Review: Ford Falcon G6 vs Holden Commodore Berlina vs Toyota Aurion Prodigy

[nota]

Originally Posted by King Riffle

That was a good read. I have the sudden urge to go driving around North Dakota with In a Big Country playing on the radio.

Lets have some vintage aussie vibes and a trusty old 'HQ' Holden ute to go .. for that Wide Open Road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSMF3h7LE2Q

[Slick_Holden]

Originally Posted by Generation IV

Well its obvious with the VE's first major update the 4-speed will be ditched and probably the base V6 as well. I would predict that the Omega and Berlina will ditch the base 180 V6 and old 4-speed and get the High Output 195 V6 maybe an upgraded version (possibly 200kW and 345-350Nm).

Holden could do well here and invest handsomely into its V6 to get the best out of it, they have 2 good options. There is 2 versions of it right now (the base 180 and the high-end 195) but I reckon Holden should do one of these.

1. Give the Omega and Berlina the 195 V6 (maybe 200 V6 if its modified for the model refresh), and produce 2 versions of the DI 225 V6. One for the Calais, Calais-V, Statesman and Caprice which is more focused on smoothness, quiet running and fuel consumption but still maintaining enough power to lug them around. And another more tuned version (after some typical Holden fettling) to produce around 230-235kW and 380-385Nm for the SV6 and the rumoured SV6-V (luxury V6 to be added next year). The Omega and Berlina to be standard with the 5-speed auto and the DI models to be mated with the 6L50 6-speed auto.

OR

2. Give every V6 model a DI 225 V6 but give the SV6, Calais, Calais-V, and Statesman/Caprice a slightly more powerful version. So the base models wouldn't be lagging behind terribly and the high-end models will be differentiated.

I don't mind the sound of a SV6-V version, But it must not go over the price of the Calais V6. If they can meet in between i like it, As a guy who doesn't mind a V6, But likes some type of luxury, I always liked the Sv6 but always thought the Calais was best because it offers that luxury inside,
But since the Calais V6 models offer FE2 suspension it's sporty feel without the sporty look, But for those that want sporty look sporty feel with luxury inside they can get this also.

I'd buy one my type of car almost, Just price it right and all will be good.

[mikmak]

Slick, the suspension for Calais has been toned down to FE1.5 because it was too harsh for the olds.

[ford&holden]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/14484/fo...ar-comparison/

It appears that Honda and Toyota do make fuel guzzlers also...
Keep in mind the aurion is the lightest.

[mikmak]

That review was a bit dodgy. No, I'm saying that because of sour grapes, but I found that the criticism of the Calais was duplicated on others, but blown off as less important.

Originally Posted by CA

The Calais:
The five-speed automatic gearbox was always reasonably responsive, but too often seemed unsure about which gear it should be in, something that was drawn into sharp comparison by the Ford’s superbly managed ZF gearbox.

Originally Posted by CA

The Camry:
The Aurion’s six-speed automatic gearbox, with sequential shifting available, is smooth and responsive, although it does tend to hunt around a bit when trying to maintain a certain speed under load.

It’s a characteristic common to quite a few multi ratio gearboxes these days, and again, usually due to not enough torque available at some throttle points.

Its okay really because everyone does it

Originally Posted by CA

The Calais:
All very commendable and the safety offerings are no less than you should expect these days, but they still mean that the VE range has only a four-Star ANCAP rating.

Originally Posted by CA

The Accord:
Continuing the safety theme Accord also offers standard ESP, front, side and curtain airbags, ISOFIX preparation for the kid’s seats and a four star EuroNCAP rating. Not a bad deal for the $46,990 asking price though I’d not settle for any thing less by today’s standards.

Well you can get it (aside from ISOfix which is no better than normal anchor points) for less if you buy the Calais. In fact the same standard of safety, number of airbags and ESP are standard on even the base Commodore models. Curtain airbags on the Accord are not. Wanker.

Originally Posted by CA

The Calais:
What’s hard to take, when you look at the competition, is the relative ‘poverty’ feel of the Calais interior.

There’s a mono-colour LCD screen with no Sat/Nav available, part leather upholstery – the rest offer full leather, and way too much dull, grey/black plastic for a car that is supposed to be almost at the top of the Commodore range.

Remember, to get rid of some of these criticisms you have to pay $8000

Wrong CA. Full leather is $3000 as part of a package which also adds 8 way electric heated seats and heated electric mirrors with memory.
Full colour Satellite Navigation is a 2K option, whilst turn by turn is 1300.

Some people just love to bitch. ....no not me.

[Slick_Holden]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Slick, the suspension for Calais has been toned down to FE1.5 because it was too harsh for the olds.

What wanks.. I thought it was almost to soft.

Dam there goes the SV6 in Calais clothes

Originally Posted by ford&holden

http://www.caradvice.com.au/14484/fo...ar-comparison/

It appears that Honda and Toyota do make fuel guzzlers also...
Keep in mind the aurion is the lightest.

Good find.

I still think they should stop using the Calais and use the V.
And i read there reason, But!, Holden still provides LWB models, So this leaves no place to play, If they didn't have LWB models, Then they would offer Caprice gear in a Calais V, And Calais V in a Calais model, Because they could do it then.
It's a bit hard.



Fuel Economy was interesting.. My Berlina was registered 2 weeks ago.
First tank was 63 litres for 502km, Had 12 litres left.. That's 12.5l/100.. Not bad for a 2000 model 4 speed auto V6.

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by mikmak

That review was a bit dodgy. No, I'm saying that because of sour grapes, but I found that the criticism of the Calais was duplicated on others, but blown off as less important.





Its okay really because everyone does it



Well you can get it (aside from ISOfix which is no better than normal anchor points) for less if you buy the Calais. In fact the same standard of safety, number of airbags and ESP are standard on even the base Commodore models. Curtain airbags on the Accord are not. Wanker.





Wrong CA. Full leather is $3000 as part of a package which also adds 8 way electric heated seats and heated electric mirrors with memory.
Full colour Satellite Navigation is a 2K option, whilst turn by turn is 1300.

Some people just love to bitch. ....no not me.

All reviews can be somewhat dodgy.

The fuel figures recorded are what interest me the most. Accords cylinder shut down feature doesn't work as well in the real world.
The aurion and accord 'should' be the most fuel efficient, if you believe the assumption that big FWD vehicles outdo large RWD vehicles for consumption.
This is the second review in which the FG was chosen over the accord.

Personally i've found aurions to be an equal fuel guzzler and it would seem the new accord is no better.

FG is the heaviest yet reguarly comes first or second for fuel consumption, imagine if aurion was just as porky as the RWD falcon and commodore

[mikmak]

Good point^^^. Unfortunately I couldn't see it with my one eye.
It was also interesting to note that they didn't show the combined consumption of the Accord. Just the worst and best.(unless I missed it)

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Good point^^^. Unfortunately I couldn't see it with my one eye.
It was also interesting to note that they didn't show the combined consumption of the Accord. Just the worst and best.(unless I missed it)

This is from the comments section...


"The article was delayed due to formatting issues with the final product. It finally went online at 2AM that following morning when they were resolved.

We do have fuel consumption figures and will post them in the near future - again it was due to formatting issues that they were omitted.

In the interim though, here they are:

Ford Falcon G6E: 9.8L/100km
Holden Commodore Calais V6: 10.9L/100km
Toyota Aurion Presara: 10.5L/100km
Honda Accord V6 Luxury: 10.6L/100km

The fuel consumption figures included highway, city and performance driving.

The Falcon also recorded the best low fuel consumption of 7.9L/100km."

[Slick_Holden]

Should Toyota really carry on about there technology when a 60 year old motor consistently gets better econemy then there F1 inspired Cars:p.

Even performance times shocked me, And more because this is a real independent (as far as i know) Test done.

Falcon and Commodore done better then official figures.
Aurion and Accord worse.



Aurion cost $4000 more then the Calais, So i am curios, To why the Calais-V wasn't chosen?. It would then be $4000 more then the Aurion.