What is the Chevy SS called in Australia?
In Australia, the Chevrolet SS badge does not appear on local showroom models. The closest equivalent is the Holden Commodore SS (and closely related HSV performance variants). The U.S.-market Chevy SS was built on the Australian Commodore-based platform, but it carried a Chevrolet badge for the American market.
Origin and branding
The Chevy SS was introduced for the U.S. market in 2013 as a rear-wheel-drive sedan powered by a V8, sourced from the same engineering family that underpins Australia’s Holden Commodore. GM used Holden’s development work and platform for the US car, but in Australia the same vehicle would have been sold under the Holden banner as the Commodore SS, with performance-focused HSV models offering even more specialization. Chevrolet badges were not used on the local Australian versions of that platform.
Australian equivalents and related variants
Below are the closest Australian names and variants that share the same underlying platform and performance ethos as the Chevy SS:
- Holden Commodore SS — the standard performance sedan in the Commodore lineup (VF/VE generations and related updates) known for its V8 option and sporty tuning
- Holden Commodore SS-V / SS-V Redline — higher-spec iterations within the Commodore range with upgraded equipment and handling
- HSV GTS, HSV Senator, HSV Maloo — the specialist, high-performance models produced by HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) that use the same Commodore architecture with unique tuning and branding
In Australia, those models represent the local interpretation of the performance sedan derived from the same platform used for the U.S.-market Chevy SS. The Chevrolet badge is not used on the Commodore-based lineup there, though GM’s global lineup has since included Chevrolet-branded models through separate dealer channels in limited capacities.
Current status and branding in Australia
Holden’s local manufacturing ended in 2017, and the Holden brand was retired in 2020. Since then, GM has pushed Chevrolet-branded models into Australia via the GMSV (Global Motors and Special Vehicles) umbrella in limited form, including some Camaro offerings. The Chevy SS itself has not been reintroduced in the Australian market, so the direct equivalent remains the Holden Commodore SS and its HSV variants rather than a Chevrolet-branded SS sedan.
Summary
In short, the Chevy SS is not a name used in Australia. Its closest and historical counterpart is the Holden Commodore SS (and HSV variants), with the U.S.-market Chevy SS being a Holden Commodore-derived model offered under the Chevrolet badge in America. The Australian lineup continues to reflect Holden’s branding and HSV tuning rather than a Chevrolet SS model.
