Surely this would have to be one of the worst vehicles ever made by GMH. Having owned hundreds of Holdens in all shapes and sizes in the last 40 years of driving I would have to say that the VZ is by far the worst ones I have even had the misfortune of owning. There is simply not enough room here to list the many faults with this lemon. - From… Read more
faulty timing chains to ECU issues , the biggest mistake was the fitting of the ALLOY TECH V6 - this is nothing more than an engineering disaster. Avoid like the plague.
Reviews with attachments
Love this car – This Commodore was one of the Opal Germany build vehicles. Quality build, super nice to drive, great road holding and very zippy when you put your foot down. It has a Turbo charged 2 litre engine that has all the power you would need. The engine is quiet although is done whine a little when idling. I am told this is the Turbo charger. But I got… Read more
used to it and don't hear it anymore. I have owned BMW's and Benz's in the past, and while this vehicle is not a match to those it is still impressive for a standard vehicle. It is super fun to drive, and well built in every respect. Running costs are way lower than the luxury cars. In my opinion this is a wonderful family car that does not disappoint.
Bad assembly by GMH – Just replaced the radiator on my 2017 Calais V8 sedan after 60K . It was damaged during assembly on the production line with a dent bottom right of the radiator. Outside warranty , but very disappointing for the last Aussie car I will ever purchase Show details
SS Redline – I use my car for fun, it is an awesome car to drive with sooo much power, the exhaust has a great sound and the acceleration is unbelievable for a unmodified standard car Show details
Best affordable wagon of all time which sadly isn't made anymore – 2017 Holden Commodore SV6 Sportwagon (VF2) Brought the car new in 2017 just when the Elizabeth plant shut down and this is the best wagon I've ever owned. This car is loaded with so many standard features which only the Euro cars can match but at half the price and has a more efficient (and better performing) engine than some of the 4 cylinder… Read more
crossovers on the market. Although the SV6 is more of a performance oriented car, it provides comfort and economy when you need it, as well as speed and fun when you want it. This car also turns heads with that "Redhot" paint and cool rims as well as being a versatile vehicle for all your needs and has a much improved (and beautiful) interior over past commodores.
My only gripe is that the Navigation system wasn't the best because it would sometimes go all funky and glitch but it didn't happen enough to annoy me so it was a very minor issue.
Over 3 years, we clocked 100,000 trouble free kilometres in a car which is sadly not made anymore and will be remembered for many years to come.
Great car with great value for money! – I purchased this car from maddington Toyota in October 2020 and it’s been overall surprisingly good. I mainly use it to run errands and as of this week, I now use it to commute to work for my new job. It’s a 4cyl turbo and very fast, smooth and silent. There’s lots of features I like including rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor and… Read more
Apple CarPlay. The gearbox is also seamless at transitioning, adding to the smoothness and handling.
I’ve only made one warranty claim which was to replace the faulty rain sensor for the windshield wiper. I did this at shacks holden and they were very friendly and more than helpful, with outstanding service.
My only complaint is when listening to music, the front doors can rattle a bit. This stopped after I had my windows tinted as I assume they pulled the door panels off and refit them when placing the window tint, however it is slowly starting to come back.
My other minor complaint is the headlights on the car kinda suck, however I bought brighter headlight bulbs at super cheap auto and they are now better. If only they built all trim levels of this car with LED lights.
I get a lot of compliments for the size of the boot in this car, and I have easily fit bikes and Ikea furniture with the seats folded! This makes it a great car for road trips, along with the comfortable seats and suspension.
Overall a great car though and I’m happy with my purchase so far.
In-depth reviews
What next – I bought my 2018 ZB RS V AWD V6 used with 37000kms on the clock. Since owning the car i have had the diff replaced, i took it to the dealers on two occasions because of a low drumming noise on take off and when i tapped the accelerator at low speed. They said nothing was wrong until finally the noise became a loud grinding. Replaced under… Read more
warranty. Next was a shift to park error where the auto trans assembly had to be replaced. Next was the Thermo fans constantly running error, also no temp reading on the gauge and no aircon compressor, takes 10 mins for fans to stop running after the car is turned off. Had the coolant temp sensor replaced , i was dubious as i had read other owners with the same problem had the Thermostat replaced. Well after 3 weeks of having the temp sensor replaced the problem came back, this time with check engine light as well. Back to the dealers and as suspected requires a new Thermostat. Fast forward two months and im still waiting to have it replaced. The new Thermostat is on back order apparently! No idea how much damage this is doing to my engine, gone into limp mode twice! Oh and now the old familiar groaning and thud coming from the diff! Took back in to the dealers who replaced it and low and behold they said its ok and cant hear anything. My wife hears it while were driving around. Well i don't thrash the car, and have it serviced on time as per log book. I fell in love with my car, loved the style , options and performance, now im just beyond belief.
Stunning outside and in. Driving is an utter pleasure – Prior to the VXR I owned a VT and a VE. I got the commodore bug from my Aunty that absolutely loved and cared for her various models through the 70s, 80s and early 90s before she passed. I chose the VT and VE on practicality for my work journeys, but the VXR choice was based on aesthetics first (I wanted the VXR the first time I saw it), I then… Read more · 1
found my attraction to its looks cemented by its drive quality, features and tech. As others here have said it doesn't come with a spare wheel which is a drawback to consider - still, the instant attraction I felt to the VXR's look was the same I had for the Calais decades ago, and although people shunned the VXR (because it's a Vauxhall Insignia GSI, not a holden commodore at all) - I just don't care. This German built car is the best looking, driving and most feature rich car I've had the pleasure to own. My first non-Australian car, the VXR is a total buzz to drive. It's a gorgeous, responsive sports car. I live in the Adelaide Hills and the VXR handles the winding roads and curves tighter but lighter than any Aussie Holden I've driven. It's sexy as hell and feels refined in a European way that I quickly became accustomed to. This car is classy inside and out. I didn't buy it for attention but I quickly found out it's a head-turner after having more than 4 random people tell me it was a good looking car. Even if this had been imported as a Vauxhall Insignia GSI I'd be more than happy to own it. I'm just glad I do. I get the angst from people over GM abandoning Australia and this being pushed as a replacement when it just isn't, but this is an absolutely beautiful car in its own right whatever name it's given. Had it in for a service in June 2023. and found out parts are still readily available for it which is good.
Stunning European style car – We are country drivers and looking for good looking, comfortable, good sized, feature packed, safe, practical vehicle. We found it. We normally buy either new or 1 year old. This beauty is 4 years old but low mileage and as new condition. Has turned plenty of heads and attracted many positive comments. Best Commodore we’ve ever owned, having owned… Read more
several. And it doesn’t have an ‘afterthought iPad’ sticking out of dash, like many SUVs nowadays. Ride initially feels firm due to sporty suspension and sporty wheels. Pros: Great sporty looks, many safety features, too many to mention, sat nav inbuilt in dash, big boot, hugs road beautifully, great looking dash (RSV), heads up display for speed, music and sat nav. A bit smaller than previous Commodores, but still big car feel. AWD feels very secure on the road. Heads up display takes a bit of getting accustomed to, but it is actually quite good. Cons: No interior latch for boot, boot does not open and close automatically, headlights could be brighter, glove box small , smaller fuel tank, sound system just average.
Positive reviews
Utter beast – Lordy be let me tell you if you get yourself One of these bad boys you'll be the envy of any P plater on the street and police simply lower the back end and add the loudest subwoofer and exhaust on this bad boy you will definitely be turning heads where ever you go it's handy auto gear box and 3.8 ecotech will have you begging for more power as… Read more
you try to slide are the corners of you're local estate I use my vy commodore as a track car only taking it down to the local race track on the weekends to rip nasty skids and drift it around the bends now personally bud I've never serviced it it's got a ecotech under the hood that bad boy won't quit on me
love this car – it's a hsv commodore looks good take it to work every day i've waited years for a car like this i get all my cars serviced every six months and easy autos had my dream car Show details · 1
Simply excellent, exceeded expectations – Picked the RS V6 up second had with 68,000kms and now at 100,000kms after 3 years. It is an excellent car, and have had no issues. The AWD grip is sensational and the V6 motor is faster than you might think (5.7 seconds 0-100 timed on the dragy specialist timing equipment). It's important to change the oil in the rear diff regularly as Holden… Read more
service centres will not do this as well as the transmission oil more frequently than Holden recommends. I've driven a lot of cars and the V6 AWD is really impressive and a bargain for what these sell for now in the used market. It's quiet, safe and comfortable. The RS V6 is the pick of the bunch as you get 90% of the VXR for just over half the money.
Negative reviews
Pos! Worse car I've ever purchased! – Repair after repair! Last repair needed was a full new gearbox. Then I gave it away for free after that! Would never buy a ve ever again!! Show details
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More problems than you would expect – I have a 2018 ZB wagon. It has all the gear needed and when I got it with 9K on the clock it was a very nice car to drive. I have it regularly serviced at the dealer. The issues I have had with it have been various. quite a few times it went into limp mode for no reason. Once I drove directly to the dealer, put it on the diagnosis, reset the error… Read more
code which told them nothing and sent me on my way. I kept losing water and overheating. They kept it overnight to check the head gasket stripped it abck only to let me know that there was a leak in the drain plug. New plug problem fixed. Latest radiator issue was due to thermostat that was not working correctly. No read on the temp gauge, aircon would not work nor would the autostop function. When you topped the car and locked it the fan would run for up to 20 minutes later. I had to wait about 3 months for the new parts to arrive. Then there was a recall for a brake issue. An easy software upgrade fixed that. I am now suffering with transmission and diff problems. At times it sounds as if there is a bucket full of sand in the diff as you drive. When that goes away then you get the thumping and shudders when you take off. Technician had a drive with me and said that it is a common issue and he has replaced some diffs. first thing is to replace the Oil. This keeps it going for a bit longer while the warranty runs out. I will be looking for a replacement during 2023
Unreliable – Warning do not touch this car.I bought this car with 53000 on the clock.Ive done 20000 kms in this car and already had to replace alternator and now transmission is slipping. No confidence towing my boat or going on a trip.Waste of $ In my opinion.
Recent reviews
With over 366,000km (going for the big 400k) the vy has been fantastic. Servicing and replacement of expected wear and tear parts over the years. Show details
Good riddance Holden – Nice car overall but creaking windscreen due to faulty seal above the front screen known Holden issue on 2017 models due to a bad batch from manufacturer, Solution by Holden is to spray silicon into under the seal for the life of the car. WTH? Will not replace screen even though car still under factory 7 year warranty. Second issue with AC is the… Read more
smell of rotting socks when you turn the ac on for the first 10 seconds or so since the car was built. Again no joy from Holden on this issue either too bad so sad. Glad I got rid of this car .
Trying to locate coolant lol – HELP PLEASE! I can't find where the coolant is located under the bonnet lol. Or where you put the water. I've had my car for over a year now so I'm abit worried lol. Anyone able to advise please? I tried google but it's only directs me to the PDF manual then I'm stumped lol Show details
Great car, makes the previous VF Calais seem agricultural – First thing, is is used primarily in the country and the city stop/ start consumption figures are high, around 11 l/100. I bought it because of the long carry space with the back seats down, even longer than the VF [I buy/sell antique longcase/grandfather clocks]. For country running it is perfect, it hasn't missed a beat and no plastic bits have… Read more
broken off. Up to 115K , bought with 45K on clock, regularly serviced, not thrashed. Looking to exchange for a low K example of exactly the same car as I do high mileage. Overall a really good comfortable car that I can't fault.
Commodore ZB CALAIS – At 115000 this car is travelling fantastic it’s a big family car with great power and excellent fuel economy at this stage only once after getting petrol the engine light came on and it was not happy till it was refuelled and MAF sensor cleaned other than that it’s been perfect and hopefully it will see 200000ks the same way
More than expected – Daily transport. Bought second hand still had warranty and capped servicing. No issues so far and very happy with the purchase. Heaps of room and all the stuff expensive euro cars have. Heaps of power but does like a drink. Don’t know why they didn’t sell as you would be hard pushed to find all this car has in any mid level vehicle. Show details
Love it - ZB rules – Use her for carting stuff , driving trips , towing track car . Bought with low klm and history and warranty . Perfect ! Comfortable, Torquey and tows well . Couldn’t be happier and I’m very fussy - at the price of an equivalent Audi wagon that’s ten years old and 160,000 klm ! Much better than my prior VF Calais wagon Show details
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Absolute rubbish – What a piece of rubbish. I have driven motor vehicles over 2.75 million, yes 2.75 million kms and I have never experienced a motor vehicle of such poor handling and reliability. Shame, shame on the designers and builders. I sit here in a country town, waiting 8 days for the differential to be fixed. The odometre has only 56000kms. And no, I do… Read more
not spin the wheels. Please do not ever buy one of these cars. Its like the girl in the bar, she is going to offer you everything and delivers nothing. Gmh, Holden, shame on you.
Holden does not care anymore… – Owning Holden’s all my life and switching from a trusty VF V8 Commodore SSV which was a dream to drive I decided to update to a ZB Commodore VXR. At the beginning it was lovely to drive until a few issues popped up. (Dash rattles, lower control arm replacement and ongoing differential issue) Taking it to Holden for service and having them tell me… Read more
they can’t find anything wrong was the start of an ongoing nightmare.
AWD models are prone to having issues with rear differential at around 30,000kms. Holden recommend that the gear oil is replaced which takes away the groaning noises it will make. Some lucky customers have had their whole differential replaced.
However when the noises comes and goes, the car does not seem as smooth as it was and seems sluggish to drive, Holden service is like we can’t find a problem. A complaint to Holden Customer Care in Melbourne was useless and it’s like everyone has given up now that the brand is gone.
I should have switched to Kia and brought a Stinger…
Trade in value is poor now for the ZB range.
A big disappointment…
06 VZ berlina V6 – Bought the car from a used car lot as a spare of the moment thing. It idles so quietly and smoothly. Since it was a used car and I am very fussy I have done a few things such as oil pressure sensor, very regular engine oil changes with best quality oil and filter i could buy, and being a commodore auto gearbox I've done a trans flush with new… Read more
filter and oil. The air conditioning is so cold you could cut glass with your nipples. Has been a great family hack and is excellent on fuel I regularly see 9L/100 mostly town and bit of highway
Holden VZ Berlina is reliable and Australian built – I purchased my VZ 2005 Berlina Wagon 15 years ago with 32,000kms on the clock. I drive it daily and service it when required through an independent mechanic. I have 200,000kms on the clock and can can honestly say this car still runs like a dream. My son's Holden is coming up to 300,000km's on the clock and still runs well. I replaced a water… Read more
pump, cheap as chips compared to working on a European car. Plenty of room & power, cheap to service & repair & has outlasted all my other vehicles. It was a sad day when Australia stopped making cars. Some write ups here bucket the vehicle, I can only say that every manufacturer will have a dud, or the vehicle may have been thrashed before buying it. If considering purchasing a Holden that's built here, you can't go wrong if you check the service record. Buy a Mec or a BMW and faint at the cost just to replace an ignition key, some at $800 each.
Beautiful Car when behold – I purchased a ZB Commodore VXR ,a couple of months ago, I was very impressed on the first drive and I had to have one. The technology and the safety features are remarkable. I can not fault the whole car it is beautiful to drive and sit in and I just can not get enough of it , when i go out for milk I go via the Adelaide hills just so I can drive… Read more
more it is nothing unusual for me to do fifty ks just to get milk I love it. The German Commodore has been very underestimated well it is good for the buyers because the price dropped considerably from new. One gripe is no spare wheel , I am not too pleased about that one.
The last of what has become a genuine legend – I am so pleased to have purchased a brand new (back in 2016) Holden Commodore SSV Redline, the last of the breed and without doubt, the absolute best. Upgrades from the first generation Redline made the Commodore the closest thing to a HSV that Holden had ever produced. I've had a blast with this car, it has been ultra reliable, Holden themselves… Read more
were (up until they effectively left town - so to speak - were; from a servicing perspective) absolutely amazing.
I've owned new Mercedes amongst approximately 10 new cars, and the Redline has proven (even as a 5 year old vehicle now that gets driven maybe once a month), the best car I have ever owned.
A classic - Milestone from Holden – I bought my Commodore Acclaim secondhand in December 2007 with 230,000 km on the speedo. It was originally owned by a couple who lived near Moe so for much of its use it was a country car. The car was in pretty good condition when I bought it for about $24,000 less than the original price although a couple of things needed fixing which the used… Read more
car dealer didn't. The VR was an improvement on the VP in a number of ways - firstly its crash safety rating was 'above average' whereas the VP was 'below average'. The car handles really well - the VP tended to understeer where the VR handles neutrally. It has a good firm well controlled ride bearing in mind that I don't know how old the struts are on the front. The only thing that originally let these cars down was the steering when they were new - too much power assistance, which meant the steering was too light and didn't have enough feel. Ironically enough the steering is better now as it has nearly perfect feel due to the rack probably leaking slightly (that's right). The only other issue is the power and economy which are not as good as the later models after the VT or so - certainly less than the VE or VF - but that's what 20 or more years of development results in. Still, I believe I recently got about 34 mpg on a 170 km trip, so I can't really complain. It could do with more power up hills as it tends to drop back unless you use the cruise control or the power switch. The seats - after 27 years of use - are still firm enough, although I've only done maybe 7500 km since I bought it - mainly on the freeway to NE Victoria. Brakes are progressive. The body shape is the second best looking Commodore I feel. It's been pretty reliable really, not needing any really major repair work. I really like driving this car - and I do a lot of windy road country driving - not surprising that it won the Car of the Year award from Wheels magazine when it was first released in 1993. I've spoken to other VR owners, and they tend to feel the same about the car.
Nice car but terrible service – Purchased car new in 2018 and then Holden announced it was leaving Australia . Had a minor oil leak and it took holden 10months to get the small part from overseas to fix it ! They don’t care about customers now they have left Australia ! Would never had purchased a Holden if I know there were leaving our shores ! Show details
Great Car – Bought this 2011 model, VE Series 2 wagon in 2015 with only 24,000 kms on the odometer. Now has 132,000 on the clock and has been great. Brakes replaced, nothing else has gone wrong. Show details
Best car I've ever owned – I use this car for business. Regular trips from NSW mid north coast to Brisbane, Melbourne and occasionally Adelaide. Effortless driving and an absolute pleasure. I'm devastated that I can never buy another. Show details
The Very Last Aussie Legend – I owned an SSVR since new. Not perfect, but excellent. Good value, well designed. I also added the W310 kit to it so pretty powerful and sound is very nice. Show details
Concern and questionable – I had a vx sedan it looked awesome and I loved it. It had monaro tail lights and head lights, a fancy bonnet, lowered with tinted windows and mags. Inside was immaculate. One day I was driving and hit a pothole which made me lost control and the car to spin, the outcome was not good! I ended up wrapped around a tree and it was a miracle I… Read more
survived. The car was a write-off, but the issue is that the cars airbags never activated as they are designed to do, Meaning I took full impact of the car hitting the tree..!!
This isn't the first time I have heard of this kind of car not activating its airbags on impact, a family member and other people i know have said that they have had the same experience with both the VT and Vx commodoores models.
My life has been completely changed in every way from the impact of my accident that day and i need care for the remainder of my life as I can't function and look after myself.
So I say stay away from these cars as there are to many times I have heard of the airbags being faulty and letting people down.
Research and do your homework people!
Under marketed vehicle – Hi my name is Mike. I traded a VF SV6 Black edition Commodore which was a beautiful vehicle for the ZB VXR Black edition Commodore in Jan. this year. Wow what a step up. I happened to see the car by accident, I didn't know this model existed, I don't think Holden marketed them very well. Also since I have had it, people have said what a beautiful… Read more
car what make is it? There are also lots of reviews some good, some not so good. some compare vehicles that I don't think are in the same category as the Commodore. In other words not comparing apples with apples. These days in all honesty you don't need a V8 either. and you don't need to fork out the extra money at the pump. The VXR with it's smart AWD system and top spec safety systems, is the type of vehicle that instills you with confidence that it's going to get you home safely, and is the most pleasurable Holden I have ever driven and believe me I have driven many. Does the top spec. Commodore deserve that badge. My word it does. Well done to Opel and the Ausie engineers top job. Mike G
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