Holden Captiva: First Look

Motoring Channel Staff - 14/Mar/2006

GM Holden announced it would be importing a new 7-seater SUV into Australia for local consumption in second half of 2006, called the Captiva.

Making its "official" debut at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in the month was the new generation SUV, Chevrolet Captiva, which will be badged a Holden Captiva here in Australia.The new-look SUV will take the place of the unloved Jackaroo, which incidentally was another rebadged model (Isuzu). 

In Europe, buyers will get three engine choices - a diesel, plus 4- and 6-cylinder petrol units - while in Australia the 3.2-litre V6 (which is built in Port Melbourne) is expected to be the sole engine choice.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney, said the Captiva would be available with five or seven seats, an electronic stability program (ESP) and an active all-wheel-drive system.

Mr Mooney said the Captiva would be in Holden showrooms in the second half of 2006, where the precise start of sales date, model line-up and further technical specifications will be released closer to launch.

"Captiva is a striking design with flexible seating and extremely competitive equipment levels," Mr Mooney said.

"The production car remains very close to the S3X concept which has impressed motorshow crowds in Australia in the past few months.

"Captiva is Holden’s strongest move yet into the sports utility vehicle market and it will represent great value and high specification," concluded Denny Mooney.

Holden explains that the Captiva has a strong Australian influence, with former GM Holden-based designers Mike Simcoe and Max Wolff involved in the car’s design team. GM Holden engineers extensively tested Captiva around Australia and at GM Holden’s Lang Lang Proving Ground, ensuring top class ride and handling for local conditions.

The Captiva will rival Ford Australia's runaway success, the Territory SUV, but because it's a slightly smaller design it may also poach sales of vehicles in the compact SUV market, such as the new Toyota RAV4.

Featuring an "active" all-wheel-drive system - essentially a front-wheel drive vehicle, that employs the rear axle when it detects slippage - Holden's new SUV also features ABS and ESP, which will add to the vehicle's onroad traction. The AWD system, Holden says, uses an electronically controlled electro-magnetic coupling to divert power to the rear wheels when needed, such as on muddy, low traction surfaces.

European Captiva models get ESP with additional functions like HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist), HDC (Hill Descent Control) and ARP (Anti-Rollover Protection), and these features are expected to arrive on the Australian Holden-badged models.

Power will provided by a 3.2-litre V6 engine producing 165kW @ 6000rpm and with maximum torque is 300Nm @ 3500rpm. Measuring 4.635m long, 1.85m wide and 1.72m high, Holden insists that the new Captiva offers spacious seating for five and even seven occupants when a third row of seats is fitted. 

The chassis layout consists of a McPherson strut configuration suspending the front axle and an independent four link design in the rear, which should supply the vehicle with car-like ride and handling abilities, and ventilated disc brakes are standard on all four wheels, while the V6 model is likely to be equipped with 17-inch alloy rims.

Despite General Motors recent fiscal woes, shedding tens of thousands of workers in the US and shutting down numerous factories, it is still a powerful force on the global automotive scene. Moreover, Holden will be releasing some very important models in 2006, such as the highly-anticipated VE Commodore, and of course the Captiva that we're talking about here.