Australia has been fortunate to have both types of cars but following mainstream motor magazines (30 years+) you'd swear it was a one sided race in favor of the Holden badge.
Great review again mate! I'm ford all the way but your not wrong about the interiors. I feel like the xr6 has a lot more low end torque, where the sv6 has more high end torque. My ecolpi xr6 always wins off the line but my mates Calais will keep up in a rolling pull. Again, great work and great review!
Had Falcon's from the AU to the FG including XR6 Turbo. Engine was nice but the rest of the car was a bucket of shit. Changed to an SV6 wagon and SSV LS3 and never looked back. Just service and drive. Getting a service done on my Falcons was a scary thing. Expensive but there was always problems and stupid problems at that.
akai tv....yet even with a blower on a 6.2 V8 they are still not even that impressive. For what they are you would expect them to be insane but they are mundane. An XR6 Turbo with 10k put into the motor will cream an LS3 with a blower. LS Engines per litre make bugger all power.
@@victorsmith5699 i mean the ls3 holdens are more efficient than the 6s including the N/A barra my barra with the zf 6 speed just babying it gets 10L per 100kms a VE clubsport LS3 wagon is able to get 8 and a half doing the same stretch between Brisbane and sunny coast not even babying it So what ever holden did to their v8s works not built for pure power they are somewhat designed and tuned for economy mainly to pass emissions but it works
I dislike seeing people not use the sports side and changing the gears like yes it will change itself but late… a bit too late… if you wanna break your car keep driving it like that! Your meant to like in a manual control the gear changes yourself in that mode
you not meant to use it like a manual if its in sport mode lol sport mode is the same as normal it just holds the gears out longer.. if you wanna shift yourself then you can.. if it breaks the car thats on holden if its left in auto
@@RossReviewsau just saying I got more than one of these and as I was just driving my 2017 vf sedan and I can tell you that you know nothing and need to retract that statement or at least let me prove it to you, that you drove this wrong!!!! When you are in the manual shift mode it literally tells you to change up when it gets up high in the revs THE DAMN CAR TELLS YOU WHEN ITS TIME TO CHANGE GEARS AND IF YOU DONT THEN IT WILL BLINK AND THEN CHNAGE ITSELF SO YOU DONT DESTROY THE ENGINE but you literally let it rev out doing the complete wrong thing and could of ruined this person car if the damn owners manual tells you to not do it and to change the gears when it gets up on the revs otherwise it changes itself to jot ruin the car otherwise you’d ruin it but if you do this and drive it like this all the time you’ll ruin the car real quick and it’s not on holden if you DONT DO THE ROGHT THING they tell you to change the gears yo not allow it to rev out yo be honest you’ve lost a lot of my respect thinking that you know better I point it out and you say it’s on holden I say I got proof and to read the manual and you don’t reply and then today I’m driving my car and it tells you to change around 5k not redlining at all it changes itself when it gets up to 7k and flashes when it hits 6 and tells you to not over rev as the torque hits its peak at only 2500rpm meaning you don’t need to go over 5k at all hence the limiter as well when it’s in neutral or parked, I’m seriously disappointed that you feel you know more about Holden’s etc when you are a Ford man and someone points out where you where wrong and you still don’t double check and act a fool
@@sirxaon7728 your not in manual shift mode util you activate the paddles... in S it just works as an auto? wanna change your self then you can use it.. 99% of cars the Auto feature will be better and faster than you
@@RossReviewsau do you own one? Have you read the actual book for the model you own? No? I didn’t think so read the bloody owners manual I have cover to cover and can tell you that you are wrong 100% wrong and your doing damage to the car letting it shift itself while in the sports mode as it revs too much before it changes and even on the “s” it still comes up with the gear your in and when you change it if you don’t it blinks and if you still don’t it will over rev more then it’s supposed too and change too late the cars slower on a 0-100 in that mode if you done shift yourself at the right times then if you just have it in drive read the manual and come back to me mate and take criticism don’t stick to what you think without double checking
the timing chain is just a symptom of the problem, the problem is that PCV valve, its too small, clogs up and the engine doesn't oil itself properly. I have the LFX and i have different issue.
The vf doesn’t have timing chain issues, it’s only the vz and ve 3.6 alloytec engines. The vf engine is a complete new design with the 3.0 evoke and 3.6
Wack a Barra ZF combo in it! There's a girl around my area driving a VE SV6 manual and it sounds good. They improved a lot over the VZ that this world V6 first appeared in. I think, apart from timing chain and rocker cover sludge issues from an inadequate PCV valve, accessing parts like the alternator is a biatch also. I think they have a very nice sounding exhaust when accelerating except for the disappointing VZ version.
a barra ZF combo in this would have been epic! really would have been.. great cars none the less just the SV6 still feels a but lacking compared to a barra
@@RossReviewsau low down torque is what it is, something the old 3800 V6 has. Older Commodores have been getting Barra swaps. You'd think that'd be sacrilege here, even though Ford and GM have collaborated in that past, so it's not unprecedented.
I found very early VE with a slight exhaust mod get a buzzing note to em but I think its the my06-my07.5 models something with the valve train cause the my08-my09 with the same ly7 but with revised timing chains don't do it
Come on Ross considering the 4.0l came on the ark at least Holden designed a engine that could be made in different litres,when I first saw the 4 cylinder prototype my eyes rolled back in my head.but yet they made 6 AWD diesel BA/BF Falcons that every farmer would have stampede people to get one.
This exact car is the ultimate Aussie undercover copper car
haha bloody undercovers!
It's the SV6 sedans here in NZ, they've got the vertical antenna most of the time though so it's not hard to sniff em out
@@crts1683 thats it eh! lol i always look for the Lights on the corner of the windows or licence plate
It was always scary when you see a commodore in the distance with roof racks not being able to tell it was a cop
There's not many VFs as cop cars in Australia now.(even undercover one's) They have all pretty much used up their service life.
Really good honest review considering your affection towards the blue oval, and I agree the Holden interior really dated the Fords offering! The best of both worlds would be sticking a turbo Barra engine in an SV6! Cheers for sharing...
cheers! 100% this car with a Turbo barra would be epic
@@RossReviewsau Holden had access to the LF3 and LF4, its a shame the 6 got ignored for its farewell. I hoped that guy who owned ZF (I think) could have bought Holden, and got the rights to the Barra since Ford global didn't want anything to do with it.
@@chrisrosie0584 or even the 2.8 turbo V6 from the Holden insignia vxr, which they sold alongside the vf. If they shoehorned that motor into the sv6 and tuned it to like 250kw or something then it would’ve been a legitimate xr6 turbo competitor
I always hate seeing these when coming around a corner I'm always worried it's an undercover police car so foot straight on the clutch to shut the pooping off the exhaust 😅🤣
very true i always get that scare too lol
Especially when they are shined up too!
yeah hate when my car poops in front of a cop
don't forget to always carry doggy bags for cleaning up after it
@@simcard027 Lol 😂😂😂
Not many left as cop cars now.
Good to See a Holden. As a Holden person. If i had to choose between a Late model XR6 and the SV6, Would take the Falcon. I just like the Last XR6.
cant go wrong with a XR6 eh..
really? i prefer the FGX to the VF but the best falcon models were definitely BF for the exterior, and FG for the interior + exterior
@@Born2Punch i can agree to that :)
I've had the non Black edition for 3 yrs Driving it about 300 - 400km per week, taking 75kph corners at 100kph, flying around the winding country roads of New Zealand and I love it.
Holden did such an awesome job with the VF series, they really lifted the bar with the design both inside and out. I'm more so into Ford's, but there are definitely things Holden do that make me car-gasm haha (For lack of a better term)
I'm gunna call it, the ONE MAJOR FAULT = Not having TURBO ;) The SV6's go pretty bloody hard for a Non Turbo, looking forward to this one Ross
The SV6 range in holden was not made for performance or to try and break the land speed records on the streets, like the fords were .
SV6 was designed to be more economical and or a family car, which the commodore was orignally designed to be.
For performance and speed , thats what the V8s were for
@@CurtisLSA And what a rippa job Holden did with their V8's! Yeah I get that.. I suppose there would have been increased pressure from the rise in SUV's and smaller cars with great fuel economy, to need to follow suit in order to keep the Commodore in production that little bit longer. I'm saddened that the production of both the Commodore and Falcon have come to an end, especially with the VF series, so damn good! And also even the FG-X with an XR8 supercharged V8 as standard.. I suppose it was inevitable, but still sad.. Fingers crossed they come out with Electric versions in the future :P
@@mattswhatiam nice name also my name is Matt haha !
My chan on here is dedicated to the GTS and Holden’s
@@CurtisLSA lol...for performance and speed that's what the XR6 Turbos are for which absolutely cream the LS. (stock vs stock) 💯%. Lol..even a 2007 Toyota Aurion NA V6 with their stock 200kw absolutely cream a VF 3.6 V6 everyday of the week. Per litre LS motors make bugger all power for a V8.
@@victorsmith5699 as they say , put a turbo on anything and it makes it quicker . The point of my post or reply is that the Barra lovers think the sv6 was built for performance and to try and break speed records which it was not . It’s purely a family designed car ,
That’s what a supercharged LS is for , for performance. And please don’t start on the “a stock Barra will chop a supercharged LS “ because it won’t
I have exactly the same car in blue but sedan version and handles the road very well and plenty of comfort as well. The sv6 for what it is, it has plenty of power for day to day use and with a couple of good basic mods and a good tune I think the sv6 can shine as well.
Fantastic review Ross, always delivering good quality video’s, keep them coming.
Thanks for sharing! n everything you said was spot on mate!
I have driven both extensively, including the VE. My one serious criticism of the VE/F is the massive A and B pillars, the A pillars especially are terrible like when turning 90 degrees into a side street. They fully block out any vision like pedestrians and the drivers B pillar when looking over your shoulder doing a lane change to the right.
Otherwise they're a good solid car, the suspension in the Holden to me rides a bit nicer and is quieter with no annoying maintenance issues like the diff bush issues. But yes, those metres of multiple timing chains on the V6 are a worry though.
I went 3 years without servicing my 2013 VF SV6 and was driving due to Covid (2019-2022) and losing my job did a oil change once myself. Car is currently at 180000 kms thing still runs fine (for now).
I’m a Ford guy at heart, but when I was after a station wagon only 3-4 options were in my price point. Between a Skoda, VW and Holden, I picked the Holden. Love the interior, fairly economical and has plenty of punch when I want it. I also think the body lines are the on point. Shame Ford dropped the sport wagon with the EF XR6.
nice work josh! i would agree its a great car.. n love how holden keept doing the wagons :)
Only thing ford is the mondeo wagon on that era. They're not really comparable.
@@andrewlace true.. yeh not really the same eh
@@RossReviewsau golf r wagon would be closer lol. Okay maybe not.
Even the Mondeo has been consigned to a thing of the past, with Ford globally pulling the pin on this mid sized, camry competitor.
My mate has one of these and I have the G6E turbo. I have to admit I’d rather have the interior of the sv6. The seating position and steering & suspension feels so much more composed and precise. If they had combined these two beasts they would have flew off the shelf I’m sure
wow big call! i love the G6E but i think your right the VF just is better.. def has more features and feels more modern
We rented a 2016 Falcon at Longreach in 2018. Thought it was ok untill it died on a dirt raod and we got a lift to town. They then gave us a VF 2 SV6 - the difference was amazing. Just a great car to drive.
Holden has always spent more time on looks and handling. where as Ford has been more on performance then looks and handling. It's always been this way.
Are you high? This is not correct.
Holden and HSV always smoked Ford in a straight line. Which is why Ford created FTE then FPV.
Up until the XR6T, Holdens shat all over Ford in a straight line but the Ford's were better handling.
i feel like they made this car for the masses not the enthusiast.. but i guess they figured the SS would be sold then.
@@RossReviewsau I agree with you. The SS wasn't really a popular choice. It was basically a family sedan with a V8 and Bodykit. I would much rather own a V8 Calais at least you are getting your moneys worth out of that.
Bought my first xr6t when they first came out and I couldn’t drive to the shop without some wanker in an SS tryna drag me. People sure learned quickly that the xr6t was a beast. Never lost to a holden in a quick street drag. R34’s were the only things i had trouble with. Love my falcon had my fg xr6t for 13 years now
By the time the AU came along the highest volume seller by far was taxis , that’s what they were designed around
.... Us mechanics are still replacing chains on these V6 engines
HAHA! Legends say it will never stop
Great review! Love my Barra’s, I have a 04 F6 Typhoon and I bleed Blue, however my company car is 2017 SV6 VF Series 2, had it for 3 years and what a great car!!
its a great car, holden really went out with a bang on the VF.. impressive interior.
It’s the travesty of the century
The last of the commodore and the falcon were fantastic cars
You never quite know what you got till it’s gone.....
I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing this premiere but I’m even more excited for seeing the Mazda FD RX7.
Wow the Mazda FD RX7 review is sure something to look forward to watching.
Mate I can tell how keen you are for the Mazda FD RX7 review.
@@jordanthomasschuh4203 Think its because his favourite youtuber has one on his channel !
@@CurtisLSA Zac for sure 😉
@@CurtisLSA yep ZacBaldy is his favourite RUclipsr and he is so looking forward to the Mazda FD RX7 review from Ross Reviews.
I am a proud owner of the 2016 Vf SV6 LFX Black Edition Holden Commodore Sedan. in the colour Prussian Steel and absolutely loving owning it from brand new.
Thankyou for the great review on this beautiful car.
glad you enjoyed it mate! ashame they dont make them anymore :(
@@RossReviewsau agreed will be holding onto mine for how ever long I possibly can hopefully forever
The best thing someone can do with a Commodore SV6 is let somebody else buy it. Then get yourself an VE or VF SS / V Commodore... I hired an SV6 in Brisbane years ago. Someone asked me what it went like compared to my SS with a 6 litre L98 engine....my reply was it almost as bad as flogging a tired old dog. The V6 was under powered to buggery.
I have a VE SS and a modded VF SSV ..both are 6 litre manual sedans.
The Commodores need to be lowered and then have roughly an extra 75kg sitting over the rear axle.
With a decent set of tyres they will sit well on the road and stick like sh*t to a blanket.
I have used Continentals for the last 5 sets. When I bought the VF, it got booked in straight away and the tyres replaced with Continentals.
What I would do with an SV6 Commodore is the full air to exhaust and at least cam the engine.... after having the suspension lowered.
With the Holden hfv6, the timing chain issue is actually an oil issue.
They should never have had a 15000km service interval because the oil deteriorated too much and gummed up the pcv on right bank that then caused oil flow restrictions to the timing chains. Change the oil often and there is no timing chain issue.
Barra? 220000 on the gas cars and the head cracks and can't be fixed.
every 15,000kms seems WAY TO LONG.. id say every 5,000 if your doing spirited driving.. 10,000 maybe for a daily
Interestingly this popped up on my FB feed today, so in reading this even Australia's fuel standards for 91 octane may contribute to the timing chains. Be interesting to hear if people running 98 have the same issues.
facebook.com/100063606451052/posts/192581222872092/?sfnsn=mo
when people refer to sv6s they think it's unreliable, but really it's the service intervals and manual trannys that is close to a barra. Not to mention every car breaks lol, it's up to the owner how they take care of it.
true
it was def more the earlier SV6s that had them reliability issues.. def gotta do your maintenance
Vf is definitely the best generation Commodore. Such refined cars and they finally got an awesome interior. The LFX V6 definitely isn’t anything special and while the 6.0 L76 was a good motor it didn’t do the Vf any favours. Luckily Holden sent the commodore away on a high note with the 6.2 LS3 for the series 2, Vf2 SS is just the perfect package and no denying the best SS ever. Best sounding too from my non biased opinion 😂😂
100% gotta agree.. they nailed the VF and them SSVF Redline models, man where they good
I have hurricane exhaust on my GTS . Sounds great !
I've got a VF Calais S2 v6 wagon which is pretty much the same as this, and I love driving it even if it is only a V6 - did around 150ks yesterday with the whole family and its always a comfy ride. Love the heated seats in the Calais and the rest of the interior as you talked about. Good review 👍
and I'm not a rusted on Holden guy - I've also got a new Mustang GT and love that for pure speed and sound, but for longer drives the wagon is great.
i reckon your on the money mate.. its a great family car! id have one.. would it be my performance car choice no.. but its so nice inside and gets the family around safely and comfortably.. ad a GT to the garage and you will be sorted mate :)
Look if you have a spare 2 grand, chuck on OTR, HighFLow cat and a tune, the performance increase for that price is immaculate.
I would recommend aswell👌
diehard ford fan but props to holden for making a wagon till the end, would buy an fg or fgx wagon in a heartbeat but the stooges stopped at bf
agreed! i love the wagons.. always wish they made a XR6T wagon variant
I had a 1995 vr commodore wagon and it did over 980,000km
😂 bullshit.
I have a 2017 Chevrolet SS basically a Holden Commodore vf. Fully converted inside and out to be a Holden the vf.
I am a Holden die hard fan now.
But honestly I'm a fan of all cars. We just all need to enjoy and appreciate it all cause pretty soon there will only be suv and electric cars
thats great you got one! they are really good and love some mods :) thats it hold on to her because they won't be around much longer unfortunately
@@RossReviewsau yes sir not planning ever getting rid of her. Soon you should do a trip to the USA to film my full converted VF2 Commodore..
Forged built motor with turbos. 1500hp.
I would love you to review it bro
@@davidtranmedia5112 WOW that sounds impressive! one day i just might mate! lets hope we can make it happen soon!
@@RossReviewsau Yeh men I'm down anytime you ever come to United States Come down to my area I'll have a place for you to stay is a place for you to stay my house is Is plenty big And you can review that shit for 2 to 3 days.
It would be an honor man.
@@davidtranmedia5112 much appreciated man! once this corona thing is over would love it
My brother bought a VE mk2 SV6 and after driving it myself, they really are surprising in their performance and certainly love the red line. The timing chains are a worry tho so defs keeping an eye on it😬
yeh they still move.. just really need to be pushed hard compared to the Barra.. great cars tho i think (VF)
A GTI will still smoke it.
@@alstound you mean your GTI was smoking out dead parts?
In the past I’ve been a Ford person going as far back as XB V8, XC V8, one of the very first EF XR6’s sold and several other Barra engined cars like a BF Fairmont. I’ve loved them all. Currently I have Honda Type R FK8, VE SS 6.0 manual and 2017 VF SV6. Other than my early 90’s Honda’s, my favourite is the SV6 to drive. Beautiful interior, handles quite well, and acceleration is really good since fitting an electronic throttle controller which has transformed responsiveness.
Thanks for sharing! n nice garage mate i love a bit of 90a JDM also..
Interior room.
My experience GMH is that with no effort the driver can open the glovebox, and do whatever.
Thing is that in all of my Fords the seatbelt comes off to reach the same glovebox.
Holdens are smaller inside.
Especially the Holden wagon rear cargo space?
The Fords ride better (wagon) on country roads. GVM is higher as well.
Like the colour though dude.
whoever decided IRS was required on commodore wagons should take a long hard look at themselves, cant carry anything in them without getting some serious negative camber on the rears, everyone bagged ford out for keeping it live rear in the utes and wagons but at least they could do what they were designed to do, hundred percent agree on the falcons being more spacious too
Alectraproject....lol, you reckon a leaf sprung rear end on a Falcon wagon has a better ride on country roads??...lol, what have you been smoking?...they are rough as guts on shitty country roads.💯%
@@victorsmith5699 never found mine that uncomfortable and if youre worried about comfort drive a sedan, wagons and utes are for hauling shit and being a utility vehicle. Each to their own and suiting the tool to the job i guess
@@victorsmith5699 I have owned my series 2 AU wagon for 19 years. It is very well maintained and there is no rough or guts out in the country...must be just one out of the box I guess.
Holdens smaller inside?
I have this exact car in the sedan, I love it. It's a nice place to be, I know the barra is Australias 2jz but interior wise, the Holden is easily better than the falcons.
Agree mate nice cars I really liked the VF’!
@@RossReviewsau shame Holden never gave us a hot v6 model, I think they really missed a market, how hard would of it been for them to chuck an OTR on an more aggressive tune and brake upgrade, so it could wear the SV6 badge properly.
@@edgeofreason2710 would have been so cool to see.. but as always they would be afraid to step on their own toes with the LS i reckon
@@RossReviewsau yeah that's their logic, but I think Ford showed them it could be done. Because guys that are going to buy a V8 are always going to buy a V8, their not going to swap just because there's a fast 6
Come on. Join the chain gang! Just had a quote for Holden to replace chains $5300. I'll be doing it myself. It's a right of passage type thing 😎
😂 damn I’m a Barra boy no chain gang for me but I do like the Vf cars
@@RossReviewsau to be fair tho, buying the OEM parts to do chains, phasers, plugs and oil pickup together with special tools required adds up to about $3000.
I did the belt on my 380, big job for me. Routine maintenance .
The 3.6 LFX is an absolute beast in reliability with one condition. Max km/oil change at 10000km. The bottom ends are copping 700hp with no issues in US race applications. Its also popular switch into Miata/MX5 for circuit racing with its light weight and similar power curve. My one criticism of the VF is the front seats look flash but are awful to sit in. Timing chains in the Aussie built LFX are a wives tail! You know someone is talking out their butts or just saying words when they chuck "timing chains" in about an LFX. Just change the oil for the sake of all the lovely cam features and you will be fine. As it has a modern direct combustion chamber injection. There is a high pressure fuel pump which is about $1000 when eventually after about 200k if you service the injectors, replace that too because your pulling the intake manifold and all sorts off to get them out. May as well do it all. If youre a driver pal, stick to the car and leave the donk talk out. The Barra is a monster and Ford Australia should be proud!
If youre modifying, the Barra destroys the LFX. In saying that the LFX is slowly getting some after market goodies.
interesting.. yeh i guess it goes with most engines maintain them well and you should be sweet
Exactly right mate ! Yes the Aussie built LFX has long passed the "timing chain issues " I work as a mechanic and have seen an VF evoke with 160000km on the clock at only FOUR years old.. that high km for the age . The car was in SHOWROOM condition perfect all round.. another sv6 I've seen with 240000km and again zero leaks and absolutely no underbody issues ... my tuned sv6 has 120000km I drive it like its a racing car everyday and the car has had NO issues whatsoever haven't even needed to replace a light globe let alone anything else it's bulletproof!
Big props to our Aussie engineers and builders for building these great vehicles.
Agreed !
Have always owned commodores and family worked at the plant in Elizabeth S.A.
Wont be getting rid of my GTS anytime soon
they went out with a bang on this VF! really impressive stuff!
If everyone really wanted SUV’s as Ford & Holden pointed to when they shut up shop , why has the price of Aussie built cars , kept well gone up so much !
People didn't both Ford & Holden got greedy. Paying too much wages they make a killing now selling Thai utes.. Holden's plastic cough Opel didn't work out well Ford at least had the Mustang to keep some enthusiasts saited.
@@blunt3777 unfortunatley thats what the camaro and ZL1 was for for holdens or HSVs sake to keep the V8 enthusiasts happy after HSV/ V8 commodore finished up.
But the ridiculous conversion to RHD pricing on top of a already higher then your average price compaired to say s stock SS or a N/A HSV put many people out of it . 25,000 on top of an imported car by HSV was ridiculous .
Mustang made theirs RHD from factory and imported here. You could pretty much pick up 2 stock mustangs for the price of a camaro stock or a ZL1 etc
Ive always loved the vf senator, the interior is amazing. But im also a ford man with an xr6 turbo. So a barra swapped senator would be my dream combo
im hoping to review a VF senator soon! love them also.. barra swapped anything is the best🤣
I have owned both commodores and falcons.
I would take vf any day for a daily driver BUT if I was to do any performance work, I would go the falcon.
If I was to go the ultimate, all-out build, I would go the vf with the FG running gear, now that would be the best car.
No doubt I am a barra man but the holden does have the edge with the interior and their wheel arch/guards take wider tyres more easily.
The strait six barra has the better torque curve, thanks for showing us Jono, maybe I'm biased barra t for me
Tony
your dead right Tony.. if only they had got the engine right like ford.. they would have been unstoppable.. great car great interior but ill still go the barra
Before I bought a fg xr6 two years ago I almost went for the sv6 sport wagon but missed out. I've pretty much always been a Ford guy but during the pandemic it became incredibly hard to land an xr6 they would be snapped up in seconds especially if it's in the bright colours like we all wanted.
Your reviews are always good, you will go a long way mate
I appreciate that! Thanks so much!
I had a 2009 SV6 Ute, flogged the shit out of it as a daily. Never had a single issue, definitely had no timing chain issues and that was at 180,000km’s
you do your maintenance? lol
I love driving my VF2 sv6 black edition even though it's a v6
the cars are really nice i gotta say
My dad has a 2015 SV6 Storm Sedan. Great car
they are really nice! the VF is great
v8 mate
Great review mate.. I don't think you mentioned that the throttle blips on downshifts making it so smooth when you're having a crack.. From memory the ZF never had that feature ( happy to be corrected though) 👍
Thanks for the info! i didn't notice it but il be sure to try that the next time i get in one to review! glad you enjoyed the review :)
I've driven a vf gts and sv6 and one of my kids owns an evoke which was mine previously. Just picked up a ve sv6 for my son and I've gotta say the steering on the VE is much better than the electric steering in the VF, the VF's have a weird dead zone where you can wiggle the steering a few cm's left and right even whilst doing 100 on the freeway and nothing happens while the VE sv6 has firmer steering which feels a lot like older BMW steering which I like.
I always felt like I was sitting in a taxi when getting into any Falcon made in the last 20 years... The only cosmetic downside of the VE/ VF commodores & statesman’s was the small exterior mirrors. I was hoping. Holden would have increased the mirror surface area by 10% would have made a difference, and been more comparable to the VZ series.
yeh interior was never fords strong point.. def the overall car was better with holden.. ford just had the power under the bonnet for cheaper
The old 3.8 was their best motor I reckon
true.. ill have to review one
Better , definetly not best hahaha
L67 was the best performing 6s straight out of the Holden factory with 171kw and 375nm(hsv models had 180kw and 380nm) the torque is why it was the best performer it isn't as powerful as the 210kw 350nm vf but that 375nm is enough to get it ahead of the vf
I would have said RB30 turbo in the VL but... stock they only had 150kw and I can't nail the torque but apparently its less than 300nm
My favourite 6 though is the ecotec
Similar performance to a turbo diesel v6 of the same era minus the turbo but simple enough to work on compared to things like Audi and Mercedes of the same year and parts have always been readily available and can be replaced in ya drive way
@@homevillegarage947 agreed 100% ive owned many just cause they are simple to fix but still far from the best
@@RossReviewsau id suggest testing the supercharged L67 version but you have to think of them as if they are diesel thats just how the power band has always been in the 3.8 I think its due to being a push rod setup
It's not necessarily true you have to do the timing chains, change the oil regularly (5000ks) and you'll be fine. The older alloytec engines used to gunk up the PCV but they improved that in the LFXs so they don't suffer from the same issues.
LFX is much better.. n yes as long as your doing all the maintenance 5k intervals would be the safest, should be ok
The timing chain issue wasnt just the 3.0, it started with the early vz sv6's with the 3.6, i think series 2 ve is when they fixed the timing chain issue
ok cheers for that info! the 3.0 were the worst im told
@@RossReviewsau they were the worst of them all, but the 3.6's were just as bad in the earlier models
Agree with you, VF interior way better than the Falcon. I had the 2015 VF as a company vehicle and loved it. Loved the remote start up during winter months in Melbourne 😄 drove this car more than my BA Falcon lol
Thanks for sharing! they really are nice inside eh!
I have never seen one of your videos before and I only found this one as I own the exact same car you are driving, VF II black wagon and I must say I did enjoy it… very honest.
The comments are interesting with people comparing the two motors and look I’m a fan of both Aussie made falcon and commodore but the LFX is very reliable when maintained correctly and same can be said for the LY7 and LLT. Let’s not forget the Barra has a bigger displacement and uses far more fuel to make that extra low end torque.
I personally love reving out my LFX to redline to get the most power, kinda makes it exciting haha.
Both great cars in different ways but if people knew more about these engines and how to take care of them I think people would like them more.
Timing chains are something that need to be replaced on all modern overhead cam V shaped motors eventually.
hope you will consider subscribing and joining the tribe mate.. we feature a lot of aussie cars here.. this country was so lucky to get the amazing cars it did.. crying shame the industry left us
I have VF11 SV6 manual sedan. I've always been a Ford guy but the interior in the Holden was hard to ignore (also, I worked in the manufacturing plant for 20 plus years). If I could have a Barra engine in my VF it would be almost the perfect car.
its hard to ignore that interior! the VF with a Barra would be one hell of a sweet aussie combo!
i’ve got both cars fairly stock. the fg drives better especially on corners but the vf is so much nicer to drive in general
would love to see you do something with motoring box :D
I would love that! keen to collab with more legends
@@RossReviewsau NEVER collab with Zac Baldy again. His vids are cringeworthy and you and your channel would lose credibility if you did collab. Your channel is already so great by itself. Dont do it. You will regret it.💯%....but you should collab with Motoring Box...he knows what he is talking about and his vids are incredibly well made.
As a Ford man there is no doubt Holden went out with a bang on the VF. There was a price to pay and that was a boat load of tax payers money to make it happen. Unlike the FGX that Ford made for the fans at zero tax payers cost. So yes the VF was well refined but everyone payed for it
its a better "car" in terms of design and looks.. to most people i would say.. but no denying the Falcon just hits on another level fo enthusiasts and people that know about engines and mechanics
Had you driven the latest model Commodore with its more powerful engine, it would of been worth comparing it to the last V6 Camry ever to be sold in Australia. The final Commodore V6 might have 15 kw more than the 217 kw Camry, but the way it puts the power down would be interesting, especially given the Commodore's extra weight and all wheel drive.
Did they do anything to the exhaust compared to Series 1 VF?
Hey Johnny,yeah the Commodore has always had the better interior,but I'll trade that every day for the reliability of the Falcon,I've had Commodores a VK & VL in the past great cars,but this time when I weighed up the pros & cons between th FG & VE the FG won,the Barra engine & the ZF gearbox is a perfect match runs so good,I've had my FG XR6 2011 N/A for over 4yrs first Falcon I've ever owned, I put my foot down nothing crazy,always garaged,like brand new inside & out,done a catback & a few mods only run BP 98 fuel it's done 102,000km the only problem I've had is a flat battery in over 4yrs,now who doesn't want that in a car I'm telling you mate this thing would drive to Mars lol,eventually I'd like a Turbo but for now I'm happy with this car,loved the review like always take care buddy.
cheers Pete! hard to pass on a good old falcon eh.. im sure you will get the turbo soon.. but for know you got the next best thing :)
Great review you deserve more subs
cheers nich we are trying to build up the channel
Atleast you mentioned the "Commodore" is not a Commodore. reason why i am still on your channel 3:53
HAHA yeh lets avoid that one for as long as we can
@@RossReviewsau definitely
My ve sv6 is a 2012 and it has the vf driveline also 6 speed auto atm parting out all driveline as not needed as I'm turning it into a burnout car
A few years back I was looking to replace my old BF Falcon sedan. Looked at the new falcon, and the interior was almost exactly the same interior. Looked the Holden, it was nice but, not my cup of tea. So in the end I went Chrysler 300 SRT, I'm glad I went with that, it's a really nice car to drive.
i love the latest ones with the 8speed.. great fun! n look great too
I had one of these when they first came out Bang for buck it was a great car. Bells and whistles included in this model like auto parking unreal. I loved mine.
they are great cars n the level of premium feel you get is really high
The old L36 ecotec with a bit more power wins! Although the later ones fix some issues that the upgrade from L36 had.
Ford vs Holden is abit like Subaru vs Mitsubishi all great cars in there own way
100% i love em both
Lancer is a great sedan in the looks and reliability department. And they look fast for some reason, even though they're not.
@@lobsterwhisperer7932 haha yeah your right but wrong cause yeah a lancer or wrx won’t keep up with a supra or souped up xr6 even but they can take the corners like a beast and with the right driver behind the wheel it’s pretty crazy you think your gonna crash every turn but nah it just grips 😂👌🏽
I am a former GM Holden employee, worked at Holden's Engine Operations at Fisherman's Bend, in the HFV6 plant, assembling these Alloytec V6s until November 2016 when the plant shut down , we made enough V6 engines by then to supply the Vehicle Assembly Plant in Elizabeth SA, until it closed late 2017.
How was the quality control? Are/were the V6s good engines for some sporty fun whilst also reliably getting me to work and back?
@@computerguy222, the Alloytec engines are generally good, many may have had timing chain issues, but not all, of course, I still own a 2004 VZ Lumina, I bought new, it has the very first Alloytec V6, and it's been a champ, so far, I still love my VZ. 😊
thats awesome mate! ashame your still not working there i reckon. this car was really great! Holden went out with a bang thats for sure
I've driven both XR6 and VF SV6 quite a bit.
VF feels a generation ahead of an FG2/FGX. Falcon has a 90s agricultural feel to it still, whereas VF feels a lot more cohesive, with better weight distribution , NVH control and a far better driving position.
Main saving grace for Falcon is the engines....
can agree with that very much..
Wouldn't mind one of these, good for the dog, cheaper than the added price a V8 will cost 2nd hand, and would love one of these with a topmount supercharger as a spiritual successor to the boosted Ecotecs.. Unfortunately, there aren't any topmount the Alloytec, sidemounts ain't cool, and turbos... ok I'd have a twin turbo one of these I guess 🤣🤣
I’ve been in a side mounted supercharged one .. goes well. They really are nice cars
In 2015 we were looking to update I asked a mechanic relative commodore? He said stay away from the V6, we ended up getting BFii 4L with zf.
yeh the SV6 has never had a good reputation with reliability.
@@RossReviewsau it’s the most reliable car I’ve had in nearly 30 years. That includes many manufacturers.
hey mate, im getting my p's soon and im thinking about either a vf or a ss crewman. the crewman has the v8 gen 3 but its heavy enough to be legal so its fine to drive with p's, what do you think??
if you can get a manual SS go for that.. 4spd(not great) cant go wrong with a VF tho they are really nice cars no matter what spec
Seating position is way better in commodore , the arguement about dash being better imo is personal preference . Fgx xr6 (n/a) vs vf sv6 , it's a horses for courses (i.e the falcon is nicer on the highway where the commodore is nicer on the streets . If you take badge preference away from the comparison , and judged the car on what it is , you'd be happy living with either as a daily driven car . For performance , xr6t , xr8 , ss are obviously a better choice , out of the 3 , the 2 xr trump the ss (hsv is another story , but $$ puts them in a different category in my opinion) .
Maybe you should test an amg or m spec beemer against the Australian cars (of the same era to be fair)
I got a 2012 VE SV6 sedan 6sp Manual, had it for 2.5 years now beautiful car used to run around 6.2s 0-100 stock but now have cold airintake, and catback exhaust making 180rwkw with a tune. a 0-100 5.8 secs as my best time now (obviously not gonna do anymore then that and don't expect lower then that.) Just getting ansty with wanting either an 8 or a turbo 6 in a years time when i turn 20, but driven, raced, barras wicked engines haven't lost to either bf, ba or fg. but barras have such a nicer torque curve and sound way nicer then the sv6. but very equal cars can't go wrong either or unless series 1 ve and below ahha *timing chains*
they are a really good car.. was hard to find much i didnt like with it honestly..
and dont forget that in the US they came out with a twin turbo v6 which was in the Cadillac CTS v sport, the same motor as what we got in aus but without the turbos. factory the TT v6 had 313kw (420hp) as they were also in the Camaro's people have pushed em well over 1000hp. if they continued production of the sv6 and released a turbo model they would have a serious contender with the xr6t and f6!
not that would be a bloody cool SV6! haha surely someone has done this to theres here.. needs to come on the channel immediately lol
@@RossReviewsau I think there is 1, when/if my LFX goes there will be 2. From memory RedBull used the LF4-R engine (or parts of it) as the engine in the Sandman Supercar.
@@chrisrosie0584 there's a couple. mine will be getting it one day too.
@@nickycrea6075 yeah, I knew there were a handful of the engines out here, but I only knew of 1 in a Commodore. And for a V6 they don't sound all that bad either. Should ad that we probably could have built them down here to considering the same engine plant built the export 2.8-V6T for SAAB.
@@chrisrosie0584 mine has an after market exhaust, it's quiet when I'm stopped, and sounds pretty good when I'm going, This is the one that I've been eyeing off ruclips.net/video/aFX3qGBpCO8/видео.html
I really want to keep mine low key, a sleeper. no flamboyant wheels or an inch off the ground.
My Barra timing chain let go, not a pleasant experience... think either car get em checked semi regularly
Probably been either flat footed everywhere , poorly maintained or went way past at least one service interval , the timing chain setup on a Barra is certainly not a weak point . Religious & thorough servicing holds as true today with more complex mechanicals as it did 50 years ago. My au 457000 & counting , timing cover never been off , uses no oil , short trips weekdays & tows heavy & idles a lot on weekends , been overheated once when a shithouse aftermarket plastic vain waterpump failed after one year , drove the car 4klm with temp off the gauge and coolant spraying up over the windscreen & was told the head gasket would probably blow within 3 months , that was 4 years & 120000klm ago , still runs perfect . Ran over a large wombat with drivers front wheel at 50 Kim per hour , again about 3 years ago , nothing broke & never had a ball joint or bush replaced until now , how tough do you want a car to be ? try that with many under engineered modern marvels & see how far you get . Oil & filter every 7000klm & auto religiously serviced , I once asked a wise old man how did he get his engine to 700000klm without major work , his reply 100 plus oil changes , try & use GENUINE PARTS , especially for critical components like water pumps , cooling system replacement every 10 years regardless of Kim travelled , oh & that wise man was my father , a truck driver of 55 years.
Honest review johhny , do agree holdens interior is better , but i still prefer my fg xr6 .
Thanks Glenn! I love the falcon too both great at different things
I have had both and completely agree.
glad you thought the same
I like the SV6 interior and overall looks but what many viewers will forget is that GMH poured a record amount of money into the VE series development ( *$1.2 BILLION!* ) and then a huge (but less) mount into the VF series. By comparison Ford spent a fraction of that cost to revamp the last model.
there is no denying holden got handouts more than ford... bigger budget so was no doubt they could make a "nicer" vehicle.. i still gotta say tho something about a ford here.. its a real enthusiast car
@@RossReviewsau yep, glad you can say that Ross, Australia has been fortunate to have both types of cars but following mainstream motor magazines (30 years+) you'd swear it was a one sided race in favor of the Holden badge.
@@forensic5977 it honestly was with the mainstream media back then..
We need a review like this but for the falcon xr6
ive done a BF & FG xr6.. will look for a FGX tho
Great review again mate! I'm ford all the way but your not wrong about the interiors. I feel like the xr6 has a lot more low end torque, where the sv6 has more high end torque. My ecolpi xr6 always wins off the line but my mates Calais will keep up in a rolling pull. Again, great work and great review!
Thanks for sharing interesting to know! gald your enjoying the review :)
My 3 litre V6 magna did 331000 ks no leaks .Never had to add oil. No breakdowns.
i had a 2006 VE v6 did 260 thous kms no timing chain issues before i sold it luck i guess
if you kept up the maintenance you could hold it off for a while.. but yeh also got lucky id say ahah
I’ve got a SV6 and it’s the most reliable car I’ve had in close to 30 years. Service it every six months and it’s been faultless
is it just me or every sv6 vs xr6 i see, its is a xr6 sedan vs sv6 wagon why not do sedan vs sedan and ute vs ute ????
Timing chain was why I got an SS
😎👏
hey ross, you should do a review on a v6 vs-vy commodore, may not be as good as the falcons but it's something different! just an idea tho
if i found a nice one i would! ive been looking for a while cant get one :(
@@RossReviewsau I guess ask the viewers in your next video if they’ve got a cleanish ecotech or even better an l67🤤 but covid doesn’t help aha
Had Falcon's from the AU to the FG including XR6 Turbo. Engine was nice but the rest of the car was a bucket of shit. Changed to an SV6 wagon and SSV LS3 and never looked back. Just service and drive.
Getting a service done on my Falcons was a scary thing. Expensive but there was always problems and stupid problems at that.
true mate appreciate your feedback! hard to go wrong with a LS eh
@@RossReviewsau I love my LS.
Am I mistaken my eyes or is the HUD color? Ours over here in the ss are the green. Looks good but with it was color
honestly i cant remember if it was colour or not lol..
@@RossReviewsau I think it was bro lol
If I had to pick a Holden it would be VF Calais V series with LS3 and blower.
that sounds mint!
Gen f HSV !
akai tv don't forget the factory optional brembo big brake kit haha with a blower you'll need em
akai tv....yet even with a blower on a 6.2 V8 they are still not even that impressive. For what they are you would expect them to be insane but they are mundane. An XR6 Turbo with 10k put into the motor will cream an LS3 with a blower. LS Engines per litre make bugger all power.
@@victorsmith5699 i mean the ls3 holdens are more efficient than the 6s including the N/A barra my barra with the zf 6 speed just babying it gets 10L per 100kms a VE clubsport LS3 wagon is able to get 8 and a half doing the same stretch between Brisbane and sunny coast not even babying it
So what ever holden did to their v8s works not built for pure power they are somewhat designed and tuned for economy mainly to pass emissions but it works
How is the model slower than the earlier model ve wagon you tested?
they have the same engine basically.. not sure also not on the same road
Ultimate would be a VF with a barra turbo engine 😄
I don't wanna buy a Holden VF series 2 Black Edition SV6 wagon because it includes a 6 cylinder engine under the hood.
thats the worst part of the whole car 100%.. its good for non car people i think.. but for most enthusiast its just not desirable
many or people shoehorned another engine into the VF that you're aware of?
That’s the exact car my dad owns its aa incredible car
amazing car!
I dislike seeing people not use the sports side and changing the gears like yes it will change itself but late… a bit too late… if you wanna break your car keep driving it like that! Your meant to like in a manual control the gear changes yourself in that mode
you not meant to use it like a manual if its in sport mode lol sport mode is the same as normal it just holds the gears out longer.. if you wanna shift yourself then you can.. if it breaks the car thats on holden if its left in auto
@@RossReviewsau just saying I got more than one of these and as I was just driving my 2017 vf sedan and I can tell you that you know nothing and need to retract that statement or at least let me prove it to you, that you drove this wrong!!!!
When you are in the manual shift mode it literally tells you to change up when it gets up high in the revs THE DAMN CAR TELLS YOU WHEN ITS TIME TO CHANGE GEARS AND IF YOU DONT THEN IT WILL BLINK AND THEN CHNAGE ITSELF SO YOU DONT DESTROY THE ENGINE but you literally let it rev out doing the complete wrong thing and could of ruined this person car if the damn owners manual tells you to not do it and to change the gears when it gets up on the revs otherwise it changes itself to jot ruin the car otherwise you’d ruin it but if you do this and drive it like this all the time you’ll ruin the car real quick and it’s not on holden if you DONT DO THE ROGHT THING they tell you to change the gears yo not allow it to rev out yo be honest you’ve lost a lot of my respect thinking that you know better I point it out and you say it’s on holden I say I got proof and to read the manual and you don’t reply and then today I’m driving my car and it tells you to change around 5k not redlining at all it changes itself when it gets up to 7k and flashes when it hits 6 and tells you to not over rev as the torque hits its peak at only 2500rpm meaning you don’t need to go over 5k at all hence the limiter as well when it’s in neutral or parked, I’m seriously disappointed that you feel you know more about Holden’s etc when you are a Ford man and someone points out where you where wrong and you still don’t double check and act a fool
@@sirxaon7728 your not in manual shift mode util you activate the paddles... in S it just works as an auto? wanna change your self then you can use it.. 99% of cars the Auto feature will be better and faster than you
@@RossReviewsau do you own one? Have you read the actual book for the model you own? No? I didn’t think so read the bloody owners manual I have cover to cover and can tell you that you are wrong 100% wrong and your doing damage to the car letting it shift itself while in the sports mode as it revs too much before it changes and even on the “s” it still comes up with the gear your in and when you change it if you don’t it blinks and if you still don’t it will over rev more then it’s supposed too and change too late the cars slower on a 0-100 in that mode if you done shift yourself at the right times then if you just have it in drive read the manual and come back to me mate and take criticism don’t stick to what you think without double checking
Also lfx didn’t have the timming chain probs due to the oil feed fix btw
cheers for the info! i knew they sorted them out wasnt sure on specifics tho
the timing chain is just a symptom of the problem, the problem is that PCV valve, its too small, clogs up and the engine doesn't oil itself properly. I have the LFX and i have different issue.
Its funny, pretty much across the Falcon and Commodore history each always had one thing at least where they bettered each other.
dead right... good battle i reckon.. sad they no longer compete
The vf doesn’t have timing chain issues, it’s only the vz and ve 3.6 alloytec engines. The vf engine is a complete new design with the 3.0 evoke and 3.6
Late 2011/2012 VE has a same motor
Wack a Barra ZF combo in it!
There's a girl around my area driving a VE SV6 manual and it sounds good.
They improved a lot over the VZ that this world V6 first appeared in.
I think, apart from timing chain and rocker cover sludge issues from an inadequate PCV valve, accessing parts like the alternator is a biatch also. I think they have a very nice sounding exhaust when accelerating except for the disappointing VZ version.
a barra ZF combo in this would have been epic! really would have been.. great cars none the less just the SV6 still feels a but lacking compared to a barra
@@RossReviewsau low down torque is what it is, something the old 3800 V6 has.
Older Commodores have been getting Barra swaps. You'd think that'd be sacrilege here, even though Ford and GM have collaborated in that past, so it's not unprecedented.
I found very early VE with a slight exhaust mod get a buzzing note to em but I think its the my06-my07.5 models something with the valve train cause the my08-my09 with the same ly7 but with revised timing chains don't do it
@@ESISTTIGER Statesman taxis of the same era made a good note whenever I saw them.
@@jamesfrench7299 id love to review a barra swapped holden one day! haha the comments!
Hey RR you will have to put a barra in the Holden then eh!! Nice video man.
Good call! would be bloody awesome to see done atleast to a SV6 haha
If you ever get a chance to drive it again, leave it in Normal mode. Sport mode revs too much and bogs it down
ok thats interesting.. will do next time
Is sports mode activated in mylink? Cant see the option on my SV6 Black Edition VF2
MY VE has done 340000 km no chain issue
That’s impressive
Id take a Barra over a LFX any day of the week. Poor p platers its a shame they don't get to play with the big boy toys
yup no denying the barra is better then the V6.. still that VF tho is a bloody nice car
Come on Ross considering the 4.0l came on the ark at least Holden designed a engine that could be made in different litres,when I first saw the 4 cylinder prototype my eyes rolled back in my head.but yet they made 6 AWD diesel BA/BF Falcons that every farmer would have stampede people to get one.
that would have been interesting to see! a diesel barra AWD haha
I’ll,send you a pic if you like
What app or device do you use to time the 0-100?
i use a dragy now.. but this one i just had a timer run looking on the gauge
Lol...he uses a stopwatch. Were you not watching ?..😂😂