Chevrolet Captiva Launch
On sale 24th June

A chap I was talking to recently was telling me his wife wanted to buy a seven seater but found some of the MPVs on the market too van like to drive. She didn’t want an expensive off roader but liked a high seating position, space and versatility. Price too was an issue. I had almost given up suggesting different options until I attended the launch of Chevrolet’s new SUV.

The Chevrolet Captiva which goes on sale on 24th June has five or seven seats, is car like to drive with a high driving seat, has lots of space and standard equipment and has a budget price. It is also very stylish and heralds the design of a new Chevrolet generation which by 2010 will include six new replacement models beginning in 2008.

The Captiva offers an SUV which is affordable and very practical. 35-44 year old married couples with families will buy the 2000 models which Chevrolet expects to sell this year. A figure which will rise to 4000 in a full year.

One of its greatest assets is the seating arrangement. Buy a five seater and there will be lots of underfloor storage. But for just £1200 extra you can have seven seats which are a decent size and very easy to tuck away when not in use. To access the rear seats I pulled a lever with one hand which pulls the seat forward and then forward again to move it completely out of the way. As the middle seat isn’t a bench seat, it is possible to keep a child seat in place and just pull part of the middle seat forward to get access to the rear seats. The middle seats also recline and adjust for comfort. Space in the rear is large enough for an adult to take a short journey in comfort.

Another of the Captiva’s winning features is the amount of storage space and there is stacks. There are three trim levels, LS, LT and LTX but Chevrolet expects that 60% of owners will opt for the LT trim which gives a choice of five or seven seats, air conditioning, tailgate with separate opening rear window, front, side and roof air bags, 17” alloy wheels, a leather covered steering wheel and gearknob, cooled glovebox, a passenger’s under seat storage tray and an eight speaker CD system with MP3 jack. It also includes extra safety and handling systems such as ESP and a Descent Control system.

Inside the cabin the ride is very pleasant and quiet. I didn’t need to raise my voice to be heard by my passenger. The suspension is firmish but I was driving in Southern Ireland where many of the roads aren’t as good as those in the UK. The middle of the range model comes with on demand all wheel drive and if it is off roading capability that is needed then the Captiva will easily traverse the odd field but it would be unfair to expect Range Rover capability at a budget price.

Chevrolet says that most owners will opt for the 2 litre diesel engine which I found very torquey and quiet. However, some women don’t like filling up with diesel considering it dirty and smelly so Chevrolet is offering a 2.4 litre petrol engine, something that most of the competition aren’t doing. The diesel engine in manual mode will reach 60mph in 12.2 seconds and go on to a top speed of 112mph. CO2 emissions are 233g/km and fuel consumption with combined use is 32.8mpg. The diesel also comes with manual or automatic transmission.

Chevrolet says that the UK is critical to the company’s future sales expansion. Offering an SUV which starts at £16,995 on the road that is so versatile, spacious and packed with lots of equipment will more than likely captivate British drivers.


Sue Cooke