HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1918
HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1880
HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1898
HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1893
Sam Charlwood27 May 2017
REVIEW

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 2017 Review

HSV's swansong Maloo delivers a fitting exclamation point for the humble Aussie ute
Model Tested
HSV Maloo R8 LSA
Review Type
Road Test

HSV has given its cult-like Maloo a fitting send-off ahead of the nameplate’s retirement in December. Along with the flagship GTS-R Maloo variant, the 30 Year anniversary Maloo R8 LSA raises the tempo for one of our most loved homegrown offerings with extra power, more technology and more performance. It will be sorely missed.

Stealing the limelight
Like the Minogue sisters, there is a healthy degree of sibling rivalry going on at HSV.

The undoubted (and deserving) show-stopper in the Holden tuner’s final year of Australian-based production has been the GTS-R W1, the 474kW LS9-powered juggernaut which history will record as our fastest and most powerful homegrown production vehicle. Kylie, for sure.

But, in this humble correspondent’s mind, there is a more significant swansong model than the W1, an even bigger loss: the very last iterations of the popular Maloo ute. Yep, the Dannii side of the ledger.

We Aussies invented the car-based hay-hauler template back in the 1930s, thanks in part to the foresight of a Victorian farmer’s wife. So it’s a damn shame to see this polished but increasingly unpopular formula wither before our eyes.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1898

Thankfully, Holden and its performance tuning arm, Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), aren’t letting the utility exit subtly. While Holden’s LS3-powered SS Ute steps up with more power and performance in its final iteration, it is the HSV Maloo which posts the final major score for local utes.

Sitting one rung below the impressive 435kW GTSR Maloo in the range, the Maloo R8 LSA tested starts at $79,990 (plus on-road costs). Under the bonnet resides a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine, codenamed the LSA and shared with the powerful GTS and GTSR duo. In this form, it cranks out 410kW of power (up 10kW) and 691Nm of torque (up 20Nm). A six-speed manual transmission is fitted as standard.

The 30 Year edition brings a couple of firsts to the fold: it is the first garden-variety Maloo available with six-piston AP brakes front and rear ($3495 extra), and is also fitted with torque vectoring technology to sharpen turn-in response. As well, our vivid ‘Spitfire Green’ number includes unique 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped with Continental rubber, 8.5 inches wide at the front and 9.5 inches wide at the rear.

Humble beginnings
Holden’s Maloo story started back in 1990 with an unveiling at the Sydney Motor Show. The original VG Maloo was a fairly modest take on the then-new Commodore ute, offering a 180kW/400Nm V8 engine, individual styling elements and a healthy amount of brash factor.

Fast-forward to 2017, and it’s clear our ‘pickup palette’ has matured. The interior of the current Maloo is streets ahead, thanks to nicely bolstered bucket chairs, a mix of materials including suede highlights, and excellent cabin ergonomics. Even the interior proportions are friendlier than the original, with enough space for an overnight bag behind the seats, bottle holders in the doors and a sufficient amount of cubbys and incidental storage.

Sadly for the swansong model, interior fitout isn’t perfect – an outcome probably stemming more from a cost restraint point of view than anything else. For instance, it would have been nice to see a dark roof headliner rather than the cream number familiar to thousands of fleet/commercial customers and similarly, some overhead grab rails would be warmly received by on-alert passengers.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1905

In news unlikely to shock HSV fans, rear vision in the Maloo is pretty ordinary, mostly thanks to its combination of a bulky hard tonneau cover and small side mirrors.

Maloo standard equipment inside comprises an eight-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, a reversing camera and Holden’s MyLink app suite (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto). You also get front and rear parking sensors and a five-star safety suite comprising blind spot monitoring, forward collision alert and head-up display – but no automated emergency braking.

HSV’s Enhanced Driver Interface ($1095 option) brings real-time vehicle dynamics and performance data to the centre touchscreen, along with information on Australia’s major racing circuits.

The Maloo is covered by Holden’s three-year, 100,000km factory warranty.
Service intervals are more frequent than most, set at every nine months or 15,000km.

According to HSV’s capped price servicing plan, the first five years of servicing will set owners back $2513 combined.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1880

Power for days
Yes, the headline grabbers here are the Maloo’s outputs of 410kW/691Nm, but what’s equally impressive is how civilised and docile the circa-1900kg ute is in daily conveyance.

The engine is totally placid in regular driving, offering a rich torque curve which gently segues into a meaty mid-range. A far cry from Holden utes of previous years, the positive and well-oiled shift pattern for the six-speed manual transmission is matched by an equally light and easy-to-use clutch pedal.

Similarly, the ride is absolutely liveable as a day-to-day prospect. Even with no cargo on-board, the rear suspension soaks up everyday imperfections with aplomb, and shakes off mid-corner bumps and pockmarked surfaces without fuss. Only the occasional sharp niggle manages to thud through the car’s 20-inch wheels and into the cabin - but even then, the reaction is hardly crashy.

We can’t speak for how the Maloo performs with its circa 400kg full payload, as the plastic-lined rear only sported a couple of bales of lucerne hay during our est. Ditto the 1600kg braked towing capacity: this is more of a show pony than a workhorse, after all.

Fuel use? Not great: we averaged about 13.5L/100km in a mix of conditions. But it spiked whenever we flexed the right foot.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1856

Track time
No-one will be surprised to hear the Maloo name translates to the Aboriginal word for thunder.

The name fitted the bill perfectly when we had the 6.2-litre supercharged LSA engine belting out its raucous tune around an empty Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) during our early morning video shoot.

Exhaust sounds are embellished in the 2017 model, thanks to a new bi-model exhaust which is claimed to open earlier in the rev count and delivers its din via quad exhaust outlets. While the R8 LSA does make more noise earlier, it must be said the exhaust doesn’t reach the same audible crescendo loved in the old model when it climbed past 4000rpm. Nevertheless, there are few sound bites capable of lighting- up your face like this.

Unofficially, the Maloo is capable of zero to 100km/h in about 4.5 seconds. It feels every bit that fast, making effortless progress to the redline as we nailed the throttle onto the circuit’s main straight.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 1898

Matching the Maloo’s prodigious sound is a dynamic skillset which wouldn’t look out of place in a two-door sportscar. HSV’s swansong ute offers impressive levels of lateral grip, turn-in response and outright poise around the flowing Eastern Creek layout.

The torque vectoring technology helps to improve turn-in response with benign but effective interventions and the ute’s steering is accurate and full of feel and feedback.

Similarly, those optional six-piston brakes bring incredible and reliable stopping power around the SMSP circuit.

Staggered Continental rubber also does its bit for adhesion. Overcoming that grip in Performance mode brings tractable and easy-to-gauge levels of oversteer, and once you get the hang of it, the Maloo is a lot of fun to throw around sideways.

HSV Maloo R8 LSA 2004

Verdict
The evolution of this species has been a special one to watch. It seems such a shame things are coming to a screeching halt.

For a superhero nameplate, the last-hurrah Maloo R8 LSA provides a supercharged farewell. Now, more than ever, I just want one.

2017 HSV Maloo R8 LSA pricing and specifications:
Price: $79,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8 petrol
Output: 410kW/691Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 15.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 363g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Special thanks to Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, and SMSP for their assistance with our shoot.

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Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
84/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
17/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
14/20
Safety & Technology
16/20
Behind The Wheel
18/20
X-Factor
19/20
Pros
  • Power and poise
  • Dynamically strong
  • Street cred
Cons
  • Rear vision
  • Not much utilitarian value
  • Ghastly fuel use
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    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.