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Holden has taken the covers off its new VE Sportwagon, due to arrive in New Zealand within the next few months.
The Australian car-maker says the wagon will be available in a range of VE Commodore variants, including Omega, SV6 and the range topping SS-V and Calais V models. Specifications will be in line with VE sedan models, with the addition of rear park assist as standard on all wagons.
The entry level Omega wagon will run with the company's mainstream 3.6-litre V6 engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The rest of the range will use either the V6 or 6-litre V8 engines coupled to five and six-speed transmissions.
Holden NZ marketing manager Matthew Woodley said the company would now have a Sportwagon for every type of customer.
"This vehicle will appeal to a whole new generation of private and user-chooser customers, while remaining a fleet favourite," he said.
"We've added safety features such as ESP [stability control] as standard on all models. Luxury and sports versions will be incorporated into the range to further increase its appeal across the customer spectrum."
The car-maker is aiming the VE Sportwagon more at lifestyle buyers than fleet markets - one reason why the vehicle's cargo area is smaller than that of the outgoing model.
Another is that the wagon shares its wheelbase with the VE sedan - every Holden carry-all since the 1971 HQ has been based on long-wheelbase Statesman/Caprice platforms.
Also, it has been designed to be re-engineered for left-hand-drive markets - compact, sportier wagons are a growth segment while bigger, "workhorse" station wagons are not.
Holden hopes the new Commodore wagon will lure buyers wary of the growing global backlash against larger sports utility vehicles.
The Sportwagon is the third VE-based derivative after the sedan and ute. At the rear, designers have created a wider opening by positioning the tailgate hinge forward into the roof line. This allows the tailgate to open on a more vertical plane.
The higher cargo floor also makes loading easier, says Holden. The rear seats split 60:40 and can be folded flat for more load room.
