Model Tested: 2007 Holden Captiva CX 3.2 litre automatic

Recommended retail price: $35,990 - $42,990 Model as tested: $38,990)

CarAdvice rating: 3.5/5

Captiva is the brain child of former Holden heavy weights Simcoe and Wolff, who saw an opening in our market, and introduced the model to the Holden line-up in late 2006.

Although smaller, Holden set Captiva to rival Ford's all conquering Territory and insisted this was what the motoring public wanted. Since its release, the Captiva has quietly grown its sales numbers against the aging Territory, totalling almost 4,000 units to date, (Ford sold 6,958 Territory models over the last twelve months) and with the more fuel efficient diesel variant now available, these numbers could well increase.

Models

There are four variants to choose from. Entry level SX comes with stability control, air-conditioning, cruise control, single CD player, 17" alloy wheels, and dual front and curtain airbags as standard equipment, whilst CX (as tested) adds third row seats (which fold flat in to the floor when not in use), self-levelling rear suspension and a six-stack in-dash CD player.

The big step up comes with the LX, and includes 18" alloy wheels, heated wing mirrors, leather faced upholstery and steering wheel, climate control, power driver's seat and a chilled glove box. Topping the range is the Maxx, which shares all LX equipment but loses the seven-seat option and, as yet, is not available with the diesel engine. Holden says this could be on the cards depending on diesel sales numbers.

Engines

Powered by the locally built 3.2 litre V6 (smaller capacity variant of the VE's 3.6) the petrol Captiva develops 169kW @ 6,600RPM and 297Nm of torque @ 3,200RPM and is available with a five-speed manual gearbox (not available on Maxx) or optional five-speed sequential shift automatic. It seems to work a little hard though, and did not return (by a long shot) Holden's claimed 11.5l/100km.

The more viable option is the 1.9 litre turbo diesel. Sourced from GM-Daewoo's Bupyeong Plant in South Korea, it boasts 7.6l/100km and at only $1,000.00 more than its petrol brothers, is the way to go.

Safety

Scoring a surprising four stars from ANCAP, the level of safety features, both passive and active, are far more than you'd expect from a Korean car. This is very reassuring news for family buyers.

The active four-wheel drive system offers up to 50:50 front to rear torque split (as required) but being computer controlled is not recommended for serious off-roading.

Dual front and curtain airbags are standard across the range, though if you are a used or demo buyer, be advised this was not the case with the earlier imports, and it may pay to check.

Brake pedal feel is very unusual, and hard to master. The amount of brake pedal pressure required to stop is disconcerting. I found myself pushing a lot harder than desirable to achieve the required result, but all in all, braking is adequate.

Exterior

Captiva's styling is modern and fresh, though a little plain and doesn't really challenge convention.

Perhaps a good thing considering it's a first attempt. Fit and finish of panels is good, but not excellent, and the paint finish seems to be better than many other Korean cars. Metallic paint attracts an additional charge of $360.

Interior

The materials used, in particular those on the dash and door panels, are very cheap. They look tacky, which in a car of this price range is unacceptable. The centre dash controls feel a tad notchy and it will be interesting to see how these hold up long-term. Fan noise from the second speed setting onwards is very loud, even annoying, but the heating and cooling system is overall very effective.

The stereo is very basic, and has weak FM reception in built up areas. The auxiliary iPod/MP3 plug-in (available on CX up) is a welcomed addition though.

The third row seats are accessible via the tumble down' second row seats, which are also 60/40 split. Realistically the third row is suitable only for kids and does not offer ventilation outlets or opening windows.

A big, top-hinged tailgate allows great access to the luggage compartment, but with the third row seats up there is little room for baggage. Once these are down, folded neatly in to the floor, things do improve, but the inner wheel arches are big and obtrusive and compromise the utility of the entire area.

Over all fit and finish is acceptable, and there are loads of nifty storage areas.

Ergonomics

The driving position is reasonably natural, but you do feel like you're sitting on a kitchen chair. Seating is flat and firm, making the ride a little harsh, and the cloth material is not unlike sandpaper. The steering column is tilt and reach adjustable, but the wheel itself feels nasty to touch and is not well shaped to your hand.

All round visibility is great, which really helps when parking in tight spots, and the instrument cluster, whilst looking very out dated, is simple and therefore easily read. The high mounted centre display can be hard to read in sunny conditions.

Speedometer accuracy is very poor. I found on average that it read under by up to 6km/h.

Controls are easily reached and operated and don't require much thought, negating the need for you to take your eyes off the road. Cruise and audio controls are steering wheel mounted and thumb operated. The handbrake feels fragile and requires a lot of travel to engage. Perhaps it was in need of adjustment. Halogen headlamps are adequate but not fantastic, most noticeably on country roads at night.

Drive

Captiva drives reasonably well, cornering is confident with little body roll, even under braking. There is however a tendency to understeer in very tight corners, especially suburban roundabouts, even at low speeds. Parking is easy for an SUV and the steering is light without losing too much road feel.

Holden claims 11.5l/100km, but I beg to differ. I found on average this to be closer to 15l/100km in mixed highway and city driving conditions.

Service & Warranty:

Service intervals are 12 months /15,000kms. Warranty 3 years / 100,000kms.

Photographs and review by Matt Brogan

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