2011 Chevrolet Captiva | Road Test and Review in Dubai

[ChevroletDxb]

One of the most prominent changes is the reshaped front end. The dual-opening grille centered by the bow tie emblem has become a Chevrolet signature. The so-called three-dimensional headlamps up the handsome quotient by a notch and reminds one of the Mitsubishi Outlander. The rear end remains the same though. The rounded edges are a car-inspired design much like the Honda CRV and the bold wheel arches, optional 18” wheels (our test car had 17” wheels) and air-intake ports incorporated into the fenders offer a sporty stance. The front apron sits so low, the approach angles are anything but “SUV”. Even 4” curbs bother this one. Park with care. Integrated turn lamps in the side view mirrors seem common styling culture these days and the Captiva keeps it contemporary.

INTERIOR STYLING

The interior styling is rather insipid and come in a shade of vanilla regardless of what colour fabric or leather you choose. Besides the satin finish plastics popular in most American cars there is also a glossy black stripe that is placed across the dash. We love the fact that the instrument panel gauges are easy to read and all the buttons on the centre console are spaced and sized aptly. Seems like the basics of ergonomics is a big chapter in the Chevrolet’s design guide.Tester notes recall the odd clock casing which makes it difficult to read the time from some angles.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

Matches BMW's 3-litre for max. output and beats the Corvette for specific output! Impressive!

Under the bonnet lies a 3.0-liter V6 Direct Injection with VVT that generates a 264bhp at 6950 rpm and a twisting force of 299.7 Nm at 5100 rpm. This matches BMW for their 3-litre engines and the specific output of 88bhp/litre is even more commendable beating its own stable mate the Corvette, 70bhp/litre. There has been a 15% horsepower increase, an 8% increase in engine torque and a 25% reduction of cold-start emissions. The claimed 198km/h top speed seems achievable under the right conditions considering its 264bhp output. The press release states a 0-100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds. In our test runs we only managed a 10.4 second run with 2 persons aboard. But 60km/h came in a swift 6.1 seconds, which means this is quick off the blocks and this will be no slouch in the city. The power deliver is generally smooth and refined and there is heaps of tugging power beyond 4000rpm.

2011 Chevrolet Captiva also available is the less exciting 2.4-liter VVT engine that spins to a slightly dizzy 6200 rpm to produce its peak power i.e. 169bhp, while torque figures are a lowly 216 Nm at 6200 rpm. The claimed 190 km/h would seem far fetched and 0-100 km/h time of 10.5 seconds is more like a sub 13 seconds range in reality.

The LTZ model we drove featured the ITCC (Intelligent Torque Controlled Coupling) all-wheel-drive system. In most conditions, the front wheels propel the car However, if the electronic system feels the need to intervene, it will redistribute the torque between the front and rear axle, with up to 50% of the power going to the rear. The transfer of torque is not instantaneous and we observed some torque steer under hard acceleration.

RIDE & HANDLING

The ride quality is what you expect of this car; it is supple at most speeds. The trade off though is handling. There is noticeable body roll when going around corners, even the slow turns in parking lots the car seems to wallow. The steering however is light and accurate, making you ignore the sheer size of the car.

COMFORT, FEATURES & PRACTICALITY

We believe the selling point of the Captiva is the space it offers and flexibility associated with it. The test car came with third row seats capable of seating 5 adults and 2 kids in the rear. The third row and rear seats can be folded, flush with the floor of loading bay, generating a cargo volume of 2,012 litres. Numbers may seem intangible but this really is a lot of cargo space. Chevrolet have given due consideration for child safety and have fitted Isofix anchor points on the outer seats of the second row, to facilitate fitting of child seats. Under the useful sliding arm rest nestled are 2 cup holders with a deep compartment for all your storage needs. Third row good for kids.

The Aux-in and Bluetooth connectivity are available with commands integrated on the steering wheel as optional on the LT and standard on LTZ. We synced our phones and managed to play in-phone audio in a matter of moments. Faster than few German super saloons we recently tested.

SAFETY

The Captiva comes with a full complement of 3 point seat belts. Safety systems include Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System, Hydraulic Brake Assist, Hill Descent Control and Active Rollover Protection. All to keep you out of trouble.

FUEL ECONOMY

2011 Chevrolet Captiva

Claimed economy for the V6 model is 10.7 l/100km. In our time spent driving the Captiva, it returned a modest 12-13 l/100km. A reasonable figure considering this is a SUV of sizable dimensions. Fuel consumption for the 4-cylinder model on a combined cycle is a claimed 8.9 l/100km.

PRICING & WARRANTY

The Dubai based dealer for Chevrolet, Al Ghandi Auto have priced the 2.4-litre 4 cylinder LT model at Dhs. 83,000, while the 3.0-litre V6 LTZ gets a sticker price of Dhs. 116,000.

Chevrolet warranties are currently the best in the business. The Lifetime warranty applies for 3 year / 100,000km limit, bumper to bumper. After which the warranty is retained for only the drivetrain i.e engine and transmission and A/C. Do note this is invalidated with the change of ownership.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engines: 3-litre DI V6 // 2.4-litre I4

Max power (bhp @ rpm): 264 @ 5,200 // 169 @ 6200

Max torque (Nm @ rpm): 299.7 @ 2800 // 216 @ 4400

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Driven wheels: All-wheel drive // Front wheel drive

PERFORMANCE

3-litre DI V6

0 to 60 km/h: 6.1 seconds (tested)

0 to 100 km/h: 8.6 seconds (claimed)

0 to 100 km/h: 10.4 seconds (tested)

Top Speed: 198kmph (claimed)

2.4-liter 4 cylinder

0 to 100 km/h: 10.5 seconds (claimed)

Top Speed: 190km/h (claimed)

SOURCE: http://automiddleeast.com/2011/07/26/headline/2011-chevrolet-captiva-road-test/

[Shabir]

Its one F. Ugly car trying to impersonate what its not. They made it even more uglier now.

[captiva]

the price decreased by more than 30% in the 1st year,

no one should buy it

this is an advice from someone who had this problem.