Chevrolet Captiva

Overview

Originally developed by Daewoo as Daewoo Winstrom, the Chevrolet Captiva has been one of the oldest nameplates in company’s lineup in many Asian markets including the Philippines. The vehicle, in its course of lifetime, has received very few changes, with the model currently on sale nearly almost seven years old in terms of design. However, given its massive size, the Chevrolet Captiva comes across as a roomy crossover which can seat seven with ease. Currently available in one petrol and diesel variant, the Chevrolet Captiva is being offered in five different color options – Auburn Brown, Switchblade Silver, Black Sapphire, Summit White, and Satin Grey.

Interior & Features

Just like the outside, the interiors of the Captiva too are now gradually showing age. The overall layout and design of the cabin has largely remained unchanged since its inception back in 2004.

The design of the four-spoke steering wheel is very dated, however, the silver accents on the spokes and the mounted controls for audio and telephony somehow hide its age. Mimicking the dated appeal of the cockpit is the very basic looking instrument console, which looks archaic thanks to the absence of MID screen.

The centre console also makes the cabin a bit gloomy, due to the absence of touchscreen units and the presence of overload buttons for various functions. The single DIN music system sits in between the large top housing of the centre console, which looks extremely dated and badly needs an upgrade. Perhaps a modern touchscreen infotainment system with seamless smartphone connectivity might be a savior here.

The silver finish around the vertical AC vents placed adjacent to the music system adds a premium touch to the center console, and so does the extra silver finish AT the sides of the lower portion of the center console. The layout of buttons for auto climate control too is quite old-school. Apart from this, the Captiva lacks a number of modern features which we usually take for granted from a vehicle of this stature.

While the Captiva loses out on some brownie points when it comes to interior layout and feature list, it settles up the scores by providing an immense amount of space within the cabin. The car provides an ample amount of legroom and headroom for all the three rows, and this is one of the very few 7-seaters, whose third row is pretty capacious.

Exterior

As mentioned earlier, the Chevrolet Captiva currently on sale has been in the market now for almost seven years, which explains its dated feel in design. The crossover, however, is quite large in size, giving it an intimidating stance which is quite essential for this segment.

At the front, the Chevrolet Captiva has got the company’s traditional split grille design in a rounded hexagonal shape, with the bowtie logo sitting proudly in between. The split grille gets chrome surrounds to make it look premium. At the same time, the presence of thick black cladding in the lower portion of the front bumper gives it a rugged stance. The blocky shape for headlamps with projector unit and trapezoidal housings for fog lamps with chrome touches complete the frontal look of the Captiva.

Moving towards the side, the Chevrolet Captiva has a simplistic approach in its design. The crossover has a safe design accentuated by the presence of black cladding, door mounted large rear view mirrors, roof rails and a prominent line flowing right at the centre of the side profile. At the rear, the design is again quite plain, the large tail lamps comes with LED inserts and large cladding job on the bumper are among the key highlights. 

Overall, thanks to near to zero no changes in recent times, the Chevrolet Captiva, despite its intimidating size, feels a decade old now.

Ride & Handling

Given its archaic appeal, it’s pretty evident that the Captiva comes with a usual Macpherson strut setup at the front and multilink at the rear. However, the suspension settings do get auto air level control, which makes driving in any condition a piece of cake. The overall ride quality is on a softer side, making it one of the most comfortable car to be in. While the Captiva comes with both front and rear disc brakes for optimum braking performance, the SUV is equipped with electronic parking brake as well.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Unlike most of the competition, the Chevrolet Captiva is being sold in both petrol and diesel guises. Let’s talk about the gasoline-powered version first. The petrol engine is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder motor, which pumps out 165 bhp of maximum power and 229 Nm of peak torque. On the other hand, the diesel version comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder oil burner, which produces a maximum power output of 163 bhp and 360 Nm of torque.  Both the engine options get the assistance of a conventional 6-speed torque converter.

Braking & Safety

It is not only in terms of comfort and convenience features where the Chevrolet Captiva feels lacking – the same kind of story is being followed in the safety equipment list as well. Though the Captiva misses out on modern electronic safety aids, it still is pretty much well equipped with essentials like dual front airbags, ABS, reverse parking sensors, and electronic parking brake.

Verdict

In today’s day and age, the presence of many modern SUVs makes the Chevrolet Captiva feels quite dated. While the overall design is butch and bulky, it lacks the modern appeal and novelty which is very essential for a vehicle of its class. Adding to it, the interiors feel dated, both in terms of design as well as equipment levels. However, the Captiva still has some strong grounds, with the car excelling well in space, comfortable driving, and road presence. However, the presence of modern and intimidating SUVs including its very own stable-mate, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, at a slight premium cost over Captiva makes the latter quite an undesirable choice in current times.