Capturing the SUV Essentials

It was inevitable. With the market’s seemingly insatiable appetite for SUVs, it was only a matter of time before General Motors came up with their own interpretation of a compact mainstream Sport Utility Vehicle. A completely new model, the Captiva is squarely aimed at the lucrative SUV segment dominated by the likes of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and for what it might lack in styling chutzpah, it makes up for with a strong value-for-money proposition. There is some flair in the Captiva’s fender bulges, gaping air intake, and vaguely Euro-inspired wheel design, but like the Optra and Aveo sedans, the Captiva’s crisp lines and well-defined edges produce a handsome but somewhat derivative look.

In any case, this is probably a deliberate styling decision as its market may be wary of overly ambitious fashion statements. As a daily driver, company car, and weekend road tripper, the Captiva looks the part without looking either snobbish or low-rent. The exterior conveys confidence and masculinity without looking too brusque, while the interior is roomy and minimalist in the Euro-inspired silver- accent-and-traditional-black motif.

Two engine types are offered with the Captiva, and both put out impressive numbers. The gasoline engine is a double overhead camshaft 2.4-liter rated at 142 PS and 22 kg-m of torque, while the other engine is a common rail direct injection turbodiesel displacing 2.0-liters and rated at 150 PS and 32 kg-m of torque. Both engines are mated to a state-of-the-art 5-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic manual override system, and both can be configured as either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

The Captiva uses a monocoque chassis and an all-independent front-strut and multi-link rear suspension for car-like ride and handling characteristics. All-disk brakes with ABS are standard on all models, while all-wheel drive variants use a part-time system. The latter is normally a front-wheel drive under normal conditions but automatically transfers torque to the rear in 50:50, 60:40, or 70:30 proportions depending on the available traction. It’s not a trail-busting setup, but for the thousands of buyers who’ll only need four-wheel drive to get through floods and moderately difficult dirt roads, it’s convenient and economical with fuel consumption.

Being known for value-for-money, Chevrolet has loaded the Captiva with a ton of standard features. Whether front-wheel drive or four-, diesel or gas, the Captiva is fully equipped. It comes with rain sensing wipers; power-folding mirrors; dual SRS airbags; keyless entry with alarm and immobilizer; headlamp leveling device; speed-sensitive auto door locks, 6-speaker stereo; front reading lamps; projector type headlamps; and even dual taillamps.

Only the all-wheel drive diesel model adds front and rear foglamps and reverse sensors, but otherwise prospective Captiva buyers will have little reason to complain. Safety-minded buyers will also be pleased to know that the Captiva was awarded a four-star quality rating for occupant protection in its category by Euro NCAP (www.euroncap.com), one of the highest regarded safety organizations in the world. And in this age of generous warranty packages, the standard program is three years or 100,000 kilometers and 24-hour Roadside Assistance.

Now the most important question, how much? The front-wheel drive gas retails at P1.175M, the front-wheel drive diesel at P1.275M, the all-wheel drive gas at P1.375M, and the all-wheel drive diesel is P1.475M. With specs like that at these prices, it’s a safe bet that the Captiva will win over more than its fair share of buyers in the years to come.