Four-door dilemma
I am the proud owner of two VF Commodores. I love the cars and am really devastated that their run is coming to an end. So now I am thinking what I will replace them with. I hate SUVs, 4WDs and pick-ups. I want a sedan but I have to be able to pull a 1900kg trailer and I can’t find any current sedan that will do that. VW’s Passat and the Skoda Superb will pull the weight but their maximum tow ball weight is 90kg, well below the 190kg I need. Is there anything else out there that you can think of that will do the job for me? Maybe Holden will re-engineer the new Insignia to do the job. And why do the Europeans have such low tow ball limits anyway?
Alan Ward
You’re caught between a rock and a very hard place. Most Commodore buyers are gravitating to SUVs and/or pick-ups for towing. The Europeans tend not to tow the types of loads we do — the caravans and trailers are smaller to help negotiate their narrow back roads. Your options are seriously restricted if you want a conventional passenger car. Redistributing the load can help with tow ball weight if you’re towing a caravan; if it’s a boat then there isn’t much wriggle room.
CHOICES Subaru Liberty 3.6R, from $42,740
The all-wheel drive sedan with an 1800kg towing capacity and 180kg tow ball weight is just under what you need but is absolutely the best of the current crop. The Liberty comes with a safety suite the Commodore can’t match. The downside is there’s less room in the rear. Performance is comparable to the six-cylinder Commodore, though claimed combined fuel use is marginally higher at 9.9L/100km. Not that you’ll see those figures while towing.
Holden Commodore, from $40,490
Commodores will keep rolling off the South Australian production line until October and every version other than the base Evoke will haul 2100kg with automatic transmission. Given your requirements, buy one — there’s not much else out there in a conventional passenger car shape that will do the job. Then you can wait to see whether Holden can hound Opel into improving the Insignia’s tow ball weight limit. The price above is for the SV6 but you can spend up to $56,750 for a V8 Calais V-Series.
Chrysler 300, from$55,000
Braked towing capacity is 1724kg and the download is the accepted 10 per cent, so 172kg. Lighten the trailer — or buy a new one — and you might just get away with it. You are also restricted to the six-cylinder version as the V8s aren’t rated beyond 450kg. Power from the 3.6-litre V6 is similar to the Commodore and claimed thirst is 9.7L/100km. It won’t corner as well as a Commodore but it is a cruisy ride on the freeways and internal space is prodigious.
WILDCARD Toyota Fortuner, from $47,990
The Fortuner is a compromise but it is one you’ll likely have to deal with in the near future. The styling is more high-riding wagon than Prado-styled SUV. With the optional automatic fitted it can tow 2800kg (3000kg with the manual) so it shouldn’t have much of an issue with your load. Being a diesel, the fuel consumption is 7.8L/100km and Toyota’s capped price servicing is as competitive as the pricing.
VERDICT
Get a current Commodore. If you’re happy with the VFs in the drive, there’s no good reason to swap over to another brand. Enjoy the lack of compromise while you can.