Chevrolet is one of the earliest brands of automobiles, tracing its roots back to the early 20th century, incorporating its design prowess into many vehicle platforms including sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
The seven-seater Captiva crossover SUV, developed by the Korean arm of General Motors (GM Daewoo), has been a popular model since its introduction in 2006.
There are two variants currently available here, namely the 2.0L diesel model and the 2.4L gasoline, with a face-lifted gasoline variant to be rolled out sometime in the future.
This week’s focus is on the diesel variant, featuring a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre engine with a commonrail diesel injection system and a variable turbo system mated to a five-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission, all on 17-inch wheels.
The vehicle showcased the essential design elements of the SUV echelon: a large frame, strong lines, a powerhouse engine, sports rails and variably adjustable rear space providing up to a massive 930-litre space.
The interior was immaculate with black and chrome motif, creating a slick and empowering ambience in the cabin.
The seats and steering wheel were bound in black leather, nicely adding to the comfort, posh styling and overall appeal of the vehicle. The driver seat was electronically adjustable in eight directions while the lumbar position was manually controlled via a large dial on the side of the seat.
All controls were straightforward and intuitive for precise adjustment to ensure comfort.
The Digital Information Centre (DIC) was at the heart of the centre console, providing various control options and a nifty digital compass to help me with my bearings.
The compartment below the DIC was handy for storage, presumably portable multimedia devices. The sound system with a six-CD changer and Blue Tooth connectivity option was acceptably clear with eight direction speakers for evenly distributed sound throughout the interior.
Additional controls for volume and the FM tuner along with cruise control were made available via buttons on the steering wheel; changing FM radio stations and volume were intuitive and I must add that the FM tuner stability was excellent.
Another utilitarian but eye-catching feature was the front sliding centre arm rest which doubled as a two-tier storage space.
The rear centre arm rest and floor compartments were equally handy, brilliantly accommodating various knick knacks that would otherwise be strewn on the seats and/or floor.
The vehicle featured an array of safety features such as dual air-bags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) as well as Traction Control and Hill Descent Control System (HDCS) which could be disabled via switches above the CD player.
Starting the engine produced the comforting drone of the diesel powertrain which was not overbearing.
The overall cabin noise level was comfortably low and the ambient city noise was at a pleasing minimum.
While cruising along the eastern edge of the city, the engine and transmission performed admirably in tandem and the captiva purred along the roads with confidence.
There were two different modes of the tiptronic transmission for varied driving styles: automatic mode and manual mode. The gear shifting was acceptably smooth in both modes.
There was also a ‘winter’ mode switch which I left alone prudently.
The diesel engine came alive as the variable turbo system activated to propel the vehicle to impressive performance levels; the power and torque were there as soon as I pressed the accelerator and the tachometer rose above 2,000 rpm.
The handling of the Captiva was a pleasure to experience as steering was smooth and intuitive and the suspension handled the bumps and other undesirable components of the roads.
One particular feature I noted was the HDCS which assisted me in safely handling downhill roads with my foot off the pedal; it was overridden by pressing the accelerator again.
This feature would be of great value to inexperienced drivers in hilly terrain.
The Captiva comes with a wide range of colour options: Iceberg Blue Met, Highland Green, Alpine White, Tornado Red, Sparking Tan, Royal Gray, Black Sapphire and Sterling Silver Met.
Along with the gorgeous black leather and other luxurious trimmings, the diesel variant offers quite a bit more torque than its 2.4-litre petrol-powered sibling, thus adding to the justification for its price tag which is about RM11,000 more than the latter’s.
The Captiva is a fine example of what a contemporary crossover SUV should be: a plush, smooth riding powerhouse with plenty of brute strength on demand.
