The Executive is dead, long live the Omega.
As the bread-and-butter fleet sedan the Omega is the Commodore entry point with 16-inch steel wheels, black low-gloss door handles and little else in the way of exterior adornment.
Inside there are electric windows, four-way electric driver’s seat and cruise control. Even the entry Commodore gains electronic stability control – standard across the VE range – with brake assist, dual front airbags and a host of other structural safety upgrades.
Side and curtain airbags are part of an optional “side protection pack” on the Omega. Unfortunately too, for a fleet vehicle, Bluetooth connectivity costs extra so it pays to drive a hard bargain at the dealer.
In the hardware stakes the VE Commodore is light-years away from the VZ.
The VZ’s semi-trailing arm rear-end has been replaced by a sophisticated four-link independent rear suspension and the front MacPherson strut unit replaced by a new strut design that employs a double-ball jointed lower A-arm.
Larger wheels compliment VE’s all-new rack-and-pinion steering system, which is now mounted ahead of the front axle to deliver better feel and response.
The Omega comes with Holden’s 3.6-litre Alloytec V6, which develops 180kW @ 6000rpm and 330Nm @ 2600pm (up 8kW and 10Nm over the previous model).
The ageing four-speed automatic also carries over, albeit with some software upgrades to improve shift quality and aide economy.
