Holden Adventra VZ (2005-2006)

Fantastic car – After 22 years of of owning a Magna, this was my first Holden since 1985. Love it. Very roomy, great power and nice to drive. Negatives are that it can be thirsty if driven hard, and the steering is a tad heavy. I get about 13.5l/100 around town and on the Hume/Princes Hwy's it runs around the 10.5 - 11.5/100. Great tow vehicle and its very stable on dirt and wet road surfaces.  Show details

Everything an Aussie wagon should be – Whilst the Adventra isn’t for everyone, for it’s purpose I couldn’t imagine a better car. Absolutely love mine and will keep it until it can’t be driven anymore. I really have no idea what I’d replace it with. You know you’re onto a winner when you drive past other Adventra owners - 9 times out of 10 you’ll get a smile and a wave. For context,… Read more

I purchased the LX variant with the 6 cylinder engine at around 150,000kms on the clock and have done around 35,000kms in it.

Positives

- Incredibly comfortable, with full electrics and a great sound system for a stock Holden. Makes the car perfect for long journeys

- Ample space for passengers front and back

- The boot is huge. With the seats folded you can fit surfboards, bikes etc. anything under 8ft long will get in there. I regularly sleep in the back of mine and it is amazingly comfortable for 2 people

- Smooth drive train

- At home on the highway. The V6 sits at 1900 RPM at 100 km/h, which lends to respectable fuel economy given the size of the car, and there’s ample power to overtake when needed

- Holds the road in a range of conditions - gravel, corrugations, wet and even snow

- Servicing has (so far) been cheap

Negatives

- Sluggish off the mark

- Thirsty when driven in city traffic, although if you’re sensible with the throttle it’s not really that bad

- Not a great turning circle

- Typical creaks and rattles associated with a 12+ year old Commodore

If you’re in the market for a comfortable and spacious highway cruiser/weekend getaway car, and you can find a well-maintained Adventra, don’t hesitate. You won’t regret it.

Adventra 2005 LX6 – I have had this wagon for nearly 3years got it at 150k, Love the boot space that's why l have not brought a sport wagon for the simple fact you loose quite a bit of boot space. Great car to drive it has great features. Fantastic on long trips. I really don't know what I would bye to replace this. A real shame they stop making them.  Show details

Best Car I have ever owned – This was the best car I have ever owned. Goes anywhere (within reason for a car based AWD). Heaps of power and safety which gives confidence on road - sealed and unsealed. Needs to be the V8 version and tune the engine for best power and economy. I had VZ LX8 which had all luxury features. Only moved on due to high miles, to another V8 Holden wagon.  Show details

Only problem is the timing chains on the v6 – It would have been the perfect car except the problem with the timing chains (the chains stretch and bring up error codes) on the v6. Perhaps the v8 would have been the better option (only complaint I have heard is they are more fun and use a bit more fuel) . Overall a good car, but don't expect to do any serious 4x4ing.  Show details

Best car I've ever owned – Great vehicle and reliable, I've done over 310000Ks a little bit of whine in the diff. Timing belt and chain needed replacing and that was an expensive exercise $2000.I bought it with only 32000ks on the clock.Well worth keeping as I don't see another vehicle to match. I liked the features on this car and with my work I've also travelled the… Read more

country towing a caravan for 150000Ks. Handling brilliantly it saved me from some nasty situations with the AWD and the breaking system . I'm not sure why everyone is bagging the fuel economy on a trip I've got as low as 10.5 ltrs per 100Ks, so a smaller car you might save your self an extra $3 on a 100ks but find your up for another car in the same time I've had mine. If you get a chance to buy one don't hesitate. Down fall is the duco on the car rack it peeled off by the time I had 40000 ks on it. Also the rear wind shield dust deflector came off twice and once again Holden said that I had done over 50000 since it was last replaced and so this was not guaranteed. So its still that way. Comfortable and roomy what more could you ask for

Holden Adventra ...Best kept secret – **Recently added Injected Gas to the LX6 and am so impressed (completely fixed the issue of fuel consumption)** Well thought I'd update.... Our love affair with these cars has stepped up a notch We now have bought (after 2 years looking) a mint 2005 LX8 with 100,000 kms on it and promptly stored it properly for long term.. Neither of us can… Read more

imagine life without an adventra..

The CX8 and LX6 are both still running beautifully at 239,000kms and 220,000kms with minimal and frankly standard repair work only. (In the interests of full disclosure the 8 did develop a minimal oil leak from rear cam cover plate, but there is an updated part that replaces it and it was fitted resolving the problem) We intend to keep them running indefinitely due to the lack of anything to replace them with...

Original review....

Having owned a CX8 for 8 years and an SX6 as well for 3 years..(recently traded the SX6 up to an LX6) I can honestly say these cars are an under rated vehicle. The CX8 has now done 190,000 kms with no major issues, (waterpump at 160K) handling and offroad capability is truly remarkable (dirt tracks not bush bashing). They are dirt cheap to buy now and you won't get a better Sport SUV for your money. The fuel economy on the 8 is a little hairy I average 17litres/100. But it tows my 2.5 tonne boat like it's not there. The LX6 with the 5 speed auto surprised me, I expected very little from its economy but I get a bearable 12.1 litres/100 and both my averages have run over 12 months with both city and freeway driving.

To the uneducated eye they just look like Commodores with plastic bits, but they are so much more. The crosstrack system is sublime and the extra 8cm wheel base width means it hands amazingly well for a big car. The LX versions are so well fitted out I can't think of anything I would want to add (driver memory, heated mirrors, dualzone climate, the passenger mirror even tips down when you reverse). Long trips are effortless, I have driven from Sydney to Melbourne straight with no backache. If you're thinking about a used Territory or a used Adventra stop thinking, the Adventra is a far nicer vehicle and bang for buck a good second handy is unbeatable.

V8 fuel economy is bad

Holden's finest station wagon ever – I have just bought a second Adventra. The VY2 CX8 has clicked over 200,000km. Just bought a VZ LX6 with 90,000km on the clock. This will be our bestie and we'll keep the V8 as a runabout. Holden went all out with the VZ LX6, it has so many modern extras and the new generation quad cam 3.6. We have test driven many cars and SUVs, including new ones… Read more

- nothing compares with the ride or comfort as far as I'm concerned. ESP, paddle shift, traction control, hill descent control, sunroof, and just a lovely car despite the age now. I can see the VZ LX6 becoming a rarity and holding its value. Love the improved handling with the V6 as well although it doesn't have the sheer grunt of the 8 pot

Best car ever had – This is my favourite car of my life. Im 61. Its a 2006 v6 lx6 bought at 65k. Done 139k after 5 years as its not my only vehicle. Use it for towing, long trips, getting firewood. Driving on country roads all the time. Will climb steep sandy tracks, but too tidy a car to really bush bash. Never been confident too take it on a rough beach. Slippery… Read more ·  1

clay gravel roads are a pushover. The seats are fantastic. The ride is excellent. Swapped a 2006 Nissan Navara with 65k for the Holden as i was sick of the pogo stick ride of the Navara. So a bargain as well. If the 5 speed auto drops down going uphill in cruise just lock it in auto select. I dont know what i will get to replace it. Maybe i will keep reconditioning it. Shame new Holden/Captiva and Colorado are nowhere in the same leaque.

A Brilliant Vehicle - A pity Holden doesn't make them any more! – I have a 2006 CX6 which has not missed a beat in over 150,000km. It tows my 2,040kg atm caravan with ease at 100km/h all day. The road manners and comfort are amazing. Toyo Open Country tyres just made it handle and drive so much better - brilliant tyres that have done 80,000km and probably will last another 40,000km. I have looked at a lot of… Read more

other vehicles to replace it but have decided to spend $2,000 on it to add some Mace insulators, replace the spark plugs, injectors and ignition coils and keep it for a few more years. There just isn't anything to rival it for space, comfort and driveability. The servicing costs are so low too. I would like to add extractors to improve the torque in the lower rev range - I would like some tips with this. Being a petrol engine, going up steep hills requires using the gears a bit more than in a diesel. I use 95 octane fuel when towing heavy loads. It seems to handle the steep hills a bit better running on that fuel. But without the caravan on the back I use E10 every day - drives like a dream.

Better than I ever anticipated – I have been looking for a used 4WD vehicle but was trying to avoid the BIG 4WD types such as the Landcruiser, Patrol, Discovery etc which I have always owned. A vehicle that was friendly for everyday commuting but also great for long trips and towing. I came across the Holden Adventra VZ LX6 and glad I did as Its just what I wanted. The majority… Read more

of positive reviews on Product Reviews also convinced me.

The first thing you notice about the Adventra is the ample space. Large comfortable leather seats & massive rear cargo area. The LX model provides all the luxuries, whistles & bells. Its like a Holden Calais but with the AWD. The trip computer/display is magnificent as is the stereo system. It is a heavy car but driven sensibly it uses around 12.5 lt per 100km around the city. Heaps less on highway trips. Good enough for the type of vehicle it is. The high beams are the best I have used. For a standard system its great.

The steering is on the heavy side but you soon get used to it and it feels very confident on the road wit h the AWD system. On dirt roads is where the Adventra really shines. At no stage do you ever feel unsafe or like you'll lose control, even on wet muddy dirt roads. Steep fire trails & tracks can be tackled but you need to watch the approach angles else you will encounter some under-body scrapping. And with the hill decent going down is no drama. But you will be impressed where the LX6 can go.

The Adventra is not a serious hard-core off road vehicle so if that's what your into best you look at other vehicles but if you are after a reliable vehicle which offers extreme comfort, safety and mild off road capability which also has the power to tow its hard to go past. I'm really loving my Adventra and will hold onto it as long as I can. Holden reliability & safety, roomy interior, luxury features, decent fuel economy. No rear cup holders (I'm embarrassed to even write that)

Power and luxury on a budget – I bought a VZ LX8. A proper VZ made late 2005 not a VYII (VZ). Is worth the extra money as it has the electric throttle which gives it a 15kW advantage over the VY and the 4L65e transmission which is a strengthened 4L60e and capable of handling over 500Nm of torque. First things first. It's heavy and doesn't feel like a V8 even with 250kW. So… Read more

put a small comp cam with new valve springs, push rods, double row timing chain and ported head. This will set you back $4-5k. Well worth it.

OTRCAI & MAFless tune will cost about $1200. Again well worth it.

Full exhaust extractors/ highflow cats. About $1500.

So my $15k adventra plus $7k is now a serious monster that gets 15L/100 around town an 10.5L on the highway.

Dynoed at 255 awkw.

Pulls my 22ft boat easily.

Plus I won the red light Grand Prix against an sti wrx.

Seriously underrated car with so much potential & more power means better fuel economy.

Best car I have owned wish Holden would reintroduce the model – After looking for a second car to run around in on the weekend and tossing up between a ute and a large 4x4 I came across an Adventra 2006 with 90,000km leather 6 cyl tow pak upgraded 18 inch ss rims 15k. It is such a good car that the new Mazda doesn't get a start anymore. Cheap to service and good on fuel. Had it off road no problems at all. Great all round  Show details

Lovely drive in luxury – After owning a Ford Falcon Wagon (sily me) we needed to upgrade. As we didn't like the Territory with its small boo. We wanted a luxury AWD with enough room and leather seats so kids can make a mess. The Adventra LX6 was the answer 80.000km and for a good price. This is heaven on wheels. As we live in rural WA we travel lots on dirt roads. It… Read more

drives comfortable and you will never have the idea that your not in control, the awd is a treat. It will go a lot further offroad than you think as long as you keep the ground clearance in perspective.

The interior with its very comfy leather seats and enough gizmo's can drive for miles without getting tired.

Massive boot space enough room for the twinpram and the engel fridge.

Fuel is ok for this size car. When towing a heavy campertrailer consumption goes up around 15.5/100km in hilly country and with cruiser on a 100. Otherwise around 12.8/100km (country driving).

I am already worried about when I need to upgrade this as a Captiva is just not that luxury and that roomy. Will I ever find seats this good again in an other car? Very good road handling, spacious, luxurious, seats AA++ $300 tyres not common

Fuel Economy – I have just returned from an interstate trip with my LX6 Adventra. I was towing a trailer full of stuff which totaled a bit over 600kgs and the average fuel used was 12.3L/100kms over a 1200km trip. In my book that is good fuel economy for such a large and heavy car. Very comfortable and good fuel economy. Being a V6 it had to work a little hard up some steep hills but it never dipped below 100KPH (on the 110KPH highway). Show details

A Great AWD - One of Holden's best kept secrets – Have the Top Spec LX6 which has about every creature comfort you could want with plenty of space. Great ride and handling on road. Use it as my daily drive (70 to 100 km/h extra urban) and average around 10.3 l/100km which is 27mpg in the old language. When freeway cruising, consumption dip to around 8.7 l/100km. However..drive it like a rental… Read more ·  7

and it will steal your wallet. Overall, excellent for a luxury 1900kg vehicle. AWD traction control system is very good on and off road. It will take you places a 2WD can only dream of. It's not a 4WD Cruiser, Patrol or Discovery, it's more a Subaru on steroids. Holden "threw the baby out with the bath water" by not carrying this AWD platform over to the current VE Commodore. Very capable and safe AWD vehicle! It's Cool, size, very comfortable cruiser, power when you need it. Underserved reputation from the uneducated, "it's just a jacked up Commodore."

Excellent – I have a 2005 VZ LX6. There is a lot of talk on the various websites about the poor fuel economy. Simple answer to that is, don't drive with a heavy foot. Mine around town is sitting between 12.5 - 13.2lt / 100 km which for what the car is, I believe is pretty good. If you have issues with the fuel economy, buy a Prius! I certainly won't be.… Read more ·  1

Pretty much everything. It feels big, safe and solid around me and in the wet the car feels even better sticking to the road. The interior is great with all leather throughout including lovely snug front seats. I love the sunroof which I use on pretty much every trip. The car is a 2005 model, in a 2010 world that has Ipods, Bluetooth and MP3's. If the stereo was [censored word removed] I would feel fine about ripping it out and replacing it with a Double Din model that supported these things. BUT, the stereo is too good for me to be able to justify to the wife that I need a new one.

Love this car to bits – I've had my 05 LX6 Adventra for 5 years now, and all I can say is there is no plans of getting rid of it. I've done a lot of things with this, offroading, highway cruising, towing. And now it's slowly transforming into a street machine. It has all the features of modern cars now minus the flash touchscreen control screen for stereo and bluetooth. … Read more

The only downside is lack of competent service people. Holden are bloody useless with services, take it to another workshop and most of them have never looked over one before. If your after a very versatile car this is one to get. It has been very a reliable wagon, from being a shopping trolley to family hauler to tow car to off road adventurer to street machine does it all with ease. Holden dealership servicing is useless other mechanics are just as bad if not worse. Like everyone else it can get a lil thirsty.

A great car. Pity Holden dumped it for the Craptiva – Ive owned my 06 SX6 for 3 years now. Bought it from the auctions with 148000 on the clock and just done the 180000 service. Car is billiant in every way. When I bought the car I replaced the windscreen $220, new Brigestone Tyres $1000 and new brake pads $160. Since then all Ive done regaular services and its never missed a beat. Only problem… Read more ·  1

being is that the wife hit a pothole at speed and cracked the rim and popped the tyre. Cosof repairs $350 for the rim and $250 for the tyre. Despite its size I average 11.2 ltrs per 100 kms combined and it gets even better on the open roads to Apollo Bay and Phillip Island 9.8 ltrs per 100 kms is the best that Ive got.

I just cannot fault this car. This car is a dream to drive. The tyres and brakes still look brand new. Its a pity that Holden dumped it in favor of the Korean built Craptiva as a mate of mine who is a mechanic at Holden, no one in the workshop there likes to work on the Craptiva.

I unfortunatly will be looking at a upgrade in a few years and sadly since Holden dont make this great car I will be looking at another manufacturer to transport my family around in as I rfuse to buy the Craptiva. A solid reliable family car, lots of rear cargo space Nothing apart from that Holden dont make them anymore

OK – Because of the lack of service through the Holden dealership and the problems we've had with our Adventra, we will never buy holden again. It's a nice looking comfortable car, but not reliable. Our roadside assistance person told us that if it wasn't for Holden wagons, they would be out of work. So that being said, our next vehicle will be a… Read more

Toyota. Our 2006 CX6 is roomy and very comfortable. I find it looks good for a station wagon, a bit of a sporty feel. Fits all our scuba diving gear no problem. We have a tow bar, so we can pull a trailer if the need arose for our camping trips. Keeping in mind we bought the vehicle used in January 2010, by June 2010 we spent over $1000 in repair - the vechicle wasn't powering up. After replacing the battery, the key barrel and locking actuators (both sides), the vehicle was still not starting up. So finally, the dealership where we bought and had the car repaired, decided to replace the little sensor on the side of the door and the car has been working since. With only 84 000km on the vehicle - it's worrisome that it required the above repairs, especially the key barrel - that should last the life of the car. Although, if I could write a review on the Holden dealership, I'd give them 1 star for the stuffing around we had to do, even when I told them I was 36 weeks pregnant and needed a reliable product.

Excellent – I have the CX6, but there is not a CX6 section here yet, so will add my comments here. Apart from the quality issues mentioned, I love the car and would drive it more if I could get my wife out of it. I love being able to drive it hard in the wet (where previous rear wheel drive wagon would have been way past its limit). Fuel consumption around… Read more

town is heavy (15-18L/100km), but I didn't buy it expecting diesel fuel economy. I have bested at just over 11L/100km, but I have never been one for overtaking at 111km/hr.

The Adventra seems to get a bad rap because people are expecting it to do the job of a Cruiser or Patrol, but it obviously isn't one of those and I don't expect that type of performance/capability. To me it is an All Wheel Drive vehicle that offers superior traction and safety, with the bonus of dirt road and boat ramp style benefits. I have driven extensively on dirt roads, and in a 2 wheel drive vehicle, accelerating (hard) on corrugated roads was a nightmare, whereas the Adventra seems to get up on top and launch effortlessly. I would have liked the power of the V8, but went for the V6 because of "less worse economy", 5 spd auto (incl. paddle shift) and stability program/hill descent control that the V8 didn't have. May look at chipping/supercharger down the track. I don't like the size of the Adventra replacement - Captiva (very much less cargo room), so don't know what next car will be. Comfort, standard features (Leather, Electronic Stability Program, Hill descent control, Active Select steering wheel transmission selectors (good for highway passing), excellent in wet, on boat ramps, country/dirt road stability and overtaking, reasonably "towy" for a six once run-in (about 20k) - easily reached 140km/hr with boat behind when passing cars (and still averaged 13.2L/100km on a hard 650km trip), separate rear window opening on the tailgate, standard reverse parking sensors. Not as tall as a Territory, which my wife preferred from entry/egress point of view. Good space in rear, even with Ridgeback pooch in there. Quality not crash hot - a few minor warranty issues (corroded roof rack posts), airbag faults, leaking heater coil under dash, minor diff noise. Seems bad, but Holden have addressed these issues without complaint (I haven't sought arbitration or consumer protection intervention yet ;-) ). My biggest grizzle is the fuel gauge and trip computer interaction. The computer bases km remaining on the reading of the gauge, not subtracting fuel used from a full tank (which is determined by a flow meter). When the computer sends its "Low Fuel" warning at about 50km to go, only 55-58L have been used (confirmed countless times when refueling). Holden have advised the low level warning was changed because too many people were running out of fuel (they should have paid more attention to the gauges). Km remaining can be mentally calculated based on average fuel consumption readout and litres used, but shouldn't have to be done this way.The vehicle is quite bulky and has significant unseen extremities (especially with the flares), and is harder to park than the equivalent Commodore/Falcon base model equivalent wagons. I am looking at getting some "reverse parking sensors" installed on the front bumper with a manual switch to better park up to cars/walls without having to use the Braille method of knowing when is enough. Steering is quite heavy at low speeds, but the corollary to this that it has a good feel at speed. No standard recovery/tow points at front - this is $430 option that if you don't get it, you won't be able to get someone to tow you forwards unless you first remove the bumper. Slow take up from reverse gear to Drive.

Good – A good car if you need AWD, ESP, ABS, and wagon space and don't need to go to far off the beaten track. Bought used 2005 LX6 as it will have to tow a small boat and caravan and hold a lot of gear. Traction control awesome on wet streets. Fuel economy much better than I thought it would be, especially after reading these reviews. After resetting… Read more

the average fuel used gauge in city and highway runs, I have averaged 12.2L/100Km in the the city and 9.9L/100Km on the highway(premium unleaded for both HWY and city trip). I was expecting much worse fuel economy from a V6 in a two tonne car. Trip computer in the LX model is excellent. Suspension very nice on crappy bitumen roads. 10 speaker sound system sounds great (an aux jack would have been nice). Memory electric seats are a great touch if the other driver is different in height. The dual zone climate control is easy to use. Had to go for the 2005+ model as there is very little silver plastic (cheap-looking)trim. The shiny black plastic trim in this adventra is VERY nice. That silver trim is only on the steering wheel, handbrake and shifter, which you rarely look at. The interior is much nicer than the Kluger of the same period and better constructed than the Territory. Looks great, good interior design, good fuel economy (9.9L/100Km HWY on premium ULP, reach and tilt adjustable steering, included accessories such as half cargo barrier and cargo blind, good interior room, very little of the "Satin Chrome" silver plastic trim that a lot of the car companies were using. Even then, it is placed over gery/silver plastic so scratches are hard to see. Engine performance better than expected. Heavy steering, some feedback through the steering wheel (not as much as commodore), power socket in rear always on (powered accessories may drain battery if left on overnight), limited tyre range, front 12V socket inside centre console, no fuel cap holder inside cover.

Excellent – Have a 2006 LX6, bought new, 100000km on the clock. From some of the other comments, must have got a good one, no issues to fix in 3 yrs. Just did 10 weeks, 15000km, Sydney, Adelaide, Oodnadatta Track, The Rock, Mereenie Loop, Alice, Darwin, Roper River Road, Savanna Way, Burketown, Cairns, Brisbane and home... Car didn't miss a beat, waded… Read more

creeks up to 500mm, I think the book says it's wading depth is 300, plenty of dust, corrugations, all that off road stuff, not a problem. Set the car up to sleep in, double mattress in the back, all our gear, fridge, tent, no need for roof rack, no trailer, all fits inside, plus extra spare. The only issue was the tyres, was running coopers, 225/55/17, did ok on the run to Darwin, handled the Oona Track and Mereenie Loop ok, but shredded 2 on the Roper River Road plus one of the Bridgestone turanza originals. The local road crews were great and got us going again. Want to do the Gibb River next year, have now got some 16 inch rims and will be running duellers so this may reduce the tyre problems. GM did have 16x7 steel rims as an option, if you want to do some rough roads, probably worth a try.

So why did GM stop making them? Well they got some bad reports for the first v8 versions, but the 6 is a different car. 5 speed auto, has the ride leveling suspension, that's a must if you put a lot of gear in the back, tip gears, great to be able to hold it in any gear on hills or water crossings, both front seats fully adjustable, great for bad backs, averaged 12.5 for the 15000ks, have driven the Captiva, what a load of rubbish, have no idea what to trade up to when the Adventra finally gives up, hope thats a long time in the future . Best Holden ever, and I've owned a few. Plenty of room and power. Great handling. Comfort. Good looks inside and out. Tyres see comments. The fact that GM stopped making them.

Good – What can u buy for under 25 grand with the Luxury and Safety features and size that this car has . Its sensational value for money and is as cheap to service as a commodore but stands out as a bit cooler then a family wagon Best car as a all rounder that ive ever had,not perfect but on its way and doesnt HAVE THE RECALL PROBLEMS OF THE DOG FORD… Read more

TERROR TORY. Now thats a Lemon! Ask anyone with an half clue. All wheel drive Statesman Wagon NOT a 4 WD like the Ford Employers disquised as guests write, Talk about stooges you pathetic cretins .Its perfect for me as a SAFE Luxury family wagon. Glad they wernt too popular as I picked up my LX6 for cheaper then a VZ berlina wagon.Nearly a perfect car. Economy when pushed is bad ,but get 12lt per 100 on open rd .15 to 16 lt around burbs which is possibly up to 2 lt per 100km worse then my VX 2 Berlina wagon.Front end can be a bit hard to see parking in tight spots.