Holden Statesman

A luxurious, long wheelbase Aussie luxury car, the Statesman is a comfortable cruiser, but it can get along pretty quickly, especially with a V8 under the bonnet.

• Comfort

  It would have to be about the most comfortable Holden in the range. The rear suspension is a bit soft and can float a bit on bumpy roads, but it's spot-on otherwise.

  

• Performance

  Nursing a V8 under the bonnet, the Statesman has gallons of grunt and can be quite a weapon. It's a bit pedestrian with the V6 which also gets pretty thrashy when pushed.

  

• Cool

  In black, with dark windows, it has to qualify as cool. A V6 model in brown? Not so much. With a PM in the passenger seat? Not at all.

  

• Quality

  Exterior quality is good and things like the LED side lights are top notch. Inside, it's generally good except some of the surfaces are a bit ordinary for the price range.

  

• Handling

  Quite good considering this is a 5.2m-long luxury sedan. Floaty rear end spoils the fun, but it still steers very well for what it is.

  

• Practicality

  There is more legroom in the backseat than an inner-city apartment and the boot is just massive. It is a bit tricky to park given its length, but it does have parking sensors.

  

• Running costs

  On par for with Aussie cars and a hell of a lot cheaper than a European equivalent.

  Petrol is obviously the biggest cost, especially if you put your hand up for the V8.