Holden’s VE Series II SS Ute has been named Best Ute in the 2010 Drive Car of the Year Awards, for the fourth consecutive year.
Following a rigorous six-day testing regime, the reigning champion was deemed best in class for its car-like handling, competitive pricing and “well-behaved car manners”.
The ute was judged by a panel of experts from Drive.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on a broad criteria including performance, price, quality, comfort, practicality and safety.
Drive Editor and Car of the Year judge Toby Hagon said the SS Ute stood out for its driveability, smooth acceleration and low-speed running.
“The overall design of the Ute demonstrates an understanding of the target market, making this a great vehicle, both for the demands of the working week and recreational needs for the weekend,” Hagon said. “And, quite simply, this is a fun car to drive.”
As part of the Series II refresh, the SS Ute now has flex-fuel capability, allowing it to run on Bio-ethanol, E10, Unleaded, Premium, or any combination of these fuels.
It is also equipped with Holden i-Q, an all-new infotainment system that delivers full Bluetooth®, USB and iPod integration for compatible devices.
Holden Marketing Director Philip Brook said: “The SS Ute is a vehicle of which Holden is very proud and we’re honoured it has been recognised in the 2010 Drive Car of the Year Awards.”
“To win for the fourth year in a row demonstrates that we’re delivering in terms of value, style and performance,” Mr Brook said.
The SS Ute is powered by Holden's 6.0 litre Gen IV V8, delivering 270kW of peak power and 530Nm of peak torque for the six speed manual transmission and 260kW of peak power and 517Nm of torque for the six speed automatic transmission with Active Select.
Completing the SS Ute package are 10-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports body kit with fog lamps, sports seats and quad exhausts, side impact airbags, curtain airbags and Electronic Stability Control.
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