Holden Commodore Omega vs Ford Falcon XT Car Review

Overview

Those two cars are the Holden Commodore Omega and the Ford Falcon XT. The Falcon also felt more balanced than the Commodore in the end. There just was not much worth driving in the quality of the Commodore's drive. Honestly, it is quite apparent that the Ford Falcon XT's 4.0 Liter engine was a lot better than the 3.6 Liter engine in the Holden Commodore. If you are picking a car based on aesthetics only, it is a landslide for the Holden Commodore.

Details

There are many things going wrong in the business of Australian motors lately-there are

To fully get the real value of which of the two cars is more superior, the base models in both classes were tested, and both the Holden Commodore Omega and the Ford Falcon XT proved to be very valuable vehicles. They definitely both have the capability to make drivers forget all about rising gas prices and buy one. While they are not the best cars in the performance department, simply because they are not made for this, they do have a lot of good qualities not only under the hood but in the interior part of the car as well.

many things coming up with the Ford and Holden, manufacturers. This definitely creates big problems in their industry-because of a lack of support and a rise in costs, both companies are having some issues. There are two large cars left that are sold quite frequently in Australia, despite the fact that big cars are being traded in for smaller cars each day due to the rising cost of gas. Those two cars are the Holden Commodore Omega and the Ford Falcon XT. Can these two vehicles help pull Holden and Ford out of the rut they are in and show them some success? We shall see.

On the inside, it is anybody's game. The Commodore has definitely made improvements on the interior that will be pleasing. Not only does it just look better in general, but Holden has gone to great lengths to position controls and gadgets within good reach of the driver and the passengers, so that they will be able to ride in comfort. To some people's relief, Holden has not changed the interior of the vehicle to that great of a degree. Some people do not like change, and people who have owned Holden vehicles for quite some time may have become accustomed to the way they look on the inside. There are actually two screens inside the vehicle-one meant only for the driver in the speedometer/tachometer area, and one that is in the center console that can be manipulated by both the driver and the front seat passenger. This center console has been greatly improved upon as well. It is aesthetically more pleasing than it has been in other models and has been made to be more user-friendly as well. The parts of the vehicle are made with better quality than they used to be, it seems, but that quality is definitely surpassed by the quality of the Falcon's parts. Take the dashboard for example. The Falcon has a dashboard that would cause minimal injury to a person if they were to hit the dashboard during an accident. If a passenger were to hit the extremely hard plastic dashboard in the Holden Commodore, you might be in trouble. In addition to the Falcon's excellent inside craftsmanship, it also excels in the speedo/tacho area, which are pertinent for the driver. This area is set up nicely for the driver, and the design is more modernized, which makes the interior exude class. Once you plop into the seats on both options, it is a big win for the Holden Commodore. The Falcon does have some extra things to offer in the seat, but it just does not beat the Falcon in comfort and quality. The Commodore also sits up nice and high and gives a great view of everything around you. Unfortunately that also causes quite the blind spot when you go to reverse or parallel park.

If you are looking for a car to drive a lot of passengers around in, either would be appropriate. They both have an abundance of space for back seat and front seat passengers alike. There is a smidgen more room in the back seat of the Commodore, but it is a miniscule amount almost not even worth mentioning. Either way, there is plenty of room for five passengers, which is the official stated amount, and unlike other cars, both of these can easily drive around five people. Heck, they can carry around five people with lots of luggage, which makes them both shoe-ins for family or friend vacations.

Some of the options available in the Ford Falcon and the Holden Commodore are the electric windows for the front seats and electric locks throughout, which are positioned in different areas in the vehicle. One of the things that the Holden Commodore had that was impressive to me was a windshield wiper system that let the fluid shoot out of the actual wiper blades instead of having the cleaning fluid shoot out of the bottom of the windshield, like most cars do. There is an excellent trip calculator in the Ford Falcon, not to mention the good stereo system, which the Holden Commodore Omega has too. However, there are things that are more sophisticated in the Commodore, like the LCD screen and steering wheel controls (which we all know I love). There are great safety features in both cars, such as the Anti Lock Brake system brakes, multiple airbags, etc. The Holden Commodore, however, sets itself up for success with ESP, which can be a little aggravating at times, but is also very beneficial to have, and you will at least have to use it once or twice when driving, especially in inclement weather conditions.

In addition, the engine is not bad either-both of them are Rear Wheel Drive and have V6 engines and 4-speed automatic transmissions, making them almost identical in the types of roads that are best for their type and how the car handles on the road. They both hit their best potential on highway or interstate drives, but can do just fine in the city as well. As I stated above, they are both roomy and comfortable and provide a nice atmosphere to ride in. Considering the amount of bumps and potholes that you will encounter on many roads, it is nice to know that both of the vehicles provide for a smooth ride despite the rough ride. However, if you get down to the nitty gritty and really evaluate both cars on their driving capabilities in short in-town distances, to nearby cities, etc., you will find that the Holden Commodore is just a little bit better. It can handle the terrain better and the steering is a breeze! As for brakes, unfortunately both cars do not rate well in this department-they even both have the exact same brakes-298 mm in the front and 303 mm in the back. It is tough for big, heavy cars like these to stop when they get going to their full potential, and this one was no different. It would be nice to see a little more reactivity out of the pedal without having to slam it down as hard as you can. If you must compare the worst of the worst, then I guess that the Ford Falcon was the better of the two. This really does not mean much in this situation, considering the fact that the Falcon's brakes were still pretty shoddy compared to some other vehicles like it. The Falcon also felt more balanced than the Commodore in the end. One thing is obvious-these are not cars that are meant to be driven on different terrains or on very curvy roads-they just are not as good in these situations, and often times it can mean a great deal of body roll on the curves. However, the Commodore does come out on top when it comes to driving the vehicles at slower speeds. It is a comfortable driving vehicle and is very pleasant to operate in these small areas. This is because you are not accelerating enough to realize that the suspension is not as good in the Commodore either. Once you get up to a higher speed, the Falcon becomes the stronger of the two. There just was not much worth driving in the quality of the Commodore's drive.

Honestly, it is quite apparent that the Ford Falcon XT's 4.0 Liter engine was a lot better than the 3.6 Liter engine in the Holden Commodore. Though sometimes these statistics can be written on paper but hard to prove in real life, this is one statistic that is actually right. The Ford can definitely get up and go, and it is because of the larger engine. It can actually put out about 190kW at 5250RPM. That is quite a bit more than the 175kW at 6000RPM. In addition to that, the Falcon also has 383Nm of torque, which is an even greater deal more than the 325Nm of the Holden Commodore. The Commodore does have some things to brag about, however. Take for instance the dual-fuel LPG system. This is a system that is positioned in the trunk of the car, but it does give the user a chance to make a choice about whether to use petrol or gas. In addition, the car can switch between options, which makes it more versatile on road trips because you do not have to be picky about where you pull up to get fuel. This system is meant to deduct from the amount taken for gas, but this does not even amount to much in the long run. Even with that petty amount saved, the Falcon will still easily smush any record that the Commodore attempts to make.

One of the interior features that both vehicles have is the cruise control. The Falcon has the steering wheel controls, which I do love, and the Commodore has controls on the stalks, which I do not particularly care for. One of the nice things that the Commodore has is the ESP program, which in this case is fantastic since it can correct driver errors like skids, slides, and oversteering. They both work just fine, it just once again depends on the preference of the buyer. The Ford does do better at shifting between gears quickly and effortlessly.

If you are moving or are helping a friend/family member move apartments, you are going to be asked to help, most likely. And you have just the sedan for the job. There is an abundance of space to put things to store, such as luggage, boxes, or sporting equipment, in both of the vehicles. There is a lot more room in the Ford Falcon than there is in the Commodore, though. Not just stuff fits well, either. If you are planning on going across a long area, your backseat passengers and front seat passengers will be riding equally comfortably. However, if you are planning on doing a lot of traveling, you might want to consider the Ford even more-you will end up saving money on gas, which is something to think about seriously in the long run.

One of the things that is so nice about the Holden Commodore is the sound that it makes while you are driving it. This is actually a pleasant sound to listen to while riding. Unfortunately that is about where it stops. The sound that is so great from the inside of the vehicle soon turns into a pathetic sound when you get outside of the vehicle. This was somewhat depressing. In contrast, the Ford Falcon actually is the exact opposite. The engine on the Falcon sounds fantastic when you are outside listening to someone start it up or rev it, but when you are inside the vehicle, the road noise is nothing pleasant like the Commodore.

Many of the biggest changes in these vehicles have come from the aesthetic appearance. First of all, many things on the Ford Falcon XT were changed from the front of the vehicle. It has a sportier appearance than some of the other vehicles in this class. The Holden Commodore, on the other hand, had newer material, and the design of the car is all about sporty-down to the shorter, lightly higher back end. The Commodore can also tend to look a little squished at times. One of the other things that they did fix, however, are the brake lights. These add a little snazzy feature to the back end of the car, which is well needed and I think is a good idea to equip on all vehicles as a safety precaution. One of the downfalls is that the trunk being lifted gives you a very limited line of sight, so keep that in mind when reversing or parallel parking.

In addition, the Ford Falcon has a lot more get up and go than the Holden Commodore. It can get from 0-100KM/H in about 7.5 seconds, which is pretty impressive, especially for an automatic transmission.

If you are picking a car based on aesthetics only, it is a landslide for the Holden Commodore. There were so many things done to change the appearance that it is hard not to like it. You will see new designs around the headlights and grille as well as more detail in the rest of the exterior. It was just a lot more interesting than the appearance of the Ford Falcon, which obviously had not had as many treatments for the front and back end like the Commodore, and since it remained a little outdated, the Commodore is the better pick in the aesthetics department.

Since both the Holden Commodore Omega and the Ford Falcon were both four speed automatic transmission vehicles, it was easy to compare the way that they shifted and make a decision on which one was the best. The Commodore, which has improved in many other areas as well, has improved greatly in the shifting area. Shifting between gears is fast and effortless. Too bad the Ford is right in step with Holden, and has the same quick, smooth shifting features that they do. The Falcon even seems a little more stable through certain shifting situations, which is not something I can say for the Commodore. Don't forget that the Falcon also has the sportshift mode that can be activated for even more fun on the road. Even though the Holden sounds much better in the driver's or passenger's seat, it still sounds fine on the outside and drives like a charm!

In conclusion, my vote would go with the Holden Commodore most of the time and in most areas. It just seems to have a more appealing exterior and seems to drive a little better than the Falcon in certain areas. The ride is smoother and the ESP feature that is standard is quite nice. In addition, sitting in the seats is a more pleasurable experience than sitting in the seats of the Falcon. However, it seems to be a mind over heart type decision. You know that practically, in your mind, the Commodore is the best option to purchase. On the other hand, the Ford Falcon makes you love it when you finally have an experience with it, so it is hard to make that decision and not go for the Ford Falcon. In the end, it comes down to how much money you have to spend on the vehicle, what components you are looking for not only under the hood but in the interior as well, etc. If you can afford it and are in the market for a vehicle like this, both of them are well worth the test drive.