Chevrolet opened up an all-new vehicle market when it invented the SUV back in 1935. Drawing on this vast experience the company has refined the Captiva, to advance with the changing needs of a global SUV audience with a focus on environmental awareness and added vehicle refinement.
The new Chevrolet Captiva typifies all that is great about Chevrolet, a long time South African favourite automotive brand that is experiencing a resurgence based on a restatement of core values. Value for money, expressive design, and appeal as family vehicles typify the values for which the Chevrolet brand has become renowned over generations of motorists all over the world.
This latest Chevrolet Captiva is designed to appeal to a broad range of motorists from a variety of global markets with an inbuilt sensitivity to increasing environmental awareness. The Captiva displays the chunky, purposeful styling associated with a modern SUV, especially one from the world’s best loved SUV brand, but matches this to a range of efficient, latest technology drive train options for great fuel economy and engineering refinement.
In its market segment the Captiva offers a superb value proposition. High level specification and performance aside, the Captiva features a 7-seat configuration that makes it unique in its price category, a distinct benefit for families.
A choice of four models is offered, all with advanced powertrains for optimised power and fuel efficiency. The Captiva 2.4LT is offered as a front wheel drive with a choice of manual or 6 speed automatic transmission and as an all-wheel drive vehicle with an all new 6-speed manual transmission. The top of the range Captiva 3.0 LTZ features all-wheel drive via an automatic transmission.
Car-like dynamics make the Captiva well suited to a wide range of personal motoring requirements and lifestyles. In a leisure vehicle application the Captiva offers the functionality and added traction of all wheel drive. In an urban transport role it offers a spacious and more bold looking option to a typical family saloon or MPV. It is in this role that the front wheel drive configuration offers improved driving economy and lower acquisition cost without any trade-off in functionality in an urban environment.
Quality
The new Captiva is not only designed to look good but also to meet the highest global quality standards. At the core of the excellent build quality is GM’s Global Manufacturing System which is used at all its manufacturing facilities including the Incheon production facility where the Captiva is built.
This system not only dictates stringent quality checks throughout the production cycle but also that each and every vehicle that comes off the production line is comprehensively audited to ensure that it meets the most exacting quality standards.
The entire staff at the Chevrolet plant in Incheon, is dedicated to building quality vehicles. As a final check each and every vehicle is subjected to a full quality audit and final approval before it leaves the plant for delivery.
General Motors South Africa stands behind this commitment to overall quality with a 5 year/120 000 kilometre warranty with Roadside Assistance. A 3 year/60 000 kilometre Service Plan is included in the purchase price of the Captiva.
Safety
The Chverolet Captiva features an advanced chassis design at the heart of a group of active and passive safety features designed to protect passengers in the event of a collision. The Captiva has achieved a 4-star Euro NCAP safety rating, at the top end of certifications for an SUV type vehicle.
The Captiva body shell is made from high strength, bake-hardened steel for excellent overall rigidity and resistance to impact damage. The chassis design incorporates four integrated load paths that direct impact energy from a frontal collision away from the cabin area into the side and cross members. A cross member mounted ahead of the instrument panel also assists in absorbing impact energy and reduces any intrusion of the dashboard into the cabin space.
Crumple zones are employed all around the vehicle to absorb impact energy. Both the front and rear bumpers are one-piece mouldings designed to absorb low speed impacts without transferring energy into the main chassis. This means that low speed collision damage is isolated and damage repair costs reduced.
Both front and rear doors are reinforced with side impact protection bars. The strength of the B-pillars varies at different heights to channel the deflection away from vulnerable areas for occupants. Airbag protection is provided for both front seat occupants together with curtain side airbags across the range. The Captiva 3.0 LTZ specification includes seat-side airbags for driver and front seat passenger.
Three-point seat belts are provided for all seven seats. The two outermost seats in the second row are fitted with Isofix attachments for the installation of compatible child seats.
ABS brakes with Brake Assist and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) provide enhanced driver control for collision avoidance across the range while traction control, Hill Decent Control, and Hill Start Assist extend the list of safety features.
