Chevrolet Captiva Review
Published: 12th November 2007
Chevrolet Captiva
The test car, which was the top-of-the-range 2.0v CDi, LTX, Auto, 7-seater is priced at a reasonable (£24,825). Included in the price and exclusive to this trim are Electronic Climate Control with an air-quality sensor, heated, folding door mirrors with integral indicator repeaters (they all have powered mirrors), Automatic Lighting Control, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, heated seats and full leather trim.
Starting at the back; the third row of two full-size seats are easily pulled up into place complete with three-point safety belts. When they are in use there is 85-litres of luggage space between them and the split tailgate. This increases to 465-litres when they are lowered into the floor. The second row features 60:40 split, fold and recline functions, further expanding the carrying capacity to 930-litres and with the front passenger seat folded the load floor is extended to 270cm, which is almost 9 feet and the maximum capacity of 1,565-litres can be achieved.
The drivers of the LT and LTX version have the benefit of 8-way adjustment to their seat, which works well with the rake- and reach-adjustable steering column, making it easy to find a comfortable driving position. The driver’s environment is both sophisticated and cleanly laid out. This is especially so of the centre console with its brushed aluminium-effect side panels that house the central air vents.
The instrument nacelle contains two large conjoined dials, which have a hint of chronograph about them and the soft-touch finished to the doors and dash add to the welcoming ambience. Only the LTX comes with a multi-functional trip computer and a 6-CD autochanger to go with the standard RDS radio/CD player with an MP3 jack socket, and all Captivas have secondary audio controls on the steering wheel.
The petrol-engine car is the only one in the range to have just front wheel drive. All of the others have an on-demand, All-Wheel-Drive system, which comes into play as and when it’s needed. The AWD system isn’t lockable, so it is entirely up to the various sensors to determine when the torque should to be distributed to the rear wheels on grassy slopes, loose surfaces and towing, for instance. What is does have is push-button, Descent Control, which will come in handy in hilly areas and is just one of the electronic gizmos that feature in the LT and LTX.
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