Holden and Ford have long been in direct competition. At the end of 2013, Holden announced that it would be halting production in Australia, and importing vehicles from its overseas plants. By 2021, the Holden brand was discontinued entirely.
But that doesn’t mean that Holdens are not a good choice to buy when it comes to purchasing a used car. So, when you’re buying a used car – which is the better choice?
Should I be worried about Holden being discontinued?
Because Holden is no longer on the production lines, any Holden car that you buy now in Australia will be used. For many, this might incite concern: Will I be without any support or warranties? What if my car has faults?
General Motors, Holden’s parent brand, has indicated that it will honour warranties and provide existing Holden customers after sales support for at least 10 years (from 17 Feb 2020), which includes warranties, service, spare parts and any required recall or field actions. And if you’re looking for used Holden car parts, you should be able to source them fairly easily at your local auto wreckers.
So, don’t worry that you’ll be left without any support – Holden is still very much around, despite the brand itself discontinuing.
Performance, safety, and comfort: who wins?
Power
Overall, Ford tends to win the power competition. The Falcon offers 195kW at 6000 rpm. In fact, it even has a significant towing capacity (2300kg braked towing capacity). The Commodore, on the other hand, supports a towing capacity of up 2100 kg braked.
Performance
Historically, Holden has been known for superior performance. The Bathurst grand total puts Holden at 35 wins and Ford at 21 at the end of 2021.
When it comes to off the racetrack though, these numbers don’t necessarily hold up. The Falcon XT sits at around 7.4 seconds to reach 0-100km/h, while the Commodore Omega sits at 9.5 seconds to achieve 0-100km/h, a significant difference.
The Falcon XR8 also beat the Commodore with 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds, while the Commodore SS V Redline sat at 6.4 seconds.
The Falcon also reportedly has smoother power delivery, often making it a more enjoyable experience to drive.
If performance and power is a big thing for you, then choosing a Ford may be the better choice.
Safety
Both Fords and Holdens tend to be fairly reliable choices when it comes to safety. An NMRA report in 2019 identified the 2017 Holden Commodore and the Ford Ranger as among the top safest cars.
The 2017 Commodore receives a 5-star ANCAP Safety Rating. While it lacks the auto braking, lane assist and driver attention detection of more modern cars, the Commodore does have ESC, crash protection for both adults and children, and got an overall score of 35.06/37 for safety by ANCAP.
Its Ford Falcon equivalent, while having a similar robust safety rating, scored 34.61/37. So while the Holden does a little bit better than the Ford, both are rated fairly highly when it comes to safety.
Comfort
Ford has come a long way in shedding its reputation as low-comfort vehicles.
In general, nowadays, the two tend to be quite on-par: Commodores tend to be quite spacious, with lots of headroom and extra storage, and firm, comfortable seats overall. However, when it comes to ride comfort, the Falcon tends to win with softer suspension, being easier to ride on softer surfaces.
So, who wins?
Ultimately, it comes down to personal choice. If you’re looking for something comfortable, reliable and safe, the Holden may be your best option.
However, the Ford is probably the better choice for those who are looking for speed, power and overall performance.
The good news is, even if you’re getting your Ford or Holden used, you can have confidence that they are both two reliable car brands. And don’t worry about not being covered if you do need some work done on your Holden – your car will be supported for just under another ten years, and there’s plenty of used car parts circulating that you can get your hands on.
If you need used, reliable car parts, drop into Advanced Auto Wreckers. If you get the part installed by us, we’ll even add a 3-month warranty on. Get in touch with us here or give us a call on (08) 9459 8155.