Holden Captiva updated

There's been no change to the asking price for the upgrades, which are headlined by a claim of 10 per cent fuel economy improvements and the introduction of "flex-fuel" capability to the four-cylinder and V6 petrol engines, giving the option of running on E85 ethanol-blend fuel.

Holden says the 10 per cent fuel economy improvement result was achieved on 95RON premium unleaded fuel, not E85 - the latter burns at a greater rate, as much as 30 per cent quicker, but Holden claims E85 is cleaner-burning fuel and reduces CO2 emissions by 40 per cent compared to ULP.

The features list has been improved on the entry-level 7-seater SX with the addition of rear parking sensors, while the flagship LX now has heated front seats and front parking sensors added to the existing rear sensors.

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Unchanged pricing starts from $27,990 drive-away for the Captiva 5 2.4 manual and $33,990 drive-away for the Captiva 7 SX 2.4 litre petrol auto - the local car maker has also put special offers (a sunroof and 18in alloys on the 5 or a sunroof and side steps on the 7).

Holden sales, marketing and aftersales executive director John Elsworth said the new updates would increase the appeal of the Holden SUV offerings. "We're constantly looking to improve our products whenever possible, responding to customer feedback and market changes to ensure our vehicles remain highly competitive and relevant to modern Australian families," he says.

So far this year, the Captiva range remains ahead overall - just when it comes to Captiva 7 - despite SUV sales running at 46 per cent up on last June and 33 per cent ahead year-to-date. Holden Captiva 5 was - funnily enough -  5th in the segment last month, being down 3 per cent month-on-month but up 51.8 per cent year to date.

The seven-seater Holden Captiva 7 had an even-worse June - down by 23.2 per cent on June last year - but is still up 2.5 per cent in year-to-date terms. The 5's 2.4 litre petrol engine has dropped its claimed combined fuel consumption figure from 9.1 to 8.8 litres per 100km, while the 2.2-litre diesel model has reduced its thirst by 0.3 to 8.2 litres per 100km.

The Captiva 7 range has been equipped with a USB input and full iPod connectivity across the range and the petrol V6 now has been rated for a 2000kg braked towing capacity. The 2.4-litre petrol four in the Captiva 7 now claims 9l/100km (a drop of 0.1), while the petrol V6 engine has reduced its thirst from 11.3 to 10.1l/100km.

The 2.2-litre turbodiesel in the SX base-model now claims 7.6 litres per 100km (down from 8.1), while in the CX and LX models the number has shrunk a little, from 8.3 to 8.1l/100km.