Sinking back into the comfort of the new Holden Calais Range is like feeling the pleasure of your comfy lazy-boy at home. New wizardry has found a home in the new Calais cars, and Holden believe this to be the right set of ingredients to entice plenty of buyers who are after a clean-cut, large car winner.

Available in Sedan or Sportwagon design, the recently launched VF Holden Commodore Calais starts off with the standard Commodore Calais Sedan and boasts 210 kW and 350 Nm of torque from a SIDI V6 engine. The smooth V6 has plenty of pulling power. Added luxury features will make the Commodore Calais-V 210 kW Sedan or Sportwagon a great option that I’m sure will be a popular choice among the buyers. Upping the power stakes and keeping every top-end feature in the luxurious Calais-V Sedan and Sportwagon, there is a 260 kW version of the SIDI V6 engine – and it’s this one that provides the flagship for Calais Range.

A quick drive in a VF Holden Calais reveals excellent stability and engine response. You will be impressed with the well muted cabin, and the roominess of the large-car cabin makes for a very comfortable ride for even the tallest of human frames. Electronic steering works effortlessly and provides the driver with ample feedback for hustled runs through twisty roads. The Calais is a capable performer, and in 210 kW form can clear the 0-100 km/h dash in under eight seconds. Whilst being entertained with strong performance, the six-speed automatic is smooth and well matched to engine torque requirements.

A look in the Sedan’s boot shows a space that will swallow a huge amount of gear (496 Litres), while the Sportwagon luggage space is like staring into a massive cave. As far as spaciousness is concerned, the Holden Calais Range of vehicles is at the top of the game. Big cars have plenty of extra space for storage compartments, and with the Holden Calais Range a large centre console, twin cup holders in the front and rear (not sure where the person in the middle of the rear seats gets to put their drink?) and massive pockets on the doors are the areas for packing travel items inside. Leather seats do wonders in making a car look extra special, and the styling of the leather upholstery in both the Calais and Calais-V versions add impact to the cars very good looks. The Calais-V gets the premium heated seats, while both versions have the driver’s seat with 8-way Electric Adjustment and with two position memory. A centre armrest makes the feel of the Calais Range even more limousine-ish. Dual-zone climate control and an auxiliary power socket make spending time in both the Calais and Calais-V entertained and relaxed. Calais-V models come with a tilt-and-slide sunroof, a multi-function steering wheel, satellite navigation, DVD playback, an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen display, a nine-speaker Bose audio system, rain-sensing wipers and more… That’s not to say that the level of equipment in the Calais doesn’t impress. One thing about sitting in the new VF Calais is that you do get a real sense of the occasion riding inside this big Australian-built car.

Big cars almost always do well in crash tests, and with all the wonderful high-tech gadgetry that has found itself into modern day vehicles like the luxo VF Commodore Calais, you really do feel quite safe on the road. Safety features on the Calais include three Isofix child seat anchor points, six airbags, stability control, lane departure warning and a forward collision warning system. The Calais-V boasts a Colour Head-Up Display (HUD), and Forward Collision Alert. All the new Calais models, though large, are easy to drive around town and easy to park with the Automatic Park Assist feature.

If there is one gripe I have about the latest Calais, and I know economy is linked to the way one uses the right foot, but the standard SIDI V6 engine is not as frugal as I had hoped. Averaging around 10 litres/100 km is a bit much, I reckon, for this day-and-age. Still, the ride, comfort and technology make this the benchmark car in its class. When put against rivals like the Toyota Aurion and Ford Falcon, you have a drive that feels just that little bit more special. The standard Holden Calais Sedan kicks off in the mid $40 k, which is a bargain considering the amount of car for the money. Holden’s warranty is a 3 year/unlimited km sensation.

Current models in the Holden Commodore Calais Range include the:

• Calais Sedan
• Calais Sportwagon
• Calais-V Sedan
• Calais-V Sportwagon
• Calais-V Sedan 260 kW SIDI V6
• Calais-V Sportwagon 260 kW SIDI V6

For any more information on the VF Holden Commodore Calais Range, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Holden dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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