Chevrolet Captiva 2.2 AWD: First Drive

The Chevrolet Captiva has been around for a while,  almost four years since its launch in 2008. In this day and age, it is pretty much a car from a different era, an era when GM wasn’t really enjoying the success it does today. Back then, it was one of Chevy’s most successful and recognised models in the country and with a little exaggeration, one could even say that it was the Captiva that kept the ball rolling till the Beat and the Cruze arrived on the scene. That being said though, this friendly-faced SUV was getting a little long in the tooth and in the light of the Cruze getting a completely revamped engine, GM saw it fit to get some dental work done in the Captiva, albeit only in the top end model.

Now let’s get this straight – the LT and the Xtreme models haven’t received any updates. What Chevy has done instead is effectively introduce a new top-spec model, called the 2.2 LTZ AWD, armed with a new engine, an attractive new fascia and revamped interiors. This redesign has been seen on the international Captiva since 2011, and now it has finally made its way to India. Don’t get me wrong; underneath it’s still pretty much the same SUV that we’ve come to know and love all this while. But now, with its bolder, much bigger grille, redesigned headlights and new bumper, the new Captiva looks much more aggressive and intimidating compared to the older model. Apart from the revamped front end though, the only other small change is a new side grille on the front quarter panels. Otherwise, externally, the car remains completely unchanged.

Step inside however, and you’re treated to many more changes. There is a completely redesigned instrument cluster with a far cleaner and more modern layout and you also get a new music system. The wood trim bits have been replaced by faux carbon-fibre strips – a touch that goes brilliantly with the all-black leather interiors. In fact the faux carbon-fibre dashboard trim strip cuts through the centre console, creating two separate areas, one for the multi-function display and the stylish clock and the other for the music player and climate controls. Overall, it’s a nice touch and really adds to the style quotient of the car. The Captiva maintains its 5+2 flexi seating option which features a split folding middle row as well as a split collapsing third row to make room for luggage.

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The biggest change in this SUV, however, is under the hood, where the old 2.0-litre VCDi diesel mill (the same one that does duty in the old Cruze) has been replaced by a new 2.2-litre VCDi unit. This all-new engine now makes 186.5PS of power and a whopping 424Nm of torque at a lowly 2,000rpm. Coupled to a 6-speed automatic gearbox that feeds all this power and torque to an all-time on-demand four-wheel drive system, the Captiva can do the dash from zero to 100km/h in 11.4 seconds. Not bad at all for a car which has to lug this much bulk around. But while the transmission offers smooth gear changes, where it lets the car down a bit is in its ability to get to a higher gear quickly and stay in a higher gear as well. The shift programme wants to down change as soon as you lift off the throttle, and while this is good for spirited driving, it has a pretty negative effect on the fuel economy, which hovers around the 7kmpl mark in the city and rises only marginally to 10kmpl on the highway. That being said, the Captiva feels very easy to drive not just on the highway, but around town as well and handles a bit of soft-roading with the utmost of ease.

In terms of safety features, this new Captiva offers a whopping six airbags as standard while the 4-channel ABS (also offered as standard) proved to be really effective on the wet and slippery streets of Pune, even though the brakes feel like they lack a bit of bite. And on the features side, this new Captiva also comes standard with Cruise Control, which can make driving long distances on the highway an absolute breeze.

Of course, all these updates – a new fascia, freshened interiors and a new engine, don’t exactly come cheap, and at Rs 24.59 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) this new Captiva is anything but that. This new car costs Rs 5 lakh more than the older 2.0-litre 4WD automatic Captiva Xtreme, but that being said, it does offer a lot more. And when you compare it to its competitors, the closest one being the Toyota Fortuner, then it suddenly starts making much more sense. The top end 4x4 Fortuner costs a little over Rs 22 lakh, but only comes in a manual gearbox option. This new Captiva however, for a premium of just Rs 3 lakh, offers an automatic transmission and significantly more kit as well as safety equipment. One can’t help but think this is the more premium feeling SUV in the Rs 25 lakh bracket, and while it might not be the most capable of the lot, you really can’t go wrong with this one.