Used Holden Adventra review: 2003-2006

It seems everyone wants to go bush. Ford certainly thought so when it introduced its Territory, so too did Holden when it went down the same track with the Adventra.

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The Adventra was based on the VY Berlina wagon. It had a high-riding suspension for ground clearance, and a V8 automatic drivetrain, and an all-wheel drive system that gave it the capability off-road.

Cross Trac was a permanent all-wheel drive system using three open differentials controlled by sophisticated electronics with a front-to-rear torque-split of 38:62.

It's a system built on the car's anti-skid braking system to maintain traction by monitoring the grip at each wheel and selectively applying the brakes to switch torque away from wheels that are starting to slip to ones that have grip.

Being based on a traditional wagon the Adventra is different to most off-roaders and should appeal to anyone who wants to drive a normal car around town, but still have the capability to go bush when they want to.

Power for the first Adventra came from Holden's proven 235kW 5.7-litre V8 and four-speed automatic transmission.

With the Cross Trac system a full-time one there's no call for fiddling with switches or levers to select low range, lock diffs, or do any of the other things off-roaders have to cope with.

Ground clearance is critical to off-road driving and the Adventra had 200mm. There was also a front strut brace, a sump guard, and special Bridgestone tyres with thicker tread faces and sidewalls to handle the rough going.

Being based on the Berlina meant the Adventra came equipped with plenty of standard features to add to its attraction.

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The Adventra was made to go off-road, so check for signs of off-road use and move on if you spot anything that says the car you're considering has been used extensively off-road.

The initial offering was only available as a V8, and the V8 wasn't without it troubles.

Listen particularly for rattles and noises from the engine. They were relatively common, but not all suffered, so look for one that is quiet.

The V8 could also burn oil. That's a little more difficult to determine on a quick test drive. You could ask the seller if the car was an oil burner, or had been checked by a Holden dealer.

Weight was also an issue with the Adventra, it was a heavy jigger, and that meant the fuel consumption could be high.

If you're looking for diesel economy look elsewhere, but driven sensibly the Adventra would return reasonable economy.

Importantly it had the grunt needed to comfortably tow a caravan or camper trailer when needed.

A recent trip to outback South Australia in an LX8 with a camper trailer on the back returned an average of 15.5L/100 km, and that wasn't sparing the ponies.

The Adventra was equipped with special tyres designed to cope with rough, rocky roads, and they're a mite more expensive than your regular tyres.

Servicing is also important, so check for a service record to show your chosen car has been well maintained.