2003 Holden Ute VY 3.6L 5MT (238 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Holden introduced the Commodore Ute in its lineup in 2000, and in 2002, the Australian automaker refreshed the lineup with significant exterior changes and improved drivetrains that offered more performance to the hot-rod utility vehicle.

Due to some technical regulations, Australians who wanted a go-fast vehicle had to endure punishing taxes. However, that was not the case for LCVs. As a result, Holden introduced the Commodore Ute in 2000 as a pickup, but with underpinnings shared with the Statesman. Moreover, the most potent version of it had a Chevrolet Corvette engine underneath the hood, meaning that the utility vehicle could rocket from naught to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in less than five seconds. Soon, the car became sought-after by customers from Australia and New Zealand. In addition, if someone wanted to carry some stuff behind the cabin, they could easily do that, albeit those things had to be short, or the cover for the bed wouldn’t close.

While the 2000 model year came with the same rounded headlights inherited from the 1997 Commodore, the 2003 Holden Ute benefited from the angular-shaped ones created for its VY Commodore introduced in late 2002. They flanked an upside-down pentagonal-shaped grille where the brand’s badge took center stage. Lower, on the bumper, the automaker placed a reversed trapezoidal air intake in the middle and a pair of angular side scoops.

Up to the B-post, the 2003 Holden Ute shared its body panels with the VY Commodore lineup, bar the wheels for the base model that were made from steel, not aluminum. The door mirror caps were black regardless of the grade, but the handles were color-keyed. For the SS version, the automaker added new bumpers with a lower lip spoiler at the front and round fog lamps. The same grade also boasted a set of five-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile tires. Behind the cabin, Holden installed a vertical rear window with defogging, and the bed area was covered with a front-hinged rigid panel. Out back, the automaker installed the same corner-mounted taillights as those from the Commodore Wagon to cut production costs, but the tailgate between them was specific for the Ute, and the rear bumper was unique to this utilitarian version as well.

The 2003 Holden Ute had a cabin fit for two adults, with high-bolstered seats for the upper grades and available leather upholstery. Fronting them was a new dashboard that featured a sloped center console that sported two rectangular vents on the upper side, followed by the HVAC control panel and the Blaupunkt stereo at the bottom. The four-spoke steering wheel was redesigned for the 2003 model year and featured buttons that controlled the media system, while those that controlled the onboard computer were on the left side of the instrument cluster. The driver fronted an instrument panel carried over from the Commodore, with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and smaller gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature. In addition, a small LCD placed below them showed the odometer.

Even though it was a utility vehicle, the 2003 Holden Ute didn’t have any diesel engine in the lineup. Instead, the automaker offered it with a choice of two gasoline powerplants. The base mode was a 3.6-liter V6, while the upper version received a 5.7-liter push-rod powerhouse imported from the U.S. and shared with the Corvette. Both variants could be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic gearbox. Unlike most other pickups in Australia, the Ute had an independent rear suspension and coil springs instead of solid axles with leaf springs.