But it's taken until now - after more than a decade of trying - for Holden to finally deliver a car capable of matching strides with Ford's former locally-built, best-selling SUV.
Yes, you could say Holden has been waiting a long time for this car - the all-new, US-built Acadia.
A vehicle that finally, mercifully, makes Holden a proper player in the lucrative, ever-growing SUV market. A category they've tried to break into, with limited success, ever since Ford jumped them with the Territory way back in 2004.
It's not through lack of trying.
Remember the Adventra - a Holden Commodore wagon with plastic wheel arches and an all-wheel-drive capability? Not surprisingly, it was a short-lived rival to the Territory.
Or the Holden Cruze? A baby SUV based on the Suzuki Ignis that was so forgettable, Holden re-used the name for their locally-built mid-sized hatchback and sedan a few years later.
There have been other Holden SUVs along the way - most notably the Captiva that has been a modest success for the Lion brand until it disappeared recently.
But the arrival of the Acadia finally gives Holden what they've long craved - a full-sized SUV that is big enough, classy enough and capable enough to become a real option for large Aussie families.
It finally allows Holden to portray itself as an "SUV brand" - putting the Acadia at the centre of its "How we SUV" advertising campaign that also features its Equinox, Trailblazer and Trax models - along with the AWD Tourer version of its new Commodore (don't mention the Adventra).
So ironically, after more than 70 years of operation, Australia's oldest and best-known automotive brand is now positioning itself as a "challenger" in the SUV market - with the Acadia as the centrepiece.
If that wasn't enough, the Acadia also carries an added responsibility as the poster child for Holden's "globally sourced, locally tuned" mantra that followed its departure from local manufacturing.
That promise has been slow to play out - and while the model releases have been numerous, they've been a bit underwhelming, at least in the eyes of the buying public.
The Acadia is the machine that finally seems to have delivered on that promise, though.
It's big, robust and brings with it a substantial road presence. Its American heritage is plain for all to see, from the bold, macho styling to the busy but impressive interior layout.
We tested the flagship model - the LTZ-V, which retails for a substantial $67,900. While that puts it into competition with some European brands, the Acadia's seven-seat capacity is something that the Euros can't match at this level.
The LTZ-V certainly has some kit. Much of it brilliant, some a little confounding.
It features, for instance, a function called "following distance indicator" that uses the radar cruise control to estimate how far, in seconds, you are from the vehicle ahead. Surely, though, rather than reading that you're 1.5 seconds from the car in front, the driver would be better keeping their eyes on the road? Just saying.
Other innovations are particularly well thought out. The powered rear tailgate, for example, can be opened in stages - selected via a knob on the driver's door - allowing you to only half-open it if the rear of the car is in a tight parking space or low-ceiling car park. Clever.
The safety suite is comprehensive, with all models gaining autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection; high beam assist, forward collision alert, lane-keeping assistant and departure warning, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert plus rear parking assist. There's also a "hitch view" camera to help those with boats or campers to easily couple to a trailer.
In higher-spec models, Traffic Sign Recognition will alert the driver if you have failed to slow after passing a changed speed sign.
An 8-inch infotainment screen delivers Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, as well as satellite navigation. All three rows of passengers get access to USB ports for connecting music or charging devices.
While the American styling of the Acadia's interior isn't quite as sleek as we're used to from some rivals, it's thoughtfully presented and finished in high-quality materials.
