Holden Rodeo LT

Well slap me on the tailbone and ride me like a bucking bronco; you didn’t need eyes in the back of your bonce to see this brawny little beauty coming. There’s been a horsepower war of sorts among the dual cab utility brigade, as the likes of Toyota and Nissan slot big-bore sixes under the bonnets of HiLux and Navara. So it was always a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ Holden would steal a few home-grown AlloyTec V6 engines from its Port Melbourne plant to power the Rodeo.

Bloody good that they did, too, because this heart transplant has transformed the Rodeo from a wheezing asthmatic that struggled to outrun a one-legged Kelpie into a true blue sports utility vehicle.

In fact this is the most powerful Rodeo in the truck’s 25-year history, even though Holden kept the ‘good’ engine just for the Commodore. Rodeo owners will make do with 157kW of power, which is down 33kW on Commodore’s best, but crucially it’s up on the Rodeo’s old 3.5lt V6. More importantly, Rodeo’s torque curve peaks a beefier 33Nm skyward, which means more pull than a mate with Bledisloe Cup tickets.

AlloyTec V6 models sit atop a bewildering Rodeo range that includes turbodiesel and four-cylinder petrol variants, single cab, and dual cabs in 4x2 and 4x4 configuration. There’s 15 AlloyTec V6 models alone.

TrailerBoat got into a high-series 4x4 for an intensive one-week relationship. Ours came with all the basic mod cons including electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, and cruise control. Cloth seats and durable floor mats inside will survive better than the painted tray floor. Dual cabs have come a long way from the bone jarring broncos of the mid 1980s when rear suspension was wound so tight it’d kick hard running over a beer coaster. There is still a price to be paid for carrying up to a tonne in the tray but the compromise is better managed, meaning a smoother ride on day to day drives.

The Rodeo’s manual transmission is built tough, so it needs a firm hand to slot between the gears, but once in sync the drivetrain gets down to the business of building speed quickly and cleanly. There’s plenty of useable power from standstill and while we’d never describe the Rodeo’s acceleration as quick, there’s a relentless force to it that’d shoe a prize bullock up the road.

This means any boat and trailer up to the Rodeo’s 2500kg limit is not going to strain relations much. Hitching is easy despite the 4x4’s high stance, but it does make backing up a challenge – particularly judging the gap between car and trailer.

Visibility on the move is exemplary from the Rodeo’s high seating position. Big, square wing mirrors give plenty of width and depth, which means that you can see the ground right up to the truck’s back wheels if you want and still maintain good distance vision.

The steering response is a tad slow and needs plenty of lock when you’re driving normally, but this adds a level of finesse to trailer reversing that very few cars outside the dual-cab market can match. It can, however, be a little tough to maintain smooth, slow reversing with a load on back because of the touchy throttle/clutch relationship. Oh, and a fairly heavy clutch will tax you during long manoeuvres.

It has decent power to move itself and a big trailer, it is comfortable in a way dual cabs never were, and is capable of returning acceptable fuel consumption. Add to that the convenience of push-button four-wheel drive and a big tray for wet gear and you’ve got a near perfect tow companion.

» Click here for CarPoint's 7 day test review on the Holden Rodeo 4x4 LT & 4x2 LX

» Click here for CarPoint's further news & reviews articles on the Holden Rodeo range

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