How many South African celebrities can lay a claim to have driven the latest Captiva 2.4 LT FWD SUV, lately?
This question comes back to haunt me having seen the likes Mpho Maboi, Penny Lebyane and Minehle Dlamini, just to mention the three who were part of the face-lifted Captiva launch.The reasoning is simple: they were invited to test drive one and that is it. Finish and klaar!
Talking of test-driving the sought-after Captiva SUV recently proved for once, one is bigger than what he/she contemplates when driving SUV’s on the road. Agree?
Get one for yourself, it’s still available according to the garage owners SOWETOLIFEMAGAZINE ONLINE had a chat with. Bold, appealing, brash and taking no prisoners, Captiva SUV had from not -so –young to elders peeping throughout their worn out car-windows, as we made our way to my village in North-West for my gran’s medical activities. It was not a good trip due to the latter but Captiva had me, and colleague on our toes!
Firstly, the clutch is a bit hard for my liking -although it must be emphasized that eventually, the reasoning behind is to help as you change gears from one lane to the other. It moved superbly nogal.
With enhanced exterior styling; upgraded interior; has more refinedchassis; new electronics package; and latest generation engines, this big machine had everyone salivating, apart from cows and donkeys which might have mistaken it as one of its own –owing to its bizarre size. Brrr!
Manufactured and marketed by General Motors South Africa (GMSA) Captiva SUV is here to stay! Building on this proven formula the design team has revised the exterior styling of the Captiva for a fresh new look.
This latest Captiva is immediately identified by its new face defined by a dual-port grille with black honeycomb inserts, chrome surrounds and prominent Chevrolet “bow-tie” insignia set in a body colour grille surrounds. A new headlamp treatment sees the lamp clusters sweep forward into the front corners of the vehicle with polycarbonate lenses providing a smooth surface over the functional elements of the lamp cluster.
The overall sleek appearance of the Captiva is defined by a swept windscreen and roof line that provide a sleek aero profile. The side view is complimented by a tight tyre-to-body relationship imparting a well-grounded appearance. The new Chevrolet Captiva is powered by either a 2.4 litre Ecotec engine with variable valve timing that produces 123 kW and 230 Nm of torque, or a direct injection 3.0 litre V6 that delivers 190 kW with 288 Nm of torque. Both are latest generation engines from Chevrolet that offer exceptional fuel economy.
Combined cycle fuel economy is 8,8 l/100km for the front wheel drive 2.4 litre model and 9,2 l/100km for the all-wheel drive model. The 3.0 litre direct injection engine delivers combined cycle economy of 10,6 l/100km off the road experience and beating corners is one of my favourites when conducting test drives and Captiva SUV came to the party.
Although not boasting too much features et al, however, one must point out that the fact that it is a seven-seater, it stand a chance of being the most followed if, not sold in the SA market. Hopefully, we will be privy to the sales information.
Also, the outlets for the ventilation system have been re-designed to more effectively direct the airflow within the cabin. Side window demist performance is significantly improved. The centre console has been made longer and positioned slightly lower, for optimal armrest positioning. Dual cup-holders incorporated in the console have been improved to provide more stable retention of drinks containers.
This improvement also applies to the cup-holders fitted to the second row seat centre armrest. All models in the range are now fitted with a 6-CD front loader with eight speakers and a radio/CD functionality. Features include: MP3compatibility; Bluetooth connectivity, and auxiliary input. How interesting?
The analogue instrument cluster has been redesigned for up-to-date styling and visual appeal.
According to GMSA, Instrument illumination is by Chevrolet’s all-new signature improved roll-stiffness. Other added benefits include RVC which is for improved fuel economy and longer life for lamps, switches and relays and improved battery performance. It is made for monitoring the state-of-charge of the battery and battery temperature to ensure optimised battery charging in all conditions, as we experienced the cold and hot weather of NW.
As for petrol, we used the manual model- it is highly recommended that when driving the Captiva SUV speeding and trying to beat traffic is a big NO. Captiva is too convenient when coming to petrol consumption as opposed to other models.
The very comfortable Chevrolet New Captiva 2011 is suitable for a long drive with ample of luggage’s space and elegant features. The rider should wait for this SUV to have a sophisticated ride!
Starting from R299,900 the new Captiva 2.4 LT FWD M/T comes in four trim levels, from the value LT, to the refined LTZ. The range now includes a 2.4 Automatic FWD. Other prices are as follows: R 314, 700, – R 341,700, – R 434,900. Combine powerful new engines with 6 speed manual and automatic transmissions, alloy wheels, chrome accents and high ride height -this has clearly rewritten the SUV rule book that is Captiva SUV.
Captiva has encapsulated and ready for take off!
