I've owned nearly every Commodore, HSV etc.sine the VN. Just traded my VF Calais V (company car) in on the ZB VXR 325HP, back in March 2018. Nearly a year on and I'm probably the only person who can give a true account on the VXR having driven 24,000klms in the ZB. Heavy on fuel and not as comfortable as the VF Calais V, even although it has massaging heated and cooling seats. The 325HP V6 engine , of which I've fitted a K&N Air Filter, sounds pretty raspy and revs very well. The on board 0-100 timer has seen a best of 5.4 secs and an average of 5.7 secs. The cars quality, engineering and technology are brilliant. The handling is amazing as is the stopping power from the Brembo brakes. I also own a HSV Grange with 357kw however the ZB VXR is far more refined and will out handle the HSV, on any road or track. (even although the HSV has Magnetic Ride Suspension etc). So, unless you have driven the VXR, keep your ignorant comments to yourself. Badges are just that...a badge.
This is the first time I've seen this guy do a car review and must say he's pretty good. Lot's of people on RUclips doing car reviews but I think this guy's got the right delivery and has good knowledge and described the car well. Well done man hope to see you in the future. 😉👍
They wouldn't call it the Insignia, because then some folks may recognize that the older version of this vehicle was an option for Holden to build locally, instead of the Crap-heap Cruze, back in those critical days where Holden really needed a decent bit of kit to pick up their sales, and save themselves...
Literally feel sick to my stomach that they called this a Commodore... Should have retired the 'Commodore' name like Ford did with Falcon.... And be honest, was that a fresh oil leak at 11:39 ? R.I.P. Commodore and R.I.P Holden.
hoffmachine wow good catch I never noticed till I read your review.does look fresh.i have a ve SSV so sad to see this with the commodore name .I agree RIP holden
All that high tech goodies just doesn't make up for the fact it doesn't sound right and it doesn't go like a top range Commodore should. Its simply not a SS or HSV replacement and struggles on some criteria to replace the SV6. Truth be told if I wanted a high performance AWD car, the "new" Commodore falls short on that too and I am also being asked to buy a car from a dead platform from Opel, by one of the last standing RHD markets GM haven't yet abandoned in Holden. So really the reasons for me looking at a VXR, would be GMH knew they were behind it and offered me a substantially cheaper car then the competition - which it isn't. All in all there is just nothing compelling about this car. Absolutely nothing. As a fellow Redline owner, I couldn't even be bothered to test drive this. That said I enjoyed the review and I appreciated you making a point of showing us all that the VXR does have to offer. You've become my favourite reviewer on the net.
Just look at the Stinger, it’s everything this car should be, and similar pricing. How can a Korean budget manufacturer get it so right, yet Holden arrogantly expected kiwis and Aussie to swallow this shit!
This car would have been good as a replacement for the Holden Cruze but not for the commodore sadly I would rather there be no commodore than this one.
Hi Harvey. The Insignia I drove was the previous model so while it was pretty brisk, it felt old and a little floppy compared to the ZB VXR. The newer vehicle takes advantage of later tech and is a all-round more appealing thing. Cheers for watching. Blu.
Awww thanks mate, good to know I can hang an arm out the window while I silently glide off from the lights! You've nailed it "right car, wrong badge" I suspect it will fail, especially in Oz where the passions run rampant through it may sell a few in NZ. Ford have told us of the future where sedans no longer exist and we're all driving SUV's or Utes, but Holdens current range of these fail as well, so imho they have a problem and are starting at a bleak future. Just as well you jumped in and bought your SS-V when you did, being the last true Aussie built car for the masses in our part of the world. Still think you should of got the wagon... Thanks for another great review
Wasn’t the the first one, the VB commodore a Vauxhall? More a Ford guy myself but we just bought a front wheel drive 2.0 litre turbo RS as a family car. Has some cool, handy features, but yes the interior does the job, but it certainly not awe inspiring in any way whatsoever, it’s pretty quick for what it is, but again, no one is gonna be awed by it. It is what it is. I feel agenda 21 has a massive part to play, even though it’s not a Kia or a Hyundai.
Ryan LI Holden insignia and would have sold.to much annimosity with commodore badge .ihave a ve SSV far superior and a v8.to much money and no v8.so sad
basically a replacement for the SV6 - but far more expensive. the tourer model is moderately interesting. i suspect that Holden AU and NZ are struggling to give them away.
i spent a couple of weeks on the road there - cairns to sydney - in mid-april - didnt see a solitary zb on the road - and they had been on the market since early feb at that stage...?
Far more expensive? Well yeah, when you take into consideration its a car that had to be brought over from Germany that's a new model with a new engine, a 9spd auto and sophisticated AWD system, Brembo brakes, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, emergency braking, 360deg camera system and all the other goodies which non of these were available on the previous out dated bombodore.
Interesting you should say that. I live in the northern rivers of NSW & I am yet to see a new commodore on the road. Heaps of VF's up here, dime a dozen. Holden also closed our local Holden dealer so that probably doesn't help their cause.
Most of the guys who test these have said the 2 Lt turbo is a much more enjoyable car to drive than the v6. My zb is the fastest car I've driven. Don't judge until you drive 1.
Good honest review. Glad you mentioned about the A pillar on the previous vf model, which was a real problem for me. This model seems to have everything a person could want. Love the seats, 360 camera, the overall style of the body.
been driving SV6 and old evoke for the past 5 years. They are great, especially SV6, you feel safe while driving. the car is heavy, runs great, powerful engine ,sticks to road surface, you just feel protected. Evoke is good too, not as powerful as SV6 but still, you feel safe while driving. You can get the target you want fore sure on the road. Honestly, I miss those cars deeply. Recently, one NZ government agency switched to use Holden ZB commodore 2.0 Turbo front wheel drive instead of SV6/Evoke.....I was so 'LUCKY' to get assigned to drive one of those cars. OMG. the 'safe feeling while driving' is not there any more. You feel the car is so light, it goes ok while going straight, feels so bad on windy roads. Lag at the start when you put your foot down hard, lack of performance at the late range too. it is okay in the mid range speed. it is a good city car but it does not deserve to be called Commodore, it is nothing like Commodore, it is actually damaging the reputation of Commodore.
AND, if those designers have any brain cells in their head, at least they should put the direction of the manual gear control as same as previous Commodore. SV6/Evoke--> Push gear forward= gear down. Pull gear backwards=Gear up. NEW ZB: Foward=Gear up. backward=Gear down . WTF!!!! Also! car windshield wiper control is TOTALLY REVERSED compare to SV6/Evoke YOU ALL YOURSELF COMMODORE, WHAT A JOKE.!!
You should drive the VXR. I have HSV's and just sold my 2015 VF Calais V for the VXR AWD 325HP. It is AMAZING!!!! Better than any Aussie built Commodore. FACT!
100% correct sir, if it’d carried its euro name plate there’d have been less kerfuffle about it. That said I’m sure it a fine enough car but I laid eyes on one for the first time just the other day, not a huge fan of its looks, VF is way better looking
I'm absolutely loving all the comments on all the ZB because 99% of them haven't experienced them at all. It's a shame that the V8-powered models no longer exist, but the regular models (the ones that most people will buy - the people who couldn't care less what engine powers it and where the drive comes from) are superior to the VF, especially with its quality and standard equipment. Shame about the V6 and its rubbish 9-speed auto, but the 2.0-litre turbo petrol is almost as quick, and the diesel is very efficient and punchy. Headlights beyond halogen on a Commodore? Electric folding mirrors? CarPlay/Android Auto? No way!
Ive owned 5 consecutive commodore models (.VX.VY.VZ.VE.VF) which Ive always back traded after about 90k on the next new commodore. I will more than likely back trade my VF on a Nissan or Toyota of some sort or even just keep the VF and run it into the ground.
Not sure which focus group Holden used to determine that the ZB should retain the Commodore badge but I suspect there weren't many Commodore enthusiasts in the mix. Excellent review with the perfect title!
Nothing against the car itself but seeing the Commodore badge on that makes me feel the same as when Toyota used to badge the Commodore as a Lexcen ... Shudder!
Should have retained its ‘Insignia’ badge. See them on the roads and when you see the VF cruising nearby, it’s pretty apparent it’s not a ‘Commodore’... If I was in the market for a car like this, I’d go Kia Stinger GT all day long.
I always want to know what the stereo's like. If you have to do an upgrade they don't always screw everything back on as good as it was from the factory.
I could never understand the vitriol that this car received. I'm a red blooded Holden fan and the hate that this car got was unbelievable. Some people just needed to move on into the 21st century. To me it was childish the comments that I read about in regards to this vehicle. However I am disappointed that there will be no more Holden and GM has a lot of questions that need answered. That anger I can understand but hating a Commodore because it wasn't made in Australia is ridiculous especially when hater went and bought a car from a car company that never manufactured in Australia just didn't make sense. Yes Commodores are traditionally made with the option of a V8 and are rear wheel drive however times are a changing whether we like them or not. If Holden was still manufacturing vehicles in Australia, this is what we would have got.
Great review, and I couldn't agree more with the badge. Keeping the Insignia badge would have changed the perception of the car when it was introduced. It wouldn't have turned away the Commodore haters thinking it's the next Holden Bogan machine, and wouldn't have annoyed the Commodore lovers who would associate it with a large Australian made sedan/wagon/ute, with RWD, and a V8 engine and manual gearbox as options.
I think Holden has made a great Omega and SV6 replacement in the new Commodore range with much improved styling, equipment & performance.However the new range is no substitute for the performance, sound & raw emotion that comes with the beloved Holden SS & SSV Redline, being its best ever in the last VF2 range. We will see how HSV does with the launch of the right hand drive Chevy Camaro, but They have always been a somewhat separate market to Holdens V8 range.
G'day mate, question I've been watching a few NZ car reviews lately & noticed on some parts of the road in the middle of the lanes you have what I could only describe as 'Diamonds' painted on the blacktop wondering if you can tell me what they mean?? I know they don't mean 'Yield' that's the upside down triangle & we don't have them here in Australia. Cheers;
CarNut .kiwi Interesting! It certainly does mate thanks for clearing that up & getting back to me so quickly it's much appreciated. It's not a bad idea really. In Australia we have "School Zones" which are active between 8 to 9:30 & 15 to 16:30 & between those times the speed limit is lowered to 40k's which can be very annoying if the school is on a Hwy where the speed limit is 100 & you have to do 40 for up to 3 or 4 ks lol. But mostly there just around the immediate school area. Then there's the crossing itself where the lollipop man controls the traffic you can normally pull up pretty close to the crossing without too many dramas. Cheers mate.
Wrong badge, lol, if they made the same thing in Australia, would it be? Wasn't a problem for VB to VZ Opels re-engineered to Holden's? Or Vauxhalls that became Torana...
Oh dear, this is supposed to be the performance version.....of the SV6 ,MAN !!! Commodore's performance version is a V8 supercar.SORRY !!! THIS IS NOT A COMMODORE!!! Call it the VRX Holden,I mean really ,even guys who bought the SV6 wished they were buying the v8,so glad I have my LS3 Redline, but right now ,of the new options ,I'd go the Stinger
Sounds like it has a lot of cool features. But would it convince me to sell my VF2 SSV Redline? No, not at all. Even though the redline is an older platform and lacks some of these snazzy features, it still is an exciting and pleasurable car to drive. The new commodore just seems a bit pale, even though it carries more tech. If I wanted an awd car, I would go buy a WRX STI. At least that looks like a fun car to drive and with some real performance. Like you said, they shouldn't have given it the commodore name. That name should have retired at the end of 2017. They would sell more of these cars if it just had another badge. I am yet to see one of these new commodores on the road here in Australia.
Thanks for the quick reply very much looking forward to your review. Additionally I did have a question about the VXR if you were in the market would you buy one?
I feel like Holden definitely nailed it with this car and I would absolutely give up my SV6 in a heartbeat but they should've called it something else rather then the Commodore.
Just happy companies like KIA exists who still have the balls to make a RWD sedan. Holden is dead to me. They have zero interesting or dynamic products now. It's insulting to replace a V8,RWD sedan with a fwd based V6 toy. The awd is not predictable or co trolo8ng at all. You are at the whim of the computer. If Ford came out with a FWD Mustang there would be an uprise. Like thanks for ruining everything the car stood for.
I dont own any comodore but i have a subaru impreza the design matters the most i recon i really like ausie comodore musculine agressive look big engine im keen to have 1
65k can't see the value For that type of money you can buy a pretty nice euro My 2015 SV6 Lightning that was half the price new still beats it hands down
if any model in the holden range sold a reasonable amount it was the commodore...sadly that will come to a halt with this latest version...holden just cant seem to give us cars we want
Absolutely nothing wrong with this car, its well equipped and up to date. All these typical "hard done by Aussies and Kiwis" need to build a bridge and get over it. But I do agree Holden should of badged it as a Insignia and let the Commodore rest in piece.
The last German made Commodore was very well built however it suffered from a lack of power and also a narrow cabin compared to the Australian made Commodore that it replaced. The replacement German made Commodore was losing sales to the cheaper Astra and people were even commenting that the new Astra was a better car. See even though the Australian made Commodore was updated over the years, its design concept successfully blended proven motor/chassis/suspension and steering engineering suitable for long distance driving over rough roads with state of the art safety and parking technology never seen before in a mass produced car. This safety and parking technology was not included in the replacement German made Commodore. GMH also underestimated the patriotism of the Australian public and realized after severe financial losses that their forward planning team failed to increase market share, which nearly lead to the collapse of GMH in the Australian market.
I've never been a big fan of Holden's. In fact, up until Saturday I'd never driven one. I drove a VXR, and whatever the questionable choices Holden have made, they actually have one heck of a good car in the ZB. Sure it's not a rear drive tyre shredding V8 monster, but it is refined and has a lot of very up to date tech in it. I think the kind of person who will buy this car is one who is considering a Euro sedan like a VW Arteon, BMW 3 series or Audi A4 because compared with them the Holden's price is quite competitive.
I was so prepared to hate this car because "not a real commodore". It came time to get rid of my VE SV6 and I just had no idea what to replace it with. I still wanted a decent size NA engine RWD sedan with leather seats. However, after looking and looking, there's just nothing out there at my price point. In the end I caved and test drove one of these despite saying I'd never be interested. It's awesome, I bought it straight away. It's hard to say no to circa 320HP V6, packed with features and with less than 90,000kms on the clock for less than $29,000. Granted it's not a RWD, which is a real shame but I can't stand the stinger and they're far more expensive anyway. In every other respect, this car far exceeds what I'd be looking for in a Commodore. Will still be sad to see my VE go, best looking car I've ever owned.
I'd be willing to look at it but the pricing structures are too high at the top end. Holden has been about a money grab with little care for the customer. I think it would be a gamble to buy into Holden these days.
As an Automotive Journalist myself in the states I can say it’s a solid , capable car they call it Buick Regal GS here.But they gave it the wrong name! Rename it Regal or Insignia and relaunch it
I think your review has pretty much summed it up. It's the right car with the wrong name. They could've just badged it the Euro name of Insignia and retired the Commodore badge with the VF 2. Externally I prefer the VF/VF2 shape but the ZB is clearly a more technically advanced and probably a better car. Just not a Commodore :)
I think over all its an Opel it will always be an Opel. But over all it doesnt look that bad, we are all looking at it and comparing it to the Australian built Commodore. If they just called it the Holden Insignia it would do better, draw the curtains close on one name and open another name. When the H series Holden finished, they swapped to a different platform and that was it new platform new name. A commodore will never be a Kingswood just like an Insignia will never be a Commodore.
Sorry....its probably ok to get over being a Commodore when you live across the ditch, but when some of live with these and see them everyday, it saddens alot of us Aussies when this car was released. It was not so much of the car but becoming a all wheel drive and ditching the V8. We love the V8. It's not the same...it seems a spooky Commodore/Mazda
They took off all the best things that makes a commodore and as a Holden lover it’s really sad to see. I’ve driven Holden’s all my life and honestly I wouldn’t be happy if I bought this car.
I bought a VW Arteon last Dec for just over 70k. A lot better car I am pretty sure. Only a 2 litre , but 206kw and very practical with the huge boot and hatchback. 0 to 100kph in 5.6 secs..it beat both the Commodore and the Kia Stinger v8 when Wheels mag did a comparison.
All this hate has worked out great for me. I just picked up a 2 yr old RS for AU$17K ($42K new 2 years ago) - I get why the fans are pissed. If they called it anything but "commodore" - it would have cost me 10 grand more. - The worst resale price of any car in Australia apparently. a sneaky win for this pleb!!
I've owned nearly every Commodore, HSV etc.sine the VN. Just traded my VF Calais V (company car) in on the ZB VXR 325HP, back in March 2018. Nearly a year on and I'm probably the only person who can give a true account on the VXR having driven 24,000klms in the ZB. Heavy on fuel and not as comfortable as the VF Calais V, even although it has massaging heated and cooling seats. The 325HP V6 engine , of which I've fitted a K&N Air Filter, sounds pretty raspy and revs very well. The on board 0-100 timer has seen a best of 5.4 secs and an average of 5.7 secs. The cars quality, engineering and technology are brilliant. The handling is amazing as is the stopping power from the Brembo brakes. I also own a HSV Grange with 357kw however the ZB VXR is far more refined and will out handle the HSV, on any road or track. (even although the HSV has Magnetic Ride Suspension etc). So, unless you have driven the VXR, keep your ignorant comments to yourself. Badges are just that...a badge.
And plastic stick ons at that. Just take em off!
This is the first time I've seen this guy do a car review and must say he's pretty good. Lot's of people on RUclips doing car reviews but I think this guy's got the right delivery and has good knowledge and described the car well. Well done man hope to see you in the future. 😉👍
Thank you man. Very kind words indeed. Glad to have you picking up what I’m putting down. Blu.
I agree that this car has a wrong model badge. It should be a Holden Insignia.
T8PolestarCyan 🤣its just a fucking badge
They wouldn't call it the Insignia, because then some folks may recognize that the older version of this vehicle was an option for Holden to build locally, instead of the Crap-heap Cruze, back in those critical days where Holden really needed a decent bit of kit to pick up their sales, and save themselves...
It's a large holden astra hatchback.
It's like Opel Insignia OPC
Should be badged Opel
No commodore fan will accept this as a commodore.
EVER
TheMightyFordFalcon uhh i will
Lol, I sold my VY SS specifically to buy a vxr commodore. They are fantastic cars.
My dads getting one... I like it as a commodore
Hate the ZB disgusting car doesn’t deserve the Commodore badge.
Title of this video couldn’t be more accurate.
Literally feel sick to my stomach that they called this a Commodore...
Should have retired the 'Commodore' name like Ford did with Falcon....
And be honest, was that a fresh oil leak at 11:39 ?
R.I.P. Commodore and
R.I.P Holden.
new platform new name I say!
hoffmachine wow good catch I never noticed till I read your review.does look fresh.i have a ve SSV so sad to see this with the commodore name .I agree RIP holden
Get over it
that would be condensation from the AC.
All that high tech goodies just doesn't make up for the fact it doesn't sound right and it doesn't go like a top range Commodore should. Its simply not a SS or HSV replacement and struggles on some criteria to replace the SV6. Truth be told if I wanted a high performance AWD car, the "new" Commodore falls short on that too and I am also being asked to buy a car from a dead platform from Opel, by one of the last standing RHD markets GM haven't yet abandoned in Holden. So really the reasons for me looking at a VXR, would be GMH knew they were behind it and offered me a substantially cheaper car then the competition - which it isn't. All in all there is just nothing compelling about this car. Absolutely nothing. As a fellow Redline owner, I couldn't even be bothered to test drive this.
That said I enjoyed the review and I appreciated you making a point of showing us all that the VXR does have to offer. You've become my favourite reviewer on the net.
Just look at the Stinger, it’s everything this car should be, and similar pricing. How can a Korean budget manufacturer get it so right, yet Holden arrogantly expected kiwis and Aussie to swallow this shit!
Daniel Dacey nailed it exactly right mate.
This car would have been good as a replacement for the Holden Cruze but not for the commodore sadly I would rather there be no commodore than this one.
I don't know why they always use the v6 awd model. The 2.0 litre turbo blows it away performance wise. I had an fg g6 and my zb is quicker.
I'm curious to know how you compare the commodore vxr with the insignia vxr you drove
Hi Harvey. The Insignia I drove was the previous model so while it was pretty brisk, it felt old and a little floppy compared to the ZB VXR. The newer vehicle takes advantage of later tech and is a all-round more appealing thing. Cheers for watching. Blu.
Awww thanks mate, good to know I can hang an arm out the window while I silently glide off from the lights!
You've nailed it "right car, wrong badge"
I suspect it will fail, especially in Oz where the passions run rampant through it may sell a few in NZ.
Ford have told us of the future where sedans no longer exist and we're all driving SUV's or Utes, but Holdens current range of these fail as well, so imho they have a problem and are starting at a bleak future.
Just as well you jumped in and bought your SS-V when you did, being the last true Aussie built car for the masses in our part of the world. Still think you should of got the wagon...
Thanks for another great review
CarNut .kiwi Couldn't agree more. Awfully sad to see manuals fading out.
Only people that bought the ZB in nz mate was the bloody cops! This is not a commodore to kiwis either and literally a handful of people bought them.
Guarantee 90% of the people that hate this car and scream "R.I.P. HOLDEN!" own fucked VS executives with 350,000ks on them.
Wasn’t the the first one, the VB commodore a Vauxhall? More a Ford guy myself but we just bought a front wheel drive 2.0 litre turbo RS as a family car. Has some cool, handy features, but yes the interior does the job, but it certainly not awe inspiring in any way whatsoever, it’s pretty quick for what it is, but again, no one is gonna be awed by it. It is what it is. I feel agenda 21 has a massive part to play, even though it’s not a Kia or a Hyundai.
And $67k, how are they expecting to sell any of these? My god.
I know they sold at least one of these as my family bought one
$67000 Nzd drive away bro
Would rather get a base Mustang GT for that money..but there might be a market for large holden astra's.
@@aidendowdell4212 they still have 2017 models that are waiting to be crushed into recycled material.
67k in New Zealand...
As a VFII owner too, the one area in which this car exceeds is the build quality and tolerances. Gaps are much reduced.
Great review, nailed it again mate. I’m with you. GM/Holden should have reserved the Commodore badge and called this car something else.
Ryan LI Holden insignia and would have sold.to much annimosity with commodore badge .ihave a ve SSV far superior and a v8.to much money and no v8.so sad
Name Peugeot Camira
basically a replacement for the SV6 - but far more expensive. the tourer model is moderately interesting.
i suspect that Holden AU and NZ are struggling to give them away.
Marcus Petraska Commodore sales are sitting at rock bottom in Australia
i spent a couple of weeks on the road there - cairns to sydney - in mid-april - didnt see a solitary zb on the road - and they had been on the market since early feb at that stage...?
Far more expensive? Well yeah, when you take into consideration its a car that had to be brought over from Germany that's a new model with a new engine, a 9spd auto and sophisticated AWD system, Brembo brakes, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, emergency braking, 360deg camera system and all the other goodies which non of these were available on the previous out dated bombodore.
Interesting you should say that. I live in the northern rivers of NSW & I am yet to see a new commodore on the road. Heaps of VF's up here, dime a dozen. Holden also closed our local Holden dealer so that probably doesn't help their cause.
Ive heard that sales on the new so called commodore are dismal.
The start of this video had me concerned it would just be a hate fuelled rant. But this was an incredibly well done review!
Most of the guys who test these have said the 2 Lt turbo is a much more enjoyable car to drive than the v6. My zb is the fastest car I've driven. Don't judge until you drive 1.
I seen a few of these around.. i just shake my head.. and rev past my Bogan VF II SS redline... great video-right car - wrong badge
Good honest review. Glad you mentioned about the A pillar on the previous vf model, which was a real problem for me. This model seems to have everything a person could want. Love the seats, 360 camera, the overall style of the body.
been driving SV6 and old evoke for the past 5 years. They are great, especially SV6, you feel safe while driving. the car is heavy, runs great, powerful engine ,sticks to road surface, you just feel protected. Evoke is good too, not as powerful as SV6 but still, you feel safe while driving. You can get the target you want fore sure on the road.
Honestly, I miss those cars deeply.
Recently, one NZ government agency switched to use Holden ZB commodore 2.0 Turbo front wheel drive instead of SV6/Evoke.....I was so 'LUCKY' to get assigned to drive one of those cars.
OMG. the 'safe feeling while driving' is not there any more.
You feel the car is so light, it goes ok while going straight, feels so bad on windy roads.
Lag at the start when you put your foot down hard, lack of performance at the late range too. it is okay in the mid range speed.
it is a good city car but it does not deserve to be called Commodore, it is nothing like Commodore, it is actually damaging the reputation of Commodore.
AND, if those designers have any brain cells in their head, at least they should put the direction of the manual gear control as same as previous Commodore. SV6/Evoke--> Push gear forward= gear down. Pull gear backwards=Gear up. NEW ZB: Foward=Gear up. backward=Gear down . WTF!!!!
Also! car windshield wiper control is TOTALLY REVERSED compare to SV6/Evoke
YOU ALL YOURSELF COMMODORE, WHAT A JOKE.!!
You should drive the VXR. I have HSV's and just sold my 2015 VF Calais V for the VXR AWD 325HP. It is AMAZING!!!! Better than any Aussie built Commodore. FACT!
100% correct sir, if it’d carried its euro name plate there’d have been less kerfuffle about it. That said I’m sure it a fine enough car but I laid eyes on one for the first time just the other day, not a huge fan of its looks, VF is way better looking
25 extra KW... Which you hark back to several times... But what extra losses through the AWD platform?
Great video, wish GM wouldn't give up on RHD market.
Thanks Tito. I don’t think you’d find anybody this side of the equator that would disagree with you. Cheers for watching.
it's not a commodore, holden should have let the name RIP, will keep my vf2 ssv redline ute till i die
nice fair dinkum review though cheers mate
Not A True Commodore HF-Series. Epic Fail.
Or could of made just a made proper commodore
VF2 LS3 is an incredible vehicle, especially when considering how old the basic design is and how well it still manages to hold its own.
I'm absolutely loving all the comments on all the ZB because 99% of them haven't experienced them at all. It's a shame that the V8-powered models no longer exist, but the regular models (the ones that most people will buy - the people who couldn't care less what engine powers it and where the drive comes from) are superior to the VF, especially with its quality and standard equipment. Shame about the V6 and its rubbish 9-speed auto, but the 2.0-litre turbo petrol is almost as quick, and the diesel is very efficient and punchy. Headlights beyond halogen on a Commodore? Electric folding mirrors? CarPlay/Android Auto? No way!
Love the ZB
Ill be honest it's a nice car, I just personally think it needs another name because of how different it is.
Ive owned 5 consecutive commodore models (.VX.VY.VZ.VE.VF) which Ive always back traded after about 90k on the next new commodore. I will more than likely back trade my VF on a Nissan or Toyota of some sort or even just keep the VF and run it into the ground.
That headlight system sounds brilliant
I will never buy a Holden again GM screwed us ex-loyal ex Holden owners
what about old holdens
You can blame the Tony Abbott for that as well..
Not sure which focus group Holden used to determine that the ZB should retain the Commodore badge but I suspect there weren't many Commodore enthusiasts in the mix. Excellent review with the perfect title!
Nothing against the car itself but seeing the Commodore badge on that makes me feel the same as when Toyota used to badge the Commodore as a Lexcen ... Shudder!
Like the Nissan Falcon Ute. Consumers must be stupid to believe car advertising.
Mage get over it. You sound 10
This was 4 different Cars =Buick, Opel,Vauxhall, Holden
Thanks for a good all round review.
The Commodore badge is going soon. The Holden badge is going later.
Should have retained its ‘Insignia’ badge. See them on the roads and when you see the VF cruising nearby, it’s pretty apparent it’s not a ‘Commodore’... If I was in the market for a car like this, I’d go Kia Stinger GT all day long.
I always want to know what the stereo's like. If you have to do an upgrade they don't always screw everything back on as good as it was from the factory.
Why the hell did they put the Commodore badge on this? It's the antithesis to traditional Commodore owners. Good car, dumb company.
I could never understand the vitriol that this car received. I'm a red blooded Holden fan and the hate that this car got was unbelievable. Some people just needed to move on into the 21st century. To me it was childish the comments that I read about in regards to this vehicle.
However I am disappointed that there will be no more Holden and GM has a lot of questions that need answered. That anger I can understand but hating a Commodore because it wasn't made in Australia is ridiculous especially when hater went and bought a car from a car company that never manufactured in Australia just didn't make sense. Yes Commodores are traditionally made with the option of a V8 and are rear wheel drive however times are a changing whether we like them or not. If Holden was still manufacturing vehicles in Australia, this is what we would have got.
Good honest review.
Great review, and I couldn't agree more with the badge. Keeping the Insignia badge would have changed the perception of the car when it was introduced. It wouldn't have turned away the Commodore haters thinking it's the next Holden Bogan machine, and wouldn't have annoyed the Commodore lovers who would associate it with a large Australian made sedan/wagon/ute, with RWD, and a V8 engine and manual gearbox as options.
I think Holden has made a great Omega and SV6 replacement in the new Commodore range with much improved styling, equipment & performance.However the new range is no substitute for the performance, sound & raw emotion that comes with the beloved Holden SS & SSV Redline, being its best ever in the last VF2 range. We will see how HSV does with the launch of the right hand drive Chevy Camaro, but They have always been a somewhat separate market to Holdens V8 range.
Spot on. I have no doubt it's a great car. I even think it looks good. It's just not a Commodore.
You quoted 6+ secs performance. VF had the same if not better with less kw. Please explain.
It’s a nice car Has a resemblance to a commodore on the back but the rest isn’t a commodore it’s a nice lil sedan not a commodore
G'day mate, question I've been watching a few NZ car reviews lately & noticed on some parts of the road in the middle of the lanes you have what I could only describe as 'Diamonds' painted on the blacktop wondering if you can tell me what they mean?? I know they don't mean 'Yield' that's the upside down triangle & we don't have them here in Australia. Cheers;
CarNut .kiwi Interesting! It certainly does mate thanks for clearing that up & getting back to me so quickly it's much appreciated. It's not a bad idea really. In Australia we have "School Zones" which are active between 8 to 9:30 & 15 to 16:30 & between those times the speed limit is lowered to 40k's which can be very annoying if the school is on a Hwy where the speed limit is 100 & you have to do 40 for up to 3 or 4 ks lol. But mostly there just around the immediate school area. Then there's the crossing itself where the lollipop man controls the traffic you can normally pull up pretty close to the crossing without too many dramas. Cheers mate.
Wrong badge, lol, if they made the same thing in Australia, would it be?
Wasn't a problem for VB to VZ Opels re-engineered to Holden's?
Or Vauxhalls that became Torana...
Is this a cruze Sedan with a different badge?
No, not a Cruze. It’s an Insignia which is the next size up in the GM range. Thanks for watching. Blu.
Great review! Meh car. I’d get a Kia stinger instead.
If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still just a pig with lipstick.
Yep just like you cant polish a turd.
Oh dear, this is supposed to be the performance version.....of the SV6 ,MAN !!! Commodore's performance version is a V8 supercar.SORRY !!! THIS IS NOT A COMMODORE!!! Call it the VRX Holden,I mean really ,even guys who bought the SV6 wished they were buying the v8,so glad I have my LS3 Redline, but right now ,of the new options ,I'd go the Stinger
Okay shall we throw an LS motor in it then if no one else will ?
How is it for road noise? ie as good as Honda Accord?
Great review, thanks for being honest!
Sounds like it has a lot of cool features. But would it convince me to sell my VF2 SSV Redline? No, not at all. Even though the redline is an older platform and lacks some of these snazzy features, it still is an exciting and pleasurable car to drive. The new commodore just seems a bit pale, even though it carries more tech. If I wanted an awd car, I would go buy a WRX STI. At least that looks like a fun car to drive and with some real performance. Like you said, they shouldn't have given it the commodore name. That name should have retired at the end of 2017. They would sell more of these cars if it just had another badge. I am yet to see one of these new commodores on the road here in Australia.
Better with a turbo or a Super charger
Better looking than a Commondore in my opion.
Great review CarNut.kiwi any chance you could do a review on the KIA Stinger would be interested to hear your thoughts on it? Cheers Matt
Thanks for the quick reply very much looking forward to your review. Additionally I did have a question about the VXR if you were in the market would you buy one?
I still think Holden should have put a new version or the torana in production and sold it overseas as well
I feel like Holden definitely nailed it with this car and I would absolutely give up my SV6 in a heartbeat but they should've called it something else rather then the Commodore.
nice review
At least this car on its own is not that bad... now that GM has sold its German Opel division what would come next?
Just happy companies like KIA exists who still have the balls to make a RWD sedan. Holden is dead to me. They have zero interesting or dynamic products now. It's insulting to replace a V8,RWD sedan with a fwd based V6 toy. The awd is not predictable or co trolo8ng at all. You are at the whim of the computer. If Ford came out with a FWD Mustang there would be an uprise. Like thanks for ruining everything the car stood for.
I dont own any comodore but i have a subaru impreza the design matters the most i recon i really like ausie comodore musculine agressive look big engine im keen to have 1
65k can't see the value
For that type of money you can buy a pretty nice euro
My 2015 SV6 Lightning that was half the price new still beats it hands down
How exactly does the sv6 beat this?
sv6 was $18000 aud cheaper lol / not half the price
if any model in the holden range sold a reasonable amount it was the commodore...sadly that will come to a halt with this latest version...holden just cant seem to give us cars we want
Its NOT a Holden
Absolutely nothing wrong with this car, its well equipped and up to date. All these typical "hard done by Aussies and Kiwis" need to build a bridge and get over it. But I do agree Holden should of badged it as a Insignia and let the Commodore rest in piece.
Agree, test- driven one yesterday, like it, will buy it, then remove the bloody commodore badge, problem solved!
The last German made Commodore was very well built however it suffered from a lack of power and also a narrow cabin compared to the Australian made Commodore that it replaced. The replacement German made Commodore was losing sales to the cheaper Astra and people were even commenting that the new Astra was a better car. See even though the Australian made Commodore was updated over the years, its design concept successfully blended proven motor/chassis/suspension and steering engineering suitable for long distance driving over rough roads with state of the art safety and parking technology never seen before in a mass produced car. This safety and parking technology was not included in the replacement German made Commodore. GMH also underestimated the patriotism of the Australian public and realized after severe financial losses that their forward planning team failed to increase market share, which nearly lead to the collapse of GMH in the Australian market.
I've never been a big fan of Holden's. In fact, up until Saturday I'd never driven one. I drove a VXR, and whatever the questionable choices Holden have made, they actually have one heck of a good car in the ZB. Sure it's not a rear drive tyre shredding V8 monster, but it is refined and has a lot of very up to date tech in it. I think the kind of person who will buy this car is one who is considering a Euro sedan like a VW Arteon, BMW 3 series or Audi A4 because compared with them the Holden's price is quite competitive.
Vauxhall/opel insignia gsi over here in UK and EU.
I was so prepared to hate this car because "not a real commodore". It came time to get rid of my VE SV6 and I just had no idea what to replace it with. I still wanted a decent size NA engine RWD sedan with leather seats. However, after looking and looking, there's just nothing out there at my price point. In the end I caved and test drove one of these despite saying I'd never be interested. It's awesome, I bought it straight away. It's hard to say no to circa 320HP V6, packed with features and with less than 90,000kms on the clock for less than $29,000. Granted it's not a RWD, which is a real shame but I can't stand the stinger and they're far more expensive anyway. In every other respect, this car far exceeds what I'd be looking for in a Commodore.
Will still be sad to see my VE go, best looking car I've ever owned.
Holden WTF were you lot thinking??
The area around the gearstick looks posh
I'd be willing to look at it but the pricing structures are too high at the top end. Holden has been about a money grab with little care for the customer. I think it would be a gamble to buy into Holden these days.
I consider this car as a successor to Holden Insignia. Surely not a commodore!
As an Automotive Journalist myself in the states I can say it’s a solid , capable car they call it Buick Regal GS here.But they gave it the wrong name! Rename it Regal or Insignia and relaunch it
These things are good value... on the used market. Agreed with others here, too expensive and wrong badge.
I think your review has pretty much summed it up. It's the right car with the wrong name. They could've just badged it the Euro name of Insignia and retired the Commodore badge with the VF 2. Externally I prefer the VF/VF2 shape but the ZB is clearly a more technically advanced and probably a better car. Just not a Commodore :)
Good review. I like the car but yes wrong name!
I think over all its an Opel it will always be an Opel.
But over all it doesnt look that bad, we are all looking at it and comparing it to the Australian built Commodore.
If they just called it the Holden Insignia it would do better, draw the curtains close on one name and open another name.
When the H series Holden finished, they swapped to a different platform and that was it new platform new name.
A commodore will never be a Kingswood just like an Insignia will never be a Commodore.
Or two small turbos
Sorry....its probably ok to get over being a Commodore when you live across the ditch, but when some of live with these and see them everyday, it saddens alot of us Aussies when this car was released. It was not so much of the car but becoming a all wheel drive and ditching the V8. We love the V8. It's not the same...it seems a spooky Commodore/Mazda
Holden commodore GS Sport sedan.
2.5L tubor straight six petrol ,or 2.2L Diesel,4 doors,5 seater ,rear wheel drive,made in GM platforms, Australia.
$39,999 Aus dollars drive away.
That's my 2 cents.
They took off all the best things that makes a commodore and as a Holden lover it’s really sad to see. I’ve driven Holden’s all my life and honestly I wouldn’t be happy if I bought this car.
Why call it a holden commodore when its not one..
mate good vid!! but not at the end!!!!!!!!!! WHATS THAT LIQUID under the car?????????????????? not a great look bro lol
Agree wholeheartedly, excellent car, feels beautiful to drive, definitely European, would have been huge if called Insignia.
I bought a VW Arteon last Dec for just over 70k. A lot better car I am pretty sure. Only a 2 litre , but 206kw and very practical with the huge boot and hatchback. 0 to 100kph in 5.6 secs..it beat both the Commodore and the Kia Stinger v8 when Wheels mag did a comparison.
Does the bug come with 5year warranty ? 5year road side and capped price service?
Im in UK Thats a Holden. But its a Bit Like Our VXR8. Ive got a 6.0 Monaro VXR V6 no . V8 Yes Happy Days
It's a Claytons Commodore, the Commodore you have when you don't have a Commodore.
60000+ thousand what a joke for a french opel/ daewoo left over parts car. Better off with the stinger for that price and thats sad to Say .
Stinger thanks
GM should have put the 3.0 twin turbo V6 400 HP 400 pounds of torque in US
That is probably what HSV would have done if they were still a tuning company and Holden still a manufacturing company.
All this hate has worked out great for me. I just picked up a 2 yr old RS for AU$17K ($42K new 2 years ago) - I get why the fans are pissed. If they called it anything but "commodore" - it would have cost me 10 grand more. - The worst resale price of any car in Australia apparently. a sneaky win for this pleb!!
Glad there’s a good financial upside for you. And as you now know, you’ve got a very good car under you, too. Cheers for watching.
Nice, I am thinking of picking up a v6 and running it into the ground, not so worried about resale in this instance!
It's slowly going to phase out of falcons and commodores and into mustangs and camaros.
If it wasn't for the Kia Stinger which I bought, I was going to buy a VXR myself.
You got the title wrong, wrong car right badge.
It’s a nice car but it’s not a real commodore.
It’s not a commodore completely wrong shape can’t even look at it