It seems an age since GM decided to launch their Chevrolet range in the UK, but now after several false starts Chevrolet have finally arrived in town in the guise of the handsome Chevrolet Captiva SUV. the waiting is over and order books open for customers to purchase.
Captiva heralds in a new era of Chevrolet design. Its bold features combine with dynamic lines to give the appearance of a vehicle that is both well-proportioned and rugged, without being too imposing. Smart alloy wheels, a contemporary colour pallet and a number of styling options from roof bars to side steps add to Captiva’s appeal
Two brand new engines will power the Chevrolet Captiva SUV which boasts the companies first ever diesel power unit, comes with a choice of two Euro IV compliant engines, on offer a 2.4-litre 136PS petrol engine in a front-wheel-drive LS trim, coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox, giving respectable 31.7mpg. with CO2 emissions of 217g/km, 0-60mph in 11.5 seconds, and a top speed of 115mph. Secondly Chevrolet’s first ever all-new 2.0-litre common-rail diesel, powering an On Demand All Wheel Drive as standard, and a choice of five-speed manual or lusciously smooth automatic transmissions
Inside if you need space for up to six passengers, you don’t have to buy an MPV, nor do you need to fork out extra for an expensive premium 4x4, as the best value seven-seat SUV on the market, Captiva successfully combines the appeal of both of these types of vehicle, meaning you don’t need to sacrifice style just because you need the space.
And with the clever seating layout pioneered by Chevrolets sister companies Vauxhall Zafira, means that, when you don’t have a bum for every seat, the two rearmost chairs fold flat into the floor at the pull of a lever, folding away with almost no effort to leave you with a completely flat, unencumbered load bay.
On the road So, where better than the narrow lanes and hilly contours of Irelands southern most coast than to test the Captiva.
The Captiva 2.0ltr automatic, rain lashed country roads, inclines to rival mountain sides, and corners to test the best rally drivers the Captiva proved its worth. Cornering as if on rails the On Demand All wheel drive took us up and down shale covered off road dirt tracks while enclosed in the safety and luxury of a leather seated cabin. As soon as a slip is detected, in milliseconds and without me really knowing anything about it, the Captiva distributes torque to the axle with the most grip, ensuring all occupants safety. The Captiva boasts suspension offering a shaper more consistent steering feel along with enhanced cornering so a little thing like rain combined with an unmade road surface , may cause most vehicles to grind to a halt but it did not stop me. I was driving what can only be described as the best crossover sports utility vehicle on the market today.
The technology is fantastic, a real point and go, but I could not help feeling a little cheated, as apart from steering which was so light thanks to the responsive rack and pinion system that achieves a turning cycle of just 2.6 m, the vehicle did everything for me
I knew I was safe with seven airbags including full length curtain-shaped roof airbags and side airbags, a bodyshell itself is made from high strength, bake-hardened steel to offer a high level of accident protection, while the design of the structure is such that there are four integrated load paths, which divert the force of a frontal collision away from the car’s cabin and into the side and cross-members. A further cross-member ahead of the instrument panel further absorbs crash energy, as well as reducing intrusion of the dashboard into the cabin.
Crumple zones all-round reduce crash energy, while one-piece mouldings for the front and rear bumpers mean that, in low-speed collisions, replacement parts costs are reduced.
Side impact bars reinforce both the front and rear doors, while the strength of the steel in the B-pillars varies at different heights, to tailor the direction in which the force of an impact moves, and add extra strength where needed.
The Captiva is really a remarkable example of superb technology but I do raise one serious question. Will the look still appease the predominantly female buyers. in a word 'Yes' but it will be interesting to see how the female buyers respond.
Chevrolet Captiva - A new kind SUV. A new kind of Chevrolet from the inventers of the SUV now reinvented from the original 1935 version and ready to take on the demands of 21st Century driving.
I liked it so much I went out and bought one.