Holden Calais

Robert Barry drove the new VF series Holden Calais for a week and was impressed by the refinement and the overall package.

My first Holden Calais test vehicle was a 2004 Cove Green VY series II model with the venerable 235kW/460Nm 5.7-litre V8 engine and four-speed automatic transmission. It rode on an FE 1.5 suspension package, and was equipped with active head restraints, four airbags, and rear parking sensors.

The passenger mirror also dipped down when reverse gear was selected so you could accurately parallel park the car without kerbing the 17 inch alloy wheels.

At the time I thought this car was just the be all and end all, but I was to be proven wrong by Holden which has thrown everything at the VF model to woo customers away from premium high-spec European sedans.

The dipping mirror function remains, but the VF series Holden Calais V brings more technology to the mass market large car segment than we could have possibly imagined in 2004, and fuel economy that would never have seemed possible for a large sedan.

Although the 210kW 3.6-litre direct injection V6 engine is carried over from VE to VF Commodore, fuel economy and handling have both been improved thanks to a body that’s 43kg lighter due to the use of aluminium parts and an aluminium bonnet. The redesigned bonnet also contributes to better pedestrian protection.

VE drivers will be familiar with the smooth turbine-like sound of the V6 SIDI 3.6-Litre engine, but they will be more impressed with its economy. The new Calais V has improved from an average consumption of 9.5L/100km for the VE to 9L/100km for the VF, and this was proven by a team of journalists which drove one around Australia for 17,000km and maintained that exact figure for the duration.

Sadly, our urban-bound week produced consumption in double figures - 10.5L/100km.

Ninety percent of the new VF Commodore is all new, with the exception of the roof and the engines, and sadly that means the large windscreen pillars remain, which can at times be obstructive in a sharp right-hand bend.

But the all-new dashboard architecture inside means the awkwardly cumbersome handbrake of the VE has been deleted, and replaced with a dinky little electronic number which requires a fingertip to set, while the touch screen, with Holden’s MyLink technology, is also simple and intuitive to use.

The Calais V is equipped with forward collision alert, blind spot alert, and reverse traffic alert, in addition to the auto park assist feature, which is a system that will seek out a space that’s large enough and then parallel park the car. All the driver needs to do is select reverse gear when prompted and apply throttle and brake as required.

The reversing camera, combined with the rear traffic alert function, gives the driver a much better and safer view of the world when backing out of a driveway or angled car park space, but for me, it is the blind spot assist system that really was the most impressive feature of the Calais V.

I’ve argued that the Commodore/ Calais models have been under-equipped in the side mirror department since the VY, but the new blind spot assist system has completely addressed my concerns about this, and has made the car a much more enjoyable place to be in heavy urban traffic or when changing lanes on the motorway.

I also liked the heated seats, the ability to start the car remotely using the key fob, and the adjustable heads-up display which can project the digital odometer reading quite clearly in all weathers and all light conditions. That to me was a true safety feature, and not just a marketing gimmick.

But, most important, the Calais V is a comfortable and sure-footed vehicle to drive, with a compliant ride from the FE1 touring suspension that won’t ruffle the passengers, but will still provide the driver with an engaging experience behind the wheel.

Overall it’s a much more refined package that offers greater value than ever before.