VE Calais interior

[Marco]

What were Holden thinking when they put together the interior of the VE Calais?

We had a good look at one at the Motor Show yesterday as my parents were considering one, but came away very unimpressed. Black everywhere with not a single other colour to break it up. Black dash, black seats, black carpet, black headlining. Fine for a sports model, but in a Calais? The whole thing just felt cheap - especially the seat trim material, yuk - and certainly not like a luxury model which the Calais is supposed to be.

The two-colour interior on the Calais V is much nicer and we were left wondering why it isn't also offered on the Calais. Even the Berlina interior felt lighter and more luxurious with its leather trim. Unfortunately the Calais V is $8000 dearer which has left my parents seriously considering the BFII Fairmont Ghia, which is very nice indeed inside and feels far more expensive than the Calais despite costing only a few thousand more.

If there's one area where Holden hasn't got the VE right, it's interiors. Good basic design but trim materials and colours leave something to be desired.

It's a real shame as for the first time since 1969 my parents may end up owning something other than a Holden...and nobody wants to see that.

[VZSS250]

The interiors are very good in my opinion, but the problem lies in the choice of colour. The onyx interiors look like a dark hole, and even then, you dont get a classy black. Really, its a dark grey which looks crap in sunlight.

The light urban looks the goods, but who can live with light urban carpet? And those suede covered door trim bottoms? HSV got it right by fitting black carpet to the light urban interior. Me thinks this will be a series 2 inclusion for Holden customers as well.

[ace078]

Hey, if your parents are prepaird to spend an extra few grand, lets retrim the calias that they realy want. Not hard to change a roof lineing or retrim the leather to whatever colour they like. Same as light urban carpet...change it if you want black, or just order the black floor mats, looks great with two tone interior.

P.S. Leather is an opption on berlina.

[Razor]

I agree Marco with your sentiments regarding too much black. The reason I ordered my Calais V with the light urban interior was to break up the console etc, even though it may prove very difficult to keep clean.

[PFR]

Even the Berlina interior felt lighter and more luxurious with its leather trim.

But you can not get away from that ugly pale woodgrain strip in the Berlina.

.

[ace078]

But you can not get away from that ugly pale woodgrain strip in the Berlina.

.

Strip can be changed too!!

[MaDDoG]

My Honda Euro was the same ....just black on grey inside. The Senator I just bought is much brighter inside with tan leather and carpets. Seems to stay pretty clean as well.

[Bazza76d]

What were Holden thinking when they put together the interior of the VE Calais?

We had a good look at one at the Motor Show yesterday as my parents were considering one, but came away very unimpressed. Black everywhere with not a single other colour to break it up. Black dash, black seats, black carpet, black headlining. Fine for a sports model, but in a Calais? The whole thing just felt cheap - especially the seat trim material, yuk - and certainly not like a luxury model which the Calais is supposed to be.

The two-colour interior on the Calais V is much nicer and we were left wondering why it isn't also offered on the Calais. Even the Berlina interior felt lighter and more luxurious with its leather trim. Unfortunately the Calais V is $8000 dearer which has left my parents seriously considering the BFII Fairmont Ghia, which is very nice indeed inside and feels far more expensive than the Calais despite costing only a few thousand more.

If there's one area where Holden hasn't got the VE right, it's interiors. Good basic design but trim materials and colours leave something to be desired.

It's a real shame as for the first time since 1969 my parents may end up owning something other than a Holden...and nobody wants to see that.


Just rememember mate that the VE is a far more refined vehicle. The colour may not be what they are looking for but the driveability etc of the Calais will be far superious to the older out dated fairmont so I guess it is take the good with the bad. If the ghia is a few thousand dearer spend a few more on top of the ghia and get the V.....

[cbwolf]

I personally like the all black/dark grey interior of the new Calais. If you have a look at BMW's it's a similar story, so i think it lends a touch of class to the Holdens.

[Belzey]

I personally really like dark interiors too, much easier to keep clean and stay looking newer for longer as they wear better IMO.

[cbwolf]

Yep, as belz said, that another thing. Keeping it clean. A light coloured interior (Can anyone say the shale interior on VX Calais Internationals?) is horrendously difficult to keep clean.

[Marco]

I like dark interiors too - black is my preferred colour - but I do like to see a bit of something else to relieve the monotony, even if it's just on the seats or on the doors or something. The VE Calais interior is just black, black, and more black.

[Mr Moosh]

I think the dark interiors in the VE's is a huge improvement on VZ. I think the subtle use of blacks and dark greys makes it look far more classy than if they had of just splashed it with tacky looking chrome. Stretch the budget and go the V series... Holden purposely designed the Calais interior like that, so you think about spending the extra dosh on the V. So if you (parents) end up being a Calais V, Holden's marketing has done its job :)

[VZSS250]

The VE Calais interior is just black, black, and more black.

...and more black.

Yes, even the steering wheel, which used to have chrome highlights to break it up a bit in VZ, is black.

The gear stick which was topped off with chrome in VZ...thats black now.

No there's not much relief from all the darkness. But guess what? I went with the onyx interior because light urban carpet does not survive. It dies a quick,dirty, muddy death.

At least the interior design itself is fantastic. Sometimes we talk about things having good form but no substance. I think the VE Calais Onyx interior is the opposite. All substance, no form.

[Janus]

Yes, like most I was interested in the urban interior for my Calais V, then went to see the cars when they were first in the showrooms and after one a couple of days of people getting in them the carpets were dirty with prints and marks, so I went with the onyx.

I don't think the Calais is that bad. I have been in Merc's and BMW's with worse black on black interiors.

I just annoys me somewhat that Holden had this big thing when they we developing and hyping the VE about the interior design process and how they spent millions and millions on trying out different materials and colours to get the best and after all that they came up with two colours to choose from....black and white. That is it, and you can't even choose a combination of them both, like white seats and black carpets. Seriously! What did they spend all that money on!

[planetdavo]

There will NEVER be 100% satisfaction. Years ago, the term "85th percentile" was used, meaning if 85% of the target market were satisfied, that was considered ready to market.
For all the people saying it's crap, consider this....
Europeans love dark interiors. Now what's the VE's inspiration? (Hint for the uninformed- BMW)
Your predominantly Asian market ivory coloured interiors are horrendously difficult to keep clean. We struggle to keep them clean even before delivery occurs! Then, people complain a week later like there's something wrong with their car!
The mix of VE models provide different options within certain versions. Market research will indicate which ones should have the variety. But, like I said, you can never please everyone.
Some of you sound like you want the option of about 15 different interior colours like VB or VC!!!!!!!!!!!
It wont happen.

[Nickoff]

I like the dark interior (I have two kids 7 and 10) of my Calais V - it looks very classy to me, its comfortable and its practical. My father in law has an early 06 Statesman International with the light urban interior and dirty marks on the leather seats appeared within weeks of owning. I like the lighter interior, but boy its hard to keep clean...

[mustanger]

If you still like the Calais instead of the Ford,which is dearer, just order the Calais and get the dealer to retrim the interior,best of both worlds.

[VZSS250]

Just take a look at this onyx interior...it really isnt black...its grey.

http://img57.imageshack.us/my.php?image=calaisup8.jpg

[ti0350]

I might be just old but I love all black interiors.. Although in saying that it's nice to have some other colour to break it up a bit thats why I like my SS the red inserts on seats and and door trims break the black up a bit..

[katman]

My general comment re the interiors - for a $1bill baby - the quality is very average - had a good look through the Omega - it was bloody shocking!! - they didnt even bother tucking in the end roof lining material where it meets the top windscreen - it just hangs there!!
the door trip plastic is hyundai cheap - the centre console instruments belong on a leggo set - cheap and flimsy - what is with the gap around the dash??

[Marco]

I think the dark interiors in the VE's is a huge improvement on VZ. I think the subtle use of blacks and dark greys makes it look far more classy than if they had of just splashed it with tacky looking chrome. Stretch the budget and go the V series... Holden purposely designed the Calais interior like that, so you think about spending the extra dosh on the V. So if you (parents) end up being a Calais V, Holden's marketing has done its job :)

Yes....of course, if they end up buying a Fairmont Ghia because of the interior colour choice then Holden's marketing will have failed dismally :)


...and more black.

Yes, even the steering wheel, which used to have chrome highlights to break it up a bit in VZ, is black.

The gear stick which was topped off with chrome in VZ...thats black now.

No there's not much relief from all the darkness. But guess what? I went with the onyx interior because light urban carpet does not survive. It dies a quick,dirty, muddy death.

At least the interior design itself is fantastic. Sometimes we talk about things having good form but no substance. I think the VE Calais Onyx interior is the opposite. All substance, no form.

Exactly - there is nothing to break it up whatsoever. I actually like black interiors but the Calais does feel depressing and claustrophobic. I'm hoping I don't feel the same way about the SS when I go to order mine.

Light seats and carpet might be a bit much to keep clean, but I'm sure it wasn't that long ago - VY maybe - that Holden offered a lighter colour option as well as grey. What about having the lower half like the carpets and bottom of the door trims in black and the upper dash and headlining in some lighter colour, sort of like the mirror image of the Calais V two-colour treatment?

[350plus]

I took delivery of my Calais V yesterday. Evoke with the light urban leather, sunroof & 20" SuperSport rims. I think it looks bloody brillant. Even the dealer principle made a point of coming over to comment on how good it looked, as it was the first they had delivered in that combo.

The only thing I don't like is the handbrake, which I think looks a little too plastic, especilly when engaged.

I do agree with an earlier post though that the Berlina is a better looking trim than the base Calais, but the V is still streets ahead of both IMO.

[bennoxr8]

When I brought home a Calais on a test drive, my mate didn't believe it was a Calais. He knew nothing about the VE and thought it was a bit too good to be an Executive, but not as nice as a Berlina, he was convinced it was a new Acclaim.

I, on the other hand, actually liked it. The only thing I thought looked suspect in the pics was the cloth trim inserts in the seats, but in the flesh, they're not too bad. However, I do love the old VZ Berlina fluffy seats.

[Cosmo Kramer]

If you still like the Calais instead of the Ford,which is dearer, just order the Calais and get the dealer to retrim the interior,best of both worlds.


I didn't like the standard pale grey leather in my Toyota Prado so had the dealer retrim completely in new leather in the colour I wanted prior to delivery. About $3500 for seven seater.

As mustanger said, you can still have your Calias and eat it to.