The Captiva has been Chevrolet’s best seller since it arrived at our shores, though it still loses out to more popular choices, namely the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail. Hicom-Chevrolet certainly sees these two as the Captiva’s natural rivals, with their marketing team aiming their crosshairs at these two established Japanese players. The Chevy is an interesting preposition, with a far lengthier specs sheet than both its designated competitors going at the same price.

Recently, Chevrolet can be seen ramping up their promotion of this highly capable SUV, but they are still losing out in terms of badge value. Undeterred, Chevy raises the game by introducing a facelifted version of the Captiva with even more features at the same price. In response, we quickly arranged for a demo car to review Chevy’s prospects.

Chevrolet Captiva

Our Test Car

There are two engine options for the Captiva, 2.0-litre diesel or 2.4-litre petrol, both featuring 5-speed automatic transmission as standard with an on-demand all-wheel drive system optional. Chevrolet markets the diesel version as the higher-end model, offering more toys like auto headlight control, power folding side mirrors, cruise control, hill descent control, traction control, and brake assist, all of which are omitted in the petrol model.

Hicom-Chevrolet loaned us the top spec diesel version, painted in Black Sapphire on the outside, with the interior finished in a two-tone black and beige colour scheme. In the showrooms, our test car would sell at RM161k OTR with insurance. In addition, it also came with the Captiva Sporty Package which would add RM7.7k to the purchase price. It includes a front bumper guard, black chrome bezel headlamps, side step, chrome wind deflector and clear lens taillights.

Enhancements of the Captiva Sporty Package.

The front bumper guards and bezel headlamps gives an added edge to the front fascia, but the wind deflectors and tail lights hardly do much to lift the Captiva’s already handsome looks. This is especially true of the clear lens tail lights, which have a very aftermarket look about them. The deflectors, meanwhile, adds too much chrome to the car, giving a ‘bling-bling’ infusion to a classy and elegant shape.

Getting Inside

The Captiva did not give me a wonderful first impression when I collected it. As the Chevy PR rep drove the car up the Wisma DRB-Hicom lobby, the diesel clatter of the engine was as loud and unrefined as a bus in Pudu Raya. The doors sounded as if as they were made by separate manufacturers. While the ones in front close with a solid and convincing thud, those at the rear slam shut with a hollow feel. I was caught a few times believing I did not close the door properly.

The Captiva’s cabin.

Initially, things didn’t get much better inside. The dashboard mounted digital clock looks woefully out of date, and decidedly out of place. In addition, the four-way adjustable headrests, even after being pushed furthest back sticks out a little too much for comfort. The interior is actually very well put together, but the beige coloured finishing in these 2009 models simply stain too easily. Our test car, less than a month old with under 3,000km on the odo, already has stains all over the lower parts of the dashboard when we received it. Chevrolet should seriously consider reverting back to the black interior of the 2008 cars.

Clock looks outdated, headrest sticks too far out, and panels stain too easily.

Fortunately, the bad news ends there. The ergonomics of the dash are rather good. Most of the controls are well-positioned and easy to reach for both driver and passenger. Buttons and stalks had a solid tactile feel about them, with the exception of the gear lever which felt a loose when being slotted into position. There were also plenty of storage spaces and cubby holes, but surprisingly, there really isn’t a suitable space on the centre console to chuck your mobile phone. The best solution I came up with was to put it in the slot under the multifunction display with the cover open.

Controls are well laid-out. Surprisingly, engine can be switched off with gear lever at neutral.

A comment is reserved for the GPS unit supplied by Gophers, retrofitted into the Captivas by HICOM-Chevrolet after they come in from Thailand. Because it is a retrofit, the GPS, a detachable and portable unit, runs on power drawn from the cigarette lighter. Our test car came with the power cable plugged into the lighter and the cable running under the dashboard and emerging from the A-pillar, with the GPS unit cradle mounted on the windscreen alongside the A-pillar as well.

While this is a neat solution to obviate the unsightly view the power cord dangling around the dashboard, it is not the most user-friendly position, as it makes it impossible for the driver to call on the passenger’s help to operate the GPS. A better solution is to find someway to mount the GPS unit in the middle.

Our suggestion

The rear seats are a strong point of the Captiva’s interior, allowing for switching of multiple configurations quickly and painlessly. The mechanism slots solidly at the end points, yet disengage easily. Many such folding mechanisms are either flimsy, or too stiff, the ones in the Captiva combine solidity with user-friendliness. For most of our journey, we had the Captiva configured as a five seater, with the third row function as a luggage compartment. Our test car came without the optional luggage shade, which we feel is one accessory worth ticking for, to keep your valuables out of plain sight.

Various possibilities of seat configurations

Luggage shade definitely an option you should tick.

Getting Going

When viewing the car at the showroom, some of you might get turned off by the (admittedly very) truck-like clatter of the diesel engine and scrap the idea of a test drive. You would be making a mistake, for the 1,991cc four-cylinder variable geometry turbodiesel is an absolute gem of a powerplant on the highways. Figures from Chevrolet’s specs sheet claims peak power of 148hp at 4,000rpm and peak torque of 320Nm at 2,000rpm.

2.0-litre turbodiesel idles like a truck, but becomes civilized on the highways.

A five-speed automatic transmission and an electronic on-demand all-wheel drive system completes the setup of a powertrain capable of breaching the national speed limit with only 2,100rpm registering on the tacho. A test drive which excludes a clear run on the highways will not do this engine justice. Folks accustomed to the instant on-demand throttle response of Japanese cars will find this engine sluggish, but it most definitely is not.

5A/T pairs well with torquey powerplant.

Its acceleration is not likely to snap your neck, but don’t be fooled. The wave of torque coming from the engine comes so smoothly and seamlessly, you would easily find your speedo deep in the triple digit zone. It’s not rev-happy engine, but it is certainly very very torquey.

A point to note, which was highlighted to me by the Captivians, whom we followed to Penang recently, was that our test car was already spewing white smoke whenever we accelerated hard. Some of the Captivians also claimed that such occasions are reduced when pumping from Esso or Mobil, though we could not ascertain any improvement after switching to Esso on our second tank of diesel. On the consumption front, we recorded an overall figure of 10.4 litres/100km on a journey which was mostly on the highways, but had some urban and up the hill drivings thrown in.

The five-speed auto comes with Tiptronic manual override, but you’re not likely to need it for normal daily driving. It was, however, useful when we took on the twisted roads at Balik Pulau. Indeed, the Captiva acquainted itself well with the roads on the undeveloped side of Penang island. With the GPS activated and the transmission in manual mode, we were able to anticipate up coming curves and prepare to downshift for additional traction, almost negating the need for even braking at all but the sharpest corners.

We were impressed by the Captiva’s composure at corners, as it responded astonishingly well to direction changes. However, flip side to this was a rather busy ride. While it doesn’t crash through bumps or potholes, the suspension telegraphs almost every imperfection and undulation of the road surface to the cabin. We were given massage chair treatment on certain stretches of the North-South Highway.

Most of the so-called SUVs these days have the looks of SUVs, but not the capability. This cannot be said for the Captiva. Although it’s no Land Rover, it’s four-wheel drivetrain is still very capable. It climbed the 40 degree slopes of Bukit Genting without so much as a hint of drama. On the way down, the Hill Descent Control (HDC) system kept the Captiva’s descent firmly in check. The HDC does not sound very refined, but it works brilliantly. Show it a slope, press the HDC button, slot into gear, foot off the pedals and watch how the Captiva inch its way down on its own effort safely and effectively.

Hill Descent Control

How is it for the passengers?

The Captiva is ideally set up for five passengers, but can be converted to a seven seater by opening the back row of seats. Passengers at the middle row have the option of reclining their seats by an additional 10 degrees without much compromise on the third row’s leg room. The middle row seat backs split-fold in a 60:40 pattern, and has a centre armrest with a small storage compartment inside.

If the need to carry 7 people arises, the rear can sit two adults in reasonable comfort. There is a slight compromise in legroom, but the headroom is as good as the rear most full-sized sedans. However, because the rear windows are rather small, claustrophobics should remain up front. On our return trip from Penang, we had one person sitting on each row. Much to our surprise, the one sitting at the back had little complaints of discomfort. In fact the driver and rear-most passenger was able to engage in an extended chatter, demonstrating the excellent sound-proofing of the Captiva.

Gathering my thoughts from the back seat.

At highway speeds, intrusions of noise, as much as we can make out, were limited to wind-noise, of which we suspect the chrome deflectors  are the main culprits. Otherwise, we were able to engage in conversation and listen to music from the audio unit without too much trouble.

The final word

The Captiva’s model range starts with the RM143k 2.4L FWD petrol, but we believe that’s the entry level version just to attract the attention of those looking at the RM147k CR-V or the RM145k X-Trail 2.5. The one to really have, is the one we tested here, the RM161k 2.0L AWD diesel, though you may wish to forgo the Sporty Package that came with it. Instead, we would suggest that you tick the option boxes for the luggage shade and the convenience netting, which would be useful to keep items from falling off when you need to keep the tailgate open.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Captiva and we liked it a lot. It looks like an urban-only SUV, but Chevy has actually taken the trouble to arm it with a proper 4WD system. The diesel engine, despite its truck-like clatter is an absolute gem while cruising. To be honest, we expected a very ordinary drive from the Captiva. We got a pleasant surprise.

KON

Specifications: Chevrolet Captiva 2.0L Diesel AWD

Price (OTR incl insurance, Peninsula): RM161,442.30
Engine: 1,991cc, inline-4 cyl, SOHC 16V, variable geometry turbodiesel, common rail direct injection.
Max Power: 148hp @ 4,000rpm
Max Torque: 320Nm @ 2,000rpm
Emission Compliance: Euro III
Drivetrain: 5-speed automatic, electronic on-demand all-wheel drive.
Brakes (front / rear): Vent disc / Vent disc
Suspension (front / rear): MacPherson / Four-links with Self Leveling Dampers
Tyres & Wheels: 235/60 R17, 17″ ×7J
Length × Width × Height: 4,635mm × 1,850mm × 1,720mm
Wheelbase: 2,705mm
Weight: 1,915kg (kerb), 2,505kg (gross)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 65 litres

(+): Rear seats easy to configure. Superb drivetrain, excellent refinement at highways.
(-): The excellent refinement is replaced by diesel clatter at idle. Beige interior stains way too easily.

Verdict: An urban SUV with a properly good four-wheel drive system. It’s a lot more capable than it appears.

Discuss about the Chevrolet Captiva in our forum here.

Some hours ago, someone in a press room in Stuttgart put together a news release to announce to the world that the W204 Mercedes-Benz C-class was named in as one of 2009’s Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), adding another star to the C-class’ cap after receiving a five star rating by EuroNCAP. In essence, the IIHS’ crash test IS the United States’ answer to the EuroNCAP.

In the IIHS crash tests, cars are subject to frontal and side crashes, besides a rear impact test where evaluations to the cars’ protection against neck injury are evaluated. According to Mercedes, the W204 scored ‘top marks’ for each of the criteria, but whether the term is defined to mean maximum marks or highest marks among competitors could not be ascertained.

The US spec C-class which was tested had seven airbags, belt tensioners, belt force limiters and NECK PRO crash-responsive head restraints fitted as standard. Buyers can also opt for an anticipatory occupant protection system (dubbed PRESAFE) which pre-activates certain safety systems when it anticipates a collision to be imminent – a system that Mercedes claims would reduce the impact on occupants by as much as 40%.

Merc C-class, one of 72 Top Safety Picks of 2009

But, I was not going to just take Mercedes’ side of the story, and thus I went on to examine the claims at the IIHS’ official website (link here) where they listed no fewer than 72 Top Safety Picks for 2009 with another 26 ‘also-rans’. Here they are: (cars sold in Malaysia highlighted in bold)

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy (previously sold in Malaysia)
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit (VW Golf)

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control (Honda Jazz)

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano (only unofficially availabe in Malaysia)
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape (new generation not sold in Malaysia)
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma (Toyota Hilux)

ALSO-RANS
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 Top Safety Pick winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS, IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn AURA
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna

I will admit this, I never quite fancied big cars – SUVs, 4WDs, MPVs and the like. You won’t be finding any Harriers, Estimas, Alphards and their kind in any of my list of all things cool. Neither will you find me drooling over BMW’s X-whatevers, even the highly acclaimed X6 - come on, what kind of a name is an X6 xDrive50i? The Nissan Murano is an exception. That car looks like it came out of Captain Kirk’s garage.

So, you would be guessing right now that Land Rover isn’t among my list of favourite brands, and you would be spot on in your assessment. However, it is a brand that I respect. Why? Because they are built and designed religiously around a philosophy to which they hold dear. It’s just like Volvo’s philosophy is on uncompromising safety, BMWs always offer sheer driving pleasure, and Alfas always come with engines that rev with lustful zings. Landies, whether you need it or not, are uncompromisingly capable off-roaders.

Go beyond.

Unlike the old Land Rover Series I, modern Land Rovers are all very civilised upmarket transports, but still armed to the teeth for off-road missions. Most owners are unlikely to come across a situation where Hill Descent Control is needed, but any Land Rover without all these tricks are doomed to be dismissed by enthusiasts of the brand as fraud. Why do you think front-wheel driven Bimmers wear a ‘MINI’ badge?

This weekend, LR’s distributor in Malaysia, AutoConnexion has organised an event at the Royal Selangor Club for the public to test drive the lineup of Landies available for Malaysians. In the past, I would have given this event a miss without batting an eyelid, but I decided it’s time to widen my horizons. I wanted to see and feel for myself the elements that make this brand tick.

The choice of the Royal Selangor Club to host this event is an excellent one, as it reflects on Land Rover’s now upmarket status. Unfortunately, however, there really weren’t many places that visitors could park their cars, and most end up parking by the roadside. With the Club also hosting the International Youth Cricket 2008 tournament, I could only imagine how far away some visitors had to walk from their cars to the Club entrance.

Parking was a problem.

Parked in front of the guard house is an old LR Series I, greeting you and signifying the location of the event. As you walk in, you will notice a tent to your right, with a row of Landies parked in front of it, waiting for you to test drive them, of course. You walk into the tent to register your intentions, and while waiting for your turn, you can inspect upclose the Freelander 2, the Discovery 3 and the Range Rover Sport. I opted for each of the three aforementioned models. There was also the Range Rover TDV6 2.7, but I had to skip that one for another appointment.

The original Land Rover

The entire fleet for your driving pleasure.

Call this number for enquiries. (Disclaimer: This is not the girl’s number)

I went on the Disco 3 first. An interesting approach opted by AC was that each car is specifically assigned to one salesperson, rather than the usual mix-and-matching. Onto the car, the Disco 3 goes for RM382k, and that money brings you all the usual luxury goodies that include an 8-speaker harmon/kardon audio setup, park distance control, and rain sensors among many others.

Under the bonnet is a 2,720 cc V6 turbodiesel that whacks out 189bhp @ 4,000rpm and 440Nm @ 1,900rpm. All that juice goes to the four wheels via a six-speed auto (with manual override, like any good luxury car these days). The drivetrain is also equipped with Hill Descent Control, a system which allows the car to go down even the most slippery slopes in full control. The turbodiesel unit is sufficiently responsive and punchy, and while you won’t need to shave of any of the speeds you built up in it going over bumps, you definitely want to when going around corners. It’s still a tall car!

Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6 2.7L HSE

Disco-3’s interior

Fully armed for off road action

After the Disco 3, I took the Freelander 2 to the road. At RM271k, the FL2 is a whopping RM100k cheaper than the Disco 3, but is it RM100k less of a car than a Disco 3? Well, it does not feel that way. As a matter of fact, I’d say the Freelander 2 is a car I can more easily live with on a day-to-day basis, being more nimble and easier to drive. I cornered the FL2 with far greater poise and confidence than I did on the Disco 3. Oh, on both these cars, I was told not to brake for humps, with the intention of demonstrating their superior ride quality. Well, they succeeded on that count.

The FL2 is powered by a 2,179cc inline 4 turbodiesel. This unit churns out an impressive 160bhp @ 4,000rpm and 400Nm @ 2,000rpm. Despite the lower figures, this unit revs far more willingly than the Disco-3’s V6 unit. It’s perhaps not as fast, but the perception certainly does not suggest so. It’s not short on gizmoes either, it’s list of features and accessories are easily as long as that of the Disco 3 and no less impressive.

Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 HSE 2.2L

Freelander-2’s interior

Eh? Where’s the sat nav?

Finally, I hopped on to the Range Rover Sport – the absolute top dog of the range. The privelege of owning one will set you back by RM566k, with the money getting you a 4,394cc petrol V8 that produces 295bhp @ 5,500rpm and 425Nm @ 4,000rpm. Of course, that alone is not enough. How do you differentiate this from the RM200k cheaper Disco 3? Well, for one, when you climb on board, you notice that the cabin fit and materials are of a notch higher than the other 2 variants on display.

That satisfies the price, but does it satisfy the ‘Sport’ badge as well? This is a tall car. A renowned TV presenter once remarked that ‘anything that is tall, is not sporty’, citing personal experience. I will admit, I am of this school of thought, but then again these days it’s so fashionable to attach a ‘Sport’ badge to every other model, can we blame Land Rover for indulging themselves? Of course, that massive V8 upfront is a sufficiently powerful statement of intent.

Going over the same test route as I did with the Disco 3 and FL2 (which I must say was sufficiently long and well-plotted), I immediately noticed a much firmer suspension setup. As a result, the salesperson did not encourage me to crash through bumps like their other two did. Perhaps I am used to driving lower sedan cars, but this ‘Sport’ setup certainly didn’t convince me to corner this baby too hard, though I got a good measure of its punch up a straight line.

Range Rover Sport

4.4 V8 power under the hood.

Interior noticeably more upmarket

Good positioning of PW switches (applies to all models)

Touch screen… nice.

Of the three cars I tested, my favourite also happens to be the cheapest one. No doubt it lacks the horses, torque and toys compared to its more expensive siblings, the Freelander 2 is definitely the best driver’s car in my opinion. However, it would also be unfair to berate the other two for lacking ’sportiness’ in their character. That’s tantamount to criticising Arsenal for not being able to play basketball. The criticism would be valid, but it would be missing the point.

When you drive a Land Rover, it’s not about how hard it grips around a corner – that’s a task for a BMW. The point of a Land Rover is to ferry you and your passengers in safety & comfort knowing full well that you are in a vehicle capable of handling almost any terrain you decide to drive over without breaking sweat. As the tagline says, Go Beyond!

I am starting a new series called from the car, where I will post pictures taken while in the car. Our country is beautiful and even if you are too lazy to get out of the car, you can get some good pictures. These are taken on a drive to Cameron Highlands. It includes scenes along the North-South Expressway and the new Simpang Pulai- Gua Musang highway.

Pt1 – North-South Expressway

Pt2 Simpang Pulai-Gua Musang Highway

Pt3 Cameron Highlands

Pt4 Boh Plantation Sungai Palas