Articles by David Morley

At the risk of embarking on a hiding to nowhere, let's define that essential US automotive staple, the muscle car. As distinct from hot-rods, lead sleds, sports cars, GT cars, rat rods and anything else under the automotive sun, muscle cars became an important part of the motoring landscape in the 1960s and 70s, with the trend even spreading to Australia.

As news broke of Holden's woes in Australia, our writer landed in Thailand to drive Holden Colorados in the jungle.

It might still be at least a year away, but the all-new Chevrolet Corvette is definitely headed Down Under, even after this week's departure of Holden boss Dave Buttner.While actual details are still sketchy and pretty rare, industry insiders ha

Mitsubishi has a bit of a knack for making cars that people seem to remember fondly.In the case of its Mirage model, the very first series set the mood beautifully.The short, three-door hatchback had clean styling, an affordable price and was sadly missed when it disappeared from showrooms in 2003.But clearly, Mitsubishi buyers have long memories, because the model that sold here from 2013 to 2018, clearly traded on the goodwill engendered by that original Mirage.The formula was more or less the same, too; a compact, cheap and cheerful hatch that would be the first brand-new car for a lot of young drivers.Nothing wrong with any of that.While everybody knows the Mirage hatchback, there was also the rather more obscure Mirage sedan in the range, too, which arrived about 18 months after the hatch and really failed to fire the imagination of buyers.Which means the five-door hatch model is the most common one of the two models out there in used-car yards and, let’s face it, the one you’d want anyway.A quick comparison shows the sedan is longer and has a little more wheelbase, but the practicality of the hatch’s folding rear seat can’t be ignored.Beyond the external size differences, the interior dimensions are close enough to be not worth the argument, and trim levels and standard features are also on par with each other.That said, the Mirage as a price list leader model, where cost and RRP are everything, was a bit of a stripped out model.So forget about fancy projector headlights and a standard body kit, because power steering, basic air-conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity were the standout features.Unless you can find one of the 400 LS 'Plus Pack' limited-edition models which also got a few splashes of chrome and a front spoiler.Even the next-step-up model, the Mirage Sport got a rear rear spoiler (but no side skirts) and it did get alloy wheels.If you wanted cruise control, you had to stump up for the flagship version, the LS which had 15-inch alloys, climate control air, rain-sensing wipers and chrome door handles.Resale value won’t vary much these days, so you might as well find an LS or a Sport model as these were also the ones most likely to have been fitted with accessories like floor mats from the dealership.Oh, and if you want the hero colour from the day, forget boring old silver, black, red or blue and find one in that stunning shade of metallic lipstick pink… if you’re game enough.Despite the Mirage’s small exterior size, the boot on the sedan is actually very big and even the hatchback has decent luggage capacity contained in a practically-shaped space.Which is handy because there’s probably not enough actual roof area for a roof rack and towing a trailer is not the Mirage’s thing.While the Mirage’s rear bench is technically a three-seater, that’s really only if those three are smaller kids.But the front seats are actually quite generous and comfortable even for bigger adults.The catch there is that the steering column is adjustable for height, but not reach, so it won’t suit all body shapes perfectly.What mostly lets the Mitsubishi’s cabin down, however, is a high level of noise when on the move, coupled with an interior that feels like it’s been made from recycled take-away containers.And, again, because the car is built down to a price, you can forget about stuff like a sun roof, a fancy touch screen, or a standard navigation system.Neither do you get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, but the stereo system does have Bluetooth connectivity, so you can stream music that way.Mind you, you might want to give that a miss, too, because the sound system in the base-model Mirage is pretty lame with just two speakers, a radio and a CD player.It’s no surprise that a lot of Mirages have aftermarket stereo upgrades, so check an individual car to see what’s been added.So what do you get? Mainly air conditioning and power steering, but there were power mirrors and windows, too.And if you buy a car made after the 2014 facelift, you’ll also get cruise control.Under the bonnet was the Mirage’s main point of difference with other tiddlers as well as perhaps its most charming feature.In size terms, the engine was par for the course, but if you look at its other major engine specs, you’ll see something very interesting.Rather than a conventional four cylinder engine, the Mirage had just three cylinders making up its 1.2 litres of capacity.That gave the motor great, useable torque but also a really fun feel and vibe.The whole budget thing meant there was no turbo or supercharger like some of the higher-priced competition, so you still had to make do with just 57kW of power.That’s clearly not a lot of horsepower, but with the car’s minimal kerb weight of just 900kg or so, it was a lot better than the bald figures suggest.Also helping was that 100Nm of torque which was meaty and accessible.Servicing costs will be a little higher than they might be, as the suggested oil for the engine is a synthetic type (more expensive) but at least the engine uses a timing chain instead of a belt which should be good for the life of the car.Mitsubishi offered a choice of gearbox with a conventional five-speed manual or a CVT.Not a normal automatic transmission, the CVT did, however, ensure that as much of the torque was available more of the time, so it’s actually okay to use.We’d always opt for the manual in such a vehicle, though.That said, from 2016 onwards, the only way to get the five-speed manual was to buy the base-model ES version, all others becoming CVT only.Because this was a conventional hatchback and not an SUV, there was no all-wheel drive version; just a front-drive platform that makes more sense anyway.At just 35 litres, the fuel tank looks ridiculously small, but when you consider the official combined consumption number of 4.9 litres per 100km, it starts to look a realistic size.We’re yet to see a Mirage with a towbar fitted and, in fact, Mitsubishi didn’t even list a towing capacity for the car.Aside from the fun of revving that little three cylinder engine up and playing tunes with the gearbox, the other thing you’ll soon notice is just how good the fuel consumption is.It doesn’t really matter how you drive it, the mileage from each tank will amaze you and put a big smile on your face as you stretch every litre of petrol.Acceleration is not exactly strong, though, and 0-100km/h will take more than 10 seconds, but outright speed is not really what this car is all about. And in any case, it feels faster than it is, which is probably more important.There’s plenty of ground clearance for speed humps and the steering is light and fast for tight, underground parking stations.Ride quality is okay, but not outstanding, and the Mirage relies on its standard tyres which have plenty of sidewall to cushion the ride a little.Watch out for a car whose previous owner has fitted aftermarket alloy wheels and low profile tyres as this can completely ruin ride comfort.The other downside is that the Mitsubishi is a fairly noisy device especially at highway speeds where the cheap interior plastics fail to damp out much of the noise and vibration going on around you.The Mirage scored five stars for crash safety in local independent testing, so that’s a good start.It features six airbags as standard, ABS brakes and brake-force distribution as well as stability control.There’s no standard reverse camera which seems a shame in a car aimed at young drivers, and only the Mirages built after the March 2016 facelift had ISOFIX mounting points for baby seats.Earlier cars still had restraint mounts, but the ISOFIX type is regarded as the industry standard.Despite its bargain price when new, the Mirage seems to have weathered the years pretty well and shows a distinct lack of common problems or other issues that lead to consumer complaints and lunchroom talk of mechanical defects.The engine seems pretty sturdy as does the CVT transmission (not something that can be said for every CVT out there).We would check the condition of the clutch, though, as many younger drivers struggle with a manual gearbox and this can accelerate clutch wear.Make sure there’s no noise when you let the clutch out in neutral and make sure the car doesn’t shudder or bunny-hop when you take off from the lights.The Mirage should have low servicing costs, but beware a used example that has suffered skipped services as reliability will be reduced as a result.Check the owner's manual for the service regime and stick to it.That way, any residual factory warranty still applying to a later Mirage will be yours to claim if the unthinkable happens.MORE: If anything crops up, you’ll probably find it on our Mitsubishi Mirage problems page.

Holden’s compact family car offering from a decade ago was the Cruze, a front-drive vehicle that can be broadly divided into two camps for the duration of its production.From its launch in 2009, through 2010 and up to March 2011, the Cruze was available as a sedan with just two engine options and was built in South Korea by GM-owned Daewoo.From the 2012 model-year until its demise in 2016, the car was built by Holden in Adelaide and in a much wider range of trim levels, engine choices and even body styles.It can be confusing, so make sure you can identify any Cruze you’re looking at to avoid paying too much.The imported Cruze was available in just one bodyshell (a four-door sedan) while the range consisted of two trim levels, CD and CDX.Engine choices were limited to a four-cylinder petrol or a turbo-diesel.Once the car was being made locally, Holden ramped up the choices with a five-door hatchback joining the sedan and a much wider range of trim levels, adding Equipe, Z Series, Sri, Sri V and a couple of new engines including a 1.4 and 1.6 turbo petrol.The used price of these variants can vary enormously, so take the time to learn to identify what’s what.How much a Cruze will cost you now has much more to do with specification and its engine that simply what year it was made or its RRP at the time.The Cruze seemed to attract a fairly conservative buyer, so you don’t see a lot of them with aftermarket rims or other sporty accessories like body kits, a rear spoiler or side skirts.Most dealers threw in floor mats and a lot of buyers opted for dealership add-ons like paint protection and rust-proofing that will add nothing to the price now.With an early example, the only real decision is petrol vs diesel, but if you’re looking at a locally made Cruze, the model comparison gets tougher as the models range from the base-model to the top of the range with a lot in between.The Cruze defied modern size protocols by being bigger than a compact but smaller than a medium-sized car.Inside, though, it was about as big as a medium car of just a few years ago thanks to efficient packaging.Many Cruze buyers were traditional Holden owners (many of whom got a surprise when the Cruze turned out to be something else altogether) and since many regional centres still had Holden dealerships, a surprising number of Cruzes lived in the sticks.You’ll spot some of them by their budge bar (although a bull bar is unlikely) and maybe even an LED light bar.Certainly the exterior design of the car allowed for these fitments, although it’s important that any nudge bar is air-bag compatible.All Cruzes had cruise-control, air-conditioning, power steering and a decent range of safety gear.It would be worth checking with a Holden dealer, too, if any warranty applies to a used Cruze.Holden was extending the warranty of some later Cruzes, beyond the standard three-year time limit, so a late version may still have factory cover.Check the boot for a spare tyre, too.Some Cruzes had just an inflation kit, others a space-saver spare tyre.The Cruze’s interior dimensions were about the same as a mid-sized car, so the packaging was pretty good.That meant plenty of interior space as well as a really good boot size for better-than-average luggage capacity.Even so, plenty of Cruzes sported roof racks come family holiday time.The five-door hatch is a more practical car than the sedan.Don’t forget, either, that between 2012 and 2016 Holden also sold the station-wagon version (still made in South Korea) alongside the locally-made Cruzes.Externally, the wagon is about the same size, but the luggage space is huge.The catch was that the wagon was not available with either of the perky turbocharged petrol engines, so it was the turbo-diesel or the 1.8 petrol or nothing.Inside any of the Cruze variants there was a ton of storage spaces including bottle-holders in each door and even an overhead console.The early Cruze had an AM/FM radio (no digital) sound system with six speakers and was MP3 compatible although there was no Apple CarPlay or Android connectivity.Examples from the mid-2013 update also got Holden’s MyLink infotainment system which included a touch screen, and Bluetooth streaming.Those cars also got keyless entry.Upmarket versions the Cruze could be had with leather seats, a sunroof was optional and air-conditioning and power steering were standard across the board.A satellite navigation system had been available on some versions, but that was replaced with the 2013 upgrade as MyLink was able to offer the same functionality with added voice control.The biggest gripe with the Cruze’s cabin is that the plastics can look and feel a bit cheap.Imported Cruzes had just two engines to choose from, a 1.8 litre petrol and a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel motor.For all that it was about the right size on paper, the 1.8-litre four-cylinder was a bit harsh and was only just adequate.The diesel, meanwhile, with its diesel particulate filter to clean up its emissions was sweeter and more flexible especially when paired with the six-speed automatic (there was also a five-speed manual gearbox available).When manufacture switched to Australia, Holden doubled the number of engine choices, keeping the two original powerplants and adding a 1.4 litre and 1.6-litre petrol four cylinder unit, both running a turbocharger.Of all these engines, the later ones are the picks and the 1.4 is smooth and willing while the 1.6 turbo petrol is the performance option for those who want a little more acceleration.Even so, a lot of buyers pondered the diesel vs petrol equation and chose the former for its flexibility and fuel economy.These are the Cruzes you’ll find fitted with a tow bar, although the rated towing capacity is just 1200kg, not bad for a car this size, but not huge.Much of that is down to the Cruze being front-wheel drive (there was no AWD or 4WD option).In fact, the diesel option meant that buying a petrol Cruze and converting it to LPG in the name of running costs just wasn’t worth the effort.Most buyers chose the auto transmission but the manual Cruze is a surprisingly liveable alternative, too, if you can find one second hand.When it comes to horsepower and engine specs, all Cruzes were rated from 103kW to 132kW, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.The diesel was super flexible and the turbocharged petrols were smooth and zippy.Which leaves the 1.8 non-turbo as the one you’re best avoiding.Some Cruze engines use a timing chain which should be good for the life of the car while other use a timing belt which needs periodic replacement.Fuel mileage will be best with the turbo-diesel while the 1.8 non-turbo petrol is likely to be a bit thirstier because it has to be driven so hard in the first place.At around 1400kg, the Cruze is quite heavy for its size and it has a fuel tank capacity of 60 litres.That’s not a huge tank, making the diesel fuel economy even more impressive.The Cruze’s compact dimensions mean it’s an easy drive in and around the city and suburbs with a good turning circle and enough ground clearance for clearing speed humps.That’s provided an ambitious previous owner hasn’t messed around with the suspension or added odd-sized alloy wheels and super low-profile tyres.But even on standard suspension, the Cruze is hardly a race car and while it points okay, the electrically assisted power steering can feel a bit vague at first.But overall, there’s a decent combination of ride quality and handling and the cabin is pretty quiet unless you’re in the 1.8 petrol and driving it hard.The turbo-diesel is super grunty and hardly needs a gearbox at all, while the turbo-petrols are both sweet little things that spin nicely and sound pretty good into the bargain.Straight line performance figures were never what the Cruze was about, but 0-100km/h comes up easily and the car has enough grunt and acceleration to stay with modern traffic as well as be a convincing inter-stater.Again, though, if you can afford any of the turbocharged versions, they’re a vastly nicer car.Safety features on any Cruze included six airbags including side-curtain airbags, ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, stability control, and traction control.As a result, all Cruzes sold here scored a five star safety rating for crash safety.Parking sensors became standard from the mid-21013 upgrade on, but a reversing camera was not standard on any Cruze in any trim level.The Cruze did, however, have ISOFIX child restraint mounting points as standard.Like a lot of modern cars, there’s a bit to watch out for when it comes to common faults, issues, problems and owner complaints.The diesel particulate filter becoming full and clogged is one source of these and many owners have reported multiple fault messages caused by this filter.If the filter became clogged enough, the computer would sometimes cut engine power and ultimately, a trip to the dealership was needed to clean or replace the filter which was neither cheap nor simple but was the most common of the Cruze’s diesel engine problems.A few cars have also experienced automatic transmission problems, including complete failure of the unit.Symptoms are a car that shifts erratically or can’t make up its mind what gear to be in.If the problem is bad enough, the car may not be able to select some gears or may lose the ability to move altogether.When inspecting a car, make sure the auto transmission fluid is clean and doesn’t smell of burned toast.Manual cars are less prone to transmission issues, but the clutch can still take a beating from a previous owner.Make sure any manual Cruze takes off smoothly from the lights with no shuddering or noises.Check that all the electronics work as they should and drive over some bumps to check for squeaking or rattling interior trim pieces.To add to that model’s reliability woes, the non-turbo 1.8 was also susceptible to a cracked cylinder head which can be spotted by poor running, hard starting, mis-firing and engine overheating.Service costs may be a little lower than some of the competition as Holden specified 15,000km service intervals (versus 10,000km for many cars).MORE: If anything crops up, you’ll probably find it on our Holden Cruze problems page.

Retro designs don’t always work out the way the carmaker planned.But the Toyota FJ Cruiser is one that does, recalling the early Toyota LandCruiser of the 1960s and '70s that we remember so fondly.Launched in 2011, the car was only on sale here until late 2016 (after it flopped in the United States).By then, sales had slowed, and plenty were still hanging around showrooms well into 2017 and maybe even 2018.Even as late as this year, 2019, you still see the odd one with not much more than dealership demonstrator kilometres showing, and these can be great buys. The five-seater, off-roader with the old-school looks was actually based on the Toyota Prado, so it’s a very capable vehicle in any conditions.That’s why you see so many getting around with serious accessories and aftermarket features which can range from extra recovery points, a snorkel, winch, a tough bash plate (for better underbody protection than the factory provided) awning, chunky rims and tyres, bull bar, side steps, a light bar and other driving or spot lights.How much is a car loaded with accessories worth over a standard one? It all depends on the quality of those features and whether you want or need them in the first place.Basically, they can add greatly to the cost of an FJ Cruiser when adding them, but don’t always add the same amount to the resale value.On top of that, a heavily modified or accessorised vehicle suggests that it’s been used in the bush quite a bit, while more typical, soft-roader additions such as floor mats, tinted windows or a nudge bar speak of an easier life.Some of these fitments were available as dealer-fitted factory options, so check each vehicle carefully.Trim levels weren’t extensive in the FJ Cruiser and there’s really only one specification that includes gear like cruise control, VSC (stability control) power steering and a driver-operated diff lock.So forget about models within models, different sizes and different interior dimensions, design details, exterior fittings or seating layouts and concentrate instead on finding the best example by way of a direct comparison between individual examples. An FJ Cruiser is an FJ Cruiser, in other words.One area where you do have great choice is in the FJ Cruiser’s range of colors.This is where Toyota really let its retro heart rule, and as well as some old-school blue, yellow, red, orange, grey, black and green shades (all with a white roof) the hero hue was a throwback beige that mimicked perfectly those early LandCruisers. The FJ’s exterior dimensions (it’s shorter and lower than a Prado) play a big part in its storage capacity and boot space.A cargo-bay liner is a nice touch, but a cargo barrier can actually reduce versatility especially when carrying long loads.Many owners have fitted their FJs with drawers in the rear section to maximise storage and many others have resorted to the roof rails or an aftermarket roof rack for extra carrying ability.The bottom line is that the Toyota is not huge inside.How many seats you need will also determine whether you make use of the removable cushions on the rear seat which can open up a lot more space for luggage or recovery gear.Accessing that rear seat, meanwhile, involves a small, reverse opening rear-side door on each side.The catch is these can’t be opened without the front door being opened first, so it’s not as practical a layout as it might seem at first.Rather than use leather seats, Toyota went for a hard-wearing, semi-waterproof material that doesn’t look too odd beside the hard plastics that make up the rest of the interior.The basic sound system is just that; basic, but it does use eight speakers and incorporates a CD player and radio, but you can forget about a subwoofer, Apple CarPlay (iPhone) or Android Auto streaming.Similarly, there’s no push button start (although there is keyless entry) no touchscreen or DVD player.Meantime, you do get plenty of cupholders, air-conditioning, Bluetooth, power mirrors, power windows and an immobiliser.From early 2012, a GPS-based navigation system became standard which makes sense given sat nav is so important for the adventurers among us. While many carmakers like to offer a turbo-diesel engine, petrol engines that range in size and all sorts of motor layouts from four to eight cylinders, Toyota played a very straight bat with the FJ Cruiser.In fact, there was just one mechanical layout and that started with the 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine.The engine specs aren’t hugely impressive for such a big engine (it’s not a lot of horsepower for four litres, for instance) but the secret was in the way the 200kW of power and 380Nm of torque were delivered.The engine is well regarded in the trade and also runs a timing chain rather than a belt which should be good for the life of the vehicle.Plenty of owners fitted their FJs with LPG conversions, too, but some experts reckon the Toyota V6 doesn’t really like such conversions.And just as there was only a single engine offered, there was also just one gearbox, a five-speed automatic.The vehicle was aimed at the US market, remember, where the manual vs automatic debate is a forgone conclusion in favour of the auto.The towing specifications are pretty impressive, and the Cruiser has a towing capacity of up to 2250kg, although it should be said that this is well short of the latest dual-cab utes’ towing ratings.But that’s because the FJ is a bit lighter than those new utes at 1955kg and has a gross vehicle weight of 2510kg.Even so that’s still decent pulling power and the reason you see a lot of second-hand FJ Cruisers with tow bars fitted.Plenty for sale also have a dual battery system fitted which is great for camping, although the basic vehicle made do with a single battery.Since it was a proper off-roader, the FJ Cruiser got a fair dinkum 4WD system, not a 4X2 nor an AWD (all-wheel-drive) set-up like a lot of 'soft-roaders'.On bitumen, the FJ was a rear-wheel drive vehicle, but when things got tough and you selected 4WD, the Toyota got very serious with low-ratio gears and enormous off-road ability.Fuel tank capacity is important in vehicles like these which operate where service stations are few and far between.Which is why, if the budget will allow, you should look for a post-February 2013 built FJ Cruiser.That’s when Toyota more than doubled the fuel capacity by adding an extra 87-litre tank to the original’s 72-litre number.As well as giving the car enormous range potential, it means you don’t have to mess around fitting an expensive aftermarket long range fuel tank or carrying jerry cans. The biggest shock to those coming out of a conventional car and into a off-roader will be the fuel consumption.And it doesn’t matter how you express it (l/100km or km/l) the fuel mileage from the petrol V6 will always be a bit scary even on the freeway, where you can count on using around 11 or 12 litres per 100km. Off-road, in sand and mud, that figure can easily jump to 20 litres.But it’s the vehicle’s off-road review where it really shines with huge capability, including a wading depth of 700mm and 224mm of ground clearance, making an aftermarket lift kit only for really serious bush bashing. And even then…And if you buy the later model with the extra fuel tank, you’ll also get Toyota’s 'CRAWL' off-road system which uses the on-board electronic driver aids to maximise grip and traction.In fact, the standard rear diff-lock becomes a bit superfluous in a CRAWL-equipped FJ.On road, the FJ is a bit of a mixed bag.The large kerb weight means it has enough performance, but it’s still not a car built for speed, so 0-100 acceleration will still take about 10 seconds.The turning circle is pretty large for urban parking spots and if a previous owner has replaced the original tyres on the standard alloy rims with more aggressive rubber, they can contribute to a fair bit of road noise.In ride terms, it’s better news and the independent front suspension coupled with coil-sprung rear suspension does a better job than many vehicles of making a long journey comfortable. The FJ Cruiser isn’t included on ANCAP’s safety rating list and it’s not fair to simply take the Prado’s rating and apply that, because there are far too many structural differences between the two for that to be valid.But the FJ does get a full compliment of front and side air-bags, including curtain bags to protect all five passengers.You also get a reverse camera, ABS, brake-force distribution, brake-assist, stability control and traction control, but ISOFIX child restraint mounting points are not fitted. Being a late model Toyota as well as being based on the very well proven Prado platform, the FJ Cruiser is largely free of common problems.The body is not prone to rust and the faults and problems mentioned by owners and the experts are generally fewer than many other vehicles, helping to give the vehicle its terrific reliability rating.The fact that the FJ Cruiser was designed from the start to be a serious off-roader also means a high level of durability and inherent toughness.The petrol engine means the Cruiser is likely to impose lower service costs on its owner (compared with a modern turbo-diesel) but, as with any vehicle, make sure you check the owners manual and the service record to ensure that the car you’re looking at has been maintained correctly.The engine itself is proven and long-lived and automatic transmission problems also appear rare with no discernible pattern to be wary of.Ultimately, the FJ’s health and well-being as a used-car is likely to be down to how it has been maintained and, crucially, how it’s been used in the past.A car that has been driven extensively off-road, over rocks and through salt water is likely to be showing more wear than one that has been used for the school run.That’s especially so when it comes to the condition of the body and there are a couple of things to watch in this department.The full-sized spare tyre mounted on the rear door saves interior space but it is heavy and that can mean the hinges on the door can become a bit sloppy over time.If the rear door doesn’t want to open and close easily and smoothly, there could be wear.The reverse-opening doors and the way they make the total door opening a very big one can also lead to some vehicles developing cracks at the base of the B-pillar.Toyota actually recalled early FJ Cruisers to fix this, so make sure any repairs have been done professionally as this area of the body is structural and also forms a seat-belt mounting point, a crucial area.As with the rear-door hinge problems, the cracked B-pillars only seem to show up on cars that have been regularly hammered across rough terrain.Other recalls included a check for a wrongly-wired airbag sensor and a fuel breather that was routed too close to the car’s exhaust.Cars built in a three-week period in 2013 were also recalled to check for a critical manufacturing flaw in the steering column.A Toyota dealer will be able to identify affected cars. 4/5 - Retro cool and off-road savvy: What more do you want? 

Released in Australia in 2012, the Audi Q3 is a compact SUV that shares a lot of engineering (and competes) with the Volkswagen Tiguan.

It took a pick-up and applied a four-door wagon body to create an off-road capable SUV, many years before the concept became as common as it is now (Fortuner, Everest, MU-X, and more)

By the early part of this century, it was painfully obvious that nobody was going to survive selling or making cars here if they didn’t have an SUV in their showrooms.Ford took the step of designing and building the Territory here, but Holden’s first attempt was the neither fish-nor-fowl Adventra.But instead of having a post-Adventra crack at another local SUV, Holden simply dipped into the General Motor’s-owned Daewoo grab-bag and came up with this, the South Korean-built Captiva.Not that buyers were worried, and the Captiva sold rather well, beginning in 2006, and getting a facelift for 2012. By 2018, it was missing from Holden price-lists.But time and kilometres have revealed that just because a car has a Holden badge, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s Holden-tough.How many seats you need will be the big test here as the Captiva was a medium-size SUV wagon which was available with five or seven seats.From there, it gets pretty complicated, so make sure you know exactly what Captiva you’re looking at in the dealer’s yard, to make sure you don’t pay an all-wheel drive price for a front-wheel drive vehicle.Use this information as a broad guide and assess each individual car on its own merits.Along the way there were a variety of steps on the price list, so the Captiva covered a range of budgets.The very first batch of Captivas arrived with an Australian-made V6 petrol engine and all-wheel drive.But by 2007, Holden had expanded on that to include the then-sexy option of a turbo-diesel which could also be had as a front-wheel drive to save a few dollars.Trim levels started with the SX, CX and LX models and there was also a top-of-the-range Maxx model which was actually based on a slightly different vehicle and was a little shorter overall but had similar interior dimensions.In late 2009, Holden moved to simplify the range and instituted the Captiva 5 and Captiva 7 (named for their seating capacities) but stuck with the SX, CX and LX tags.How was that simpler? Well, the Captiva 5 became a petrol four-cylinder only model, while the Captiva 7 could be had with the turbo-diesel or petrol V6.March 2011 saw a facelift and 'Series 2' badge with squarer styling and a revised cabin, while the Captiva 5 could now be had with the four-cylinder petrol front-drive or the turbo-diesel and all-wheel drive, making things as complex as they had ever been.But the Series 2 also bought a new V6 petrol engine, a smaller 3.0-litre unit shared with Aussie Commodores as well as a new flagship badge, the LTZThe final fiddle came in 2015 when Holden changed tack again, offering just a single model with the trim level determining the rest.So, a Captiva LS was a five-seater with the option of seven seats while the LT and LTZ got seven seats as standard.The petrol four-cylinder was standard on the LS and the V6 was standard on the LT and LTZ. The turbo-diesel could be optioned on either.All-wheel drive was reserved for the upper-spec LT and LTZ models.Got all that?The point is that you really need to make sure a particular car has the options and driveline you want.And because there were so many permutations and spec changes along the way, each car needs to be taken on its own merits.All Captivas over the years have featured standard equipment that included alloy wheels, MP3 compatibility, cruise-control, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors and an immobiliser.The later the build-date the better the level of standard equipment will be, and later, high-spec Captivas had decent stereos, lots of electrical gear and leather seats.That could include anything from a GPS navigation system (sat nav), Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry, and a touch screen. Apple CarPlay was standard on later models, so don’t take the seller’s word for it that it’s fitted.Some Captivas were optioned with a sunroof, a DVD player with screens for the back seat, while additions like air conditioning and a CD player and radio were standard in all versions.Because the Captiva was largely a private-buyer model (not a fleet model) owners tended to add accessories.Sweeteners at the dealership often included floor mats and (for a while) side steps (of questionable value) while plenty of owners added nudge bars, alloy rims and other features that don’t actually add much (if anything) to the resale value.But the Captiva was never seen as sporty, so don’t bother looking for one with a rear spoiler or body kit.What you might find, however, is a Captiva from a regional area which may have a bull bar and a light bar, although the space saver spare tyre turned off a lot of country buyers.You won’t immediately pick the Captiva’s interior as a Holden, but it is pretty generic stuff with the usual plastics and the odd splash of chrome here and there.There are enough cupholders and air vents to keep everybody happy but the Captiva suffers from the one thing that afflicts a lot of these vehicles.When you have all seven seats occupied, there’s precious little boot space in the back despite the Captiva having similar internal dimensions to its comparably sized competitors (which share the same problem).It’s no accident you see a lot of SUVs in the school holidays towing trailers to increase their luggage capacity. Roof racks (and the Captiva features roof rails as standard) are another way around this problem.The seven-seat version rules out a cargo barrier or luggage cover, but you might find a five-seater with such features.While practical enough in its layout, the Captiva could be a bit noisy on coarse-chip roads.The Captiva presented buyers with the classic diesel versus petrol dilemma.The only engine available on the very first Captivas was a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine which made 169kW of power and 297Nm of torque.It was smooth in normal use but could get a bit raucous if you revved it out which, with a full load of bodies and luggage on board, was sometimes necessary.The 2.0-litre turbo diesel in the first model made 110kW and a beefy 320Nm and, unlike the V6, could also be had with a five-speed manual option, although you’ll be doing well to find one.Despite the lack of engine size, the motor used a turbocharger to boost power and a diesel particulate filter to reduce emissions.In any case, the automatic transmission worked very well with the way the turbo-diesel made its power, and the engine provided the sort of effortless oomph that made diesels so sexy back then.Despite that, it had slightly less towing capacity (1700kg plays 2000kg) than the petrol version, but a tow-bar was still a popular accessory on a diesel Captiva.The 2009 facelift – for the 2010 model year - brought with it a new entry-level engine, a 2.4-litre capacity petrol four-cylinder that was only available in front-drive.With engine specs of 103kW and 220Nm, it was pretty breathless and didn’t like hills at all.It’s very much the poor relation these days.Other variants were available with a choice of AWD (4WD) or front-wheel drive. The latter will use a little less fuel.The major facelift in 2011 saw the 3.2-litre V6 replaced by a slightly smaller, 3.0-litre unit with similar specifications that was also found in base-model Holden Commodores at the time.Although smooth and technically more efficient, the smaller size meant the new V6 produced its power and torque (190kW/288Nm) very high in its rev range, so it needed to be worked hard all the time and full use made of the six-speed automatic transmission.That wasn’t helped by the kerb weight of a V6 Captiva which was getting close to 1800kg.And while the V6 was getting smaller, the turbo-diesel actually grew, to 2.2 litres, and in the process now made 135kW and a full 400Nm, making it the one to have, especially since its real-world fuel economy was actually very good.That was helped by a fuel tank capacity of 65 litres, giving a decent range.Compared with the SUVs the Captiva was selling against, the driving experience was nothing out of the ordinary.Beyond that, the Captiva also paid the price for its ride height: The stiff springs that attempted to tame the body roll in any car with such a high centre of gravity also spoiled the ride quality on anything less than a perfect surface.Low profile tyres on alloy rims didn’t help one bit.The all-wheel drive models were also fairly heavy cars for their size, and that also had an effect on how they steered and cornered.Fundamentally, there were more dynamic, more fun-to-drive alternatives from other makers.In performance terms, the Captiva was a mixed bag.The lower fuel consumption diesel (particularly the later, 2.2-litre one) had a very unruffled feel and was able to use its torque to great effect.The four-cylinder petrol, meanwhile, was simply underdone and even though, on paper, the V6 had what it took, the reality was a bit different.Even though it lacked the diesel fuel economy advantage, the V6 didn’t really make up for it in any major way, apart form a small performance advantage, yet 0-100km/h still took at least eight seconds.The earlier 3.2-litre version wasn’t too bad, but the later 3.0-litre unit with its sky-high power and torque peaks needed to be flogged along to get decent performance.And when you did that, your fuel mileage could take a real dive around the city and suburbs.The automatic gearbox in the later V6 also seemed to sometimes lose the plot and either forget what gear it was in, or have trouble deciding on which gear to select next.As for the optional all-wheel drive platform, well, don’t go looking for an off-road review.With limited ground clearance (and Holden didn’t offer a lift kit) the Captiva’s all-wheel drive might be of use if you’re visiting the snowfields, but in terms of heading into the bush, forget it; the Captiva had zero off-road pretensions.The Captiva wasn’t tested for a safety rating by ANCAP when brand-new, but it did undergo testing according to EuroNCAP standards.The first-generation Captiva scored four stars, while the post 2011 models scored the maximum five stars.In ANCAP’s local used-car assessments, the same models scored three and four stars respectively.All Captivas got front and side airbags and most of them also had side-curtain airbags covering the third row of seats.The exception to that was the very early (pre-2007) base-model car (SX) which did without the curtain bags.Traction-control and stability control were standard fitments from day one, but if you want electronic brake-force distribution, hill-decent control, brake-assist and roll-over control, you need to buy a Captiva with a build date after the 2011 face-lift.High spec second-gen cars (LT and LTZ) got a standard reversing camera while parking sensors were standard on the LX from 2007.All Captivas sold in Australia had ISOFIX child-restraint mounts.Sold at a time when diesel engines were the new black, a turbo-diesel Captiva carries the same caveats, issues, complaints, problems, common faults and reliability issues as any other make or model diesel with a soot filter fitted.That surrounds the possibility of the filter never getting hot enough to clean itself and if that happens, you’re looking at big bills to replace the filter.The turbo-diesel engine also required replacement of the toothed rubber timing belt at 90,000km, so be very wary of a diesel Captiva with 85,000km that seems like a steal.The earlier 2.0-litre diesel was also prone to bearing failure in the rocker arms, a problem made worse by a lack of servicing.Holden eventually even issued a recall to fix the affected vehicles.The petrol V6 engine uses a timing chain rather than a belt, but these are prone to stretching, at which point they require replacement.Given the east-west engine location in the Captiva, this is not an easy (nor, therefore, cheap) job.The problem is more likely to crop up in cars that have suffered skipped oil changes, so a look at the service handbook will tell you a lot.The first signs of a stretched timing chain might be a rattling noise from the top of the engine when it’s hot, or a `check-engine’ light on the dashboard as the computer becomes confused by the slack chain.The V6 has also been accused of rough running and a poor idle and the industry fix is to fill the tank with premium ULP rather than the standard brew.That will often fix the problem but adds considerably to the running-cost bottom line.The other fix for the same problem is sometimes to replace the oxygen sensor.Again, a bung sensor will often trigger a dashboard light but some Captivas have also taken it upon themselves to randomly switch on their `ECU’ light.Some owners have reported replacing the on-board computer multiple times to try to fix this and other electrical problems, including a sudden loss of power which the trade reckons is a faulty connector in the wiring harness.In that case the fix is simple; the connector which has acquired moisture needs to be dried out and re-sealed, but that’s only possible once the problem has been diagnosed.Anybody who has replaced tyres on a Captiva may also have discovered that the vehicle seems very difficult to wheel-align correctly.The wheel-alignment industry reckons the Holden is very hard to accurately set-up, but incorrect camber settings (in particular) will lead to accelerated tyre wear.The Captiva doesn’t seem too prone to automatic transmission problems, apart from getting used to the sometimes patchy shift pattern that seems part and parcel of the vehicle.All Captivas also fall under Holden’s lifetime capped price servicing regime which was announced a couple of years ago, so the ongoing service cost should be contained.But you won’t find details in the owners manual (since the scheme is retrospective) and you’ll need to talk to a Holden dealer for the full details.On the recall front, the Captiva has been recalled to check some diesel models for a variety of potential fuel line faults that could have created a leak as well as a batch of early cars from 2006 to check for a missing clip on the brake linkage.Perhaps the most serious recall, though, was to check for a steering shaft that could become disconnected, leading to a total loss of steering control.Check with a Holden dealer to see what recalls affect a particular car and whether they’ve been carried out.MORE: If anything crops up, you’ll probably find it on our Holden Captiva problems page.Seven-seat option can't save it from ordinary dynamics and quality.