2006 Holden Captiva Reviews

Holden came to the SUV party quite late and, without a home-brewed SUV of its own, it gave us the Captiva, a rebadged Daewoo.The Captiva’s formula has always been a simple one: Lots of car (and seats) for the money.Earlier versions could be had with a five-seat layout, but in the very last of them, Holden was offering just the seven-seat layout as acknowledgement that this was a pragmatic family purchase in the majority of cases.You also got lots of choice with two or four-wheel-drive and petrol or turbo-diesel power.

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.

Holden Captiva is a medium-large SUV that is imported from a General Motors factory in South Korea. It has a lot of Australian input in its body styling and mechanical components. Interestingly, the Captiva is offered in two different body styles, with the Maxx having a sporty look and five seats. The others are built as five or seven-seaters. The third row seats are larger than those in many of Captiva’s competitors but are still better suited to children than adults. It can carry adults in moderate comfort, though ideally not on long trips. Storage space when all seven seats are in place is very restricted. This is not unusual in this class, but check for yourself if you’re planning to use all seats for people. The rear seats can the folded down in various ways, when all are flat, you have up to 1565 litres of luggage space. There are a number of smaller stowage compartments including a large wet/dry area beneath the load compartment floor. Interior storage is excellent, with seatback pockets; a glovebox cooler; front and rear centre console storage; door bins; drink holders; and an overhead sunglasses holderWhen introduced in launched in 2007 the only Captiva powerplant was a 3.2-litre V6 petrol built in Australia by Holden. The engine was shipped to the South Korean factory to be installed in Captivas used on many global markets. A 2.0-litre diesel engine was added to the range a few months later.Initially all Captivas had a part-time 4WD system, with drive normally being to the front wheels and the rear wheels being engaged when extra traction was demanded. The 4WD system is well engineered and the Holden Captiva can tackle some quite tough off-road areas as it has good approach and departure angles. While Holden Captiva is not a heavy-duty 4WD but can go surprisingly far in the hands of an experienced operator.A 2WD version, driven through the front wheels, was introduced in December 2009. Called the Captiva 5 and using the Maxx style body it’s a powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. A five-speed automatic with manual overrides was the only transmission until the arrival of the Captiva 5, which is offered with a six-speed manual as well as the automatic transmission. The automatics were upgraded to six forward ratios with the introduction of a facelifted Captiva in February 2011.All Captiva models come with electronic stability control, ABS brakes with brake assist, traction control, active rollover protection and descent control. There are dual front airbags in all models with side curtain airbags optional in the lower cost models and standard on the others.Holden dealers operate in most areas of Australia and most are likely to carry the more common spare parts for the Captiva. Other components can usually be shipped in within a couple of working days. Prices are often lower than average for an imported vehicle in this class.Parts and servicing costs are reasonable and the relatively simple layout of the Captiva means the good amateur mechanic can do a fair bit of their own work. Safety related items should only be worked on by professionals.Insurance costs are pretty reasonable and we haven’t seen a big variation between companies. However, it’s always smart to shop around for the best deal making sure that you’re comparing apples with apples when doing so.Check for rust in the lower area of the body and in a Captiva that may have been used on the beach. Look over the interior for signs of dirt having been ground into carpets. Similarly, check for damage and/or stains on the seats. Look for off-road damage to the bumper corners, the door sills and for light scratches in the paintwork on the doors and the front guards. If the load area has been used to cart heavy gear and/or has been damaged by poor loading and/or fastening there could be severe damage to the carpets. Again, signs of sand may be bad news.Engines that are slow to start or blow smoke when worked hard may be due for major repairs.Automatic transmissions that don’t go into Drive quickly when moved from Neutral or Reverse may need servicing.If living in a remote area it’s a good idea to check that trained mechanics are locally available before going too deeply into your choice of vehicle.

Holden’s answer to the SUV wave seemed to fit the bill — initially New Holden was caught with its corporate pants down when SUV sales surged at the dawn of the new century. Quite simply, the brand didn’t have one. Ford was in a similar predicament and responded by building the Territory. Holden dithered,

Holden Captiva is a medium-large SUV that has a lot of Australian input in its design and engineering teams. It is available in two slightly different body styles, with the MaXX having a sporty look and five seats, while the other body type can be purchased as a five- or seven-seater.The third row seats are larger than those in many of Captiva’s seven-seat competitors and, while still better suited to children than adults, can carry the grownups in reasonable comfort.Storage space when all seven seats are in place is severely restricted, hardly unusual in this size of vehicle. The seats can the folded down in a variety of ways and, when all are flat, you have up to 1565 litres of luggage space.There are a number of smaller stowage compartments including a large wet/dry area beneath the load compartment floor. Interior storage is excellent, with seatback pockets; a glovebox cooler; front and rear centre console storage; door bins; drink holders; and an overhead sunglasses holderWhen introduced in 2007 the only Captiva powerplant was a 3.2-litre V6 petrol built by Holden. The engine was shipped to the South Korean factory to be installed in Captivas used on many global markets. A 2.0-litre diesel engine was added to the range in March 2007.Initially all Holden Captiva models used the same part-time 4WD system, with drive normally being to the front wheels and the rear wheels being engaged when extra traction was demanded.The 4WD system is well engineered and the Holden Captiva can tackle some quite tough off-road areas as it has good approach and departure angles. It’s not a heavy-duty 4WD but can go surprisingly far in the hands of an experienced operator.A 2WD version, through the front wheels, was introduced in December 2009. Called the Captiva 5 and using the MaXX style body it’s a five-seater powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.A five-speed automatic with tiptronic-style manual override was the only transmission option until the arrival of the Captiva 5, which is offered with a six-speed manual as well as an automatic transmission. The automatics were upgraded to six forward ratios with the introduction of an upgraded Captiva in February 2011.All Captiva models come with electronic stability control, ABS brakes with brake assist, traction control, active rollover protection and descent control. There are dual front airbags in all models with side curtain airbags optional in the lower cost models and standard on the others.Holden is very well represented in most areas of Australia and dealers in all regions are likely to carry the more common spare parts for the Captiva. Other components can usually be shipped in within a couple of working days. Prices are lower than average for an imported vehicle in this class.Parts and servicing costs are reasonable and the relatively simple layout of the Captiva means the good amateur mechanic can do a fair bit of their own work. Safety related items should only be worked on by professionals.Insurance costs are pretty reasonable and we haven’t seen a big variation between companies. However, it’s always smart to shop around for the best deal making sure that you’re comparing apples with apples when doing so.Check for rust in the lower area of the body and in a Captiva that may have been used on the beach. Look over the interior for signs of dirt having been ground into carpets. Similarly, check for damage and/or stains on the seats.Look for off-road damage to the bumper corners, the door sills and for light scratches in the paintwork on the doors and the front guards. If the load area has been used to cart heavy gear and/or has been damaged by poor loading and/or fastening there could be severe damage to the carpets. Again, signs of sand may be bad news.Engines that are slow to start or blow smoke when worked hard may be due for major repairs. Automatic transmissions that don’t go into Drive quickly when moved from Neutral or Reverse may need servicing.So few SUVs ever get taken off-road that it’s probably worth passing up one that has been used as an SUV. Silly, isn’t it? 

With sales of SUVs booming in the early part of this century it was only a matter of time before Holden got into the act with its own model. The Korean-sourced Captiva was launched in 2006 in the midst of Holden's shift to Asia for most of its imported models.If Holden diehards were keen for the brand to have an SUV they could get into, there were others who remained skeptical about the idea of Holden-badged Korean cars. Three years later those fears have evaporated, and with a diesel engine now part of the offering the Captiva offers something others can't.MODEL WATCH Holden was caught with its corporate pants down when SUV sales surged at the dawn of the new century. Quite simply it didn't have one to offer. While Ford also recognized the need for an SUV and built the Territory, Holden tried to plug the gap in its model range with the all-wheel drive Adventra wagon that was spun off the Commodore.It didn't work. While the Adventra was a decent car it was initially only available as a V8, which set it back, and although competent it was heavy and clunky on the road.Ford's success with the Territory was a clear message to Holden that the Adventra hadn't worked and that they needed an SUV urgently to have a competitive presence in the market.The SUV market was new territory for Holden, but the Captiva ticked most of the required boxes. It looked stylish, it was of a similar size to the booming BMW X5, and could accommodate up to seven.While it came from Korea the Captiva was powered by Holden's 3.2-litre Alloytec V6 made in Melbourne. The V6 was the only engine available at the launch in 2006, but Holden read the market's move towards diesel engines well and added a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine in 2007. With Ford sticking to its tried-and-true six cylinder engine and not offering a diesel Holden's move to diesel power was a masterstroke.The Aussie-built V6 delivered peaks of 169 kW at 6600 revs and 297 Nm at 3200 revs in most models, but a different exhaust system reduced the peak power slightly in the top-of-the-range MaXX. The diesel meanwhile gave 110 kW at 4000 revs and 320 Nm at 2000 revs when at its peak and was available in all models but the MaXX.The only transmission choice for the V6 was a five-speed Aisin auto with sports shift, but the diesel could be had with a five-speed manual 'box as well as the auto. In most situations the drive went through the Captiva's front wheels, but when needed drive was also sent to the rear wheels. The all-wheel drive system was electronically controlled and used two clutches.The Captiva also boasted a comprehensive array of electronic driving aids, including electronic stability control, traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, hill descent control, ABS antilock braking, and rollover protection. Holden engineers had a hand in tuning the suspension ensuring the Captiva's ride and handling was in tune with the local roads, with the result it rode comfortably and handled well.Inside the Captiva was roomy, with fold-flat seating making it a flexible carrier of people or loads of luggage. As many as 20 storage options were built into the Captiva's interior, including a useful wet-dry area below the rear floor, a glovebox cooler, large rear centre console bin, and numerous other handy bins. Four models were offered in the range, which included the five-seater SX, the seven-seater CX and LX, and the sporty five-seater MaXX.IN THE SHOP With the earliest cars just three years old and done 75,000 km or so at most it's early days for the Captiva. Apart from some initial complaints about the fuel consumption of the V6 there have been few complaints about the Captiva, and none of them have been of a serious nature.At this point in its life it's important to ensure the maintenance has been kept up so the car you are considering buying hasn't been neglected. Most SUVs are used around town, but check for offroad use, and any damage that might have been sustained in the bush.IN A CRASH The Captiva scrubs up pretty well on the safety front, with dual front airbags standard across the range, and curtain airbags optional on the SX and standard on all other models. All models also have seat belt pretensioners and belt force limiters on the front seats to limit the load on the chest in a crash. There's also a comprehensive array of electronic aids to provide a high level of active safety.AT THE PUMP Holden claimed the Captiva V6 would do 11.5 L/100 km on average, while the diesel would better that with 7.6 L/100 km for the manual and 8.7 L/100 km for the auto. Many owners complained about the high fuel economy of their V6 Captivas, which they were reporting was tending more towards the 12-14 L/100 km than the official Holden figures. The diesel seems to be hitting the mark with owners reporting quite reasonable fuel economy numbers.OWNERS SAY Barry Watson says his two-year-old LX Captiva diesel is better than he was expecting it to be. He was attracted to the Captiva by its safety, diesel engine, and high level of equipment. Two years on he says it is well finished, the body is very tight with no rattles anywhere, the ride and handling is quite acceptable, and it has been very reliable with no problems experienced to date. He also praises its fuel economy and reports he gets 10-11 L/100 km around town and 7.9 L/100 km on interstate trips. His main complaint is that the trip computer does not give an in stant readout of fuel consumption, so it can't be used as an economy gauge. In summary he says he is a very satisfied owner and would not hesitate to buy another one.LOOK FOR . Attractive looks. Seats up to seven. Thirsty V6. Frugal diesel. Competent chassis. Electronic driving aidsTHE BOTTOM LINE Attractive all-wheel drive wagon with Aussie influenced looks and chassis settings, and the option of a diesel engine is worth a look.RATING: 80/100

The first, and most disappointing, example for Australia was the Barina. Cheap and not that cheerful, the Korean-sourced Barina was not so much a step as a leap down in just about every facet from the quite wonderful previous generation which came out of Europe, and felt every bit of it.Yet the retrograde quality did little to stem the Barina's popularity — as Holden had happily predicted, it was all about the price.With the Captiva, Holden's latest 4WD venture, it is still about the money.At a starting price of $35,990 for the five-seat SX model through to $38,990 and $41,990 for the seven-seat CX and LX models, and on to the range-topping five-seater Euro-luxury styled MaXX at $42,990, the Captiva raises a strong value argument. But it also stands on its design, styling, dynamics and build quality.Holden engineers and stylists had significant input into the Captiva from quite early in the project and it shows in the finished product. Built in South Korea, the Captiva is powered by the Australian-built 3.2-litre Alloytec V6, with 169kW of power and 297Nm of torque.Drive is through a five-speed automatic to an electronically controlled active AWD system delivering 100 per cent of torque to the front wheels as a default setting, but capable of up to a 50:50 split. The Captiva is no lightweight and, with some 1800kg to shift, the 3.2-litre engine can find it hard work under some conditions. Getting the best out of the engine requires keeping it spinning at around 3000-4500rpm and while the five-speed auto is quite capable of doing that without fuss on highways and flat open country, the manual mode is a must in hilly or twisty areas.One of the key pluses for the Captiva is its suspension. While the ride could not be described as plush, it is certainly balanced and with an impressive compliance.For what is a high-riding, high-bodied SUV, the Captiva has some endearing qualities. The steering is not razor sharp but neither does it drift into vagueness.Safety is well catered for — as it should be in what will essentially be a family car — with standard electronic stability control, a descent control system to automatically brake during steep downhill driving and an active rollover system to guard against one of the banes of 4WD safety.Unfortunately GM didn't stretch to reverse sensors or cameras. Sensors are available as an option at $429.Comfortable seating with reasonable adjustment, coupled to a reach- and rake-adjustable steering wheel, also makes for relaxed driving. Interior styling, not a renowned highlight for Korean product, is a standout feature on the Captiva.The surface materials are soft-touch plastics or cloth (leather in the LX and MaXX) with subtle tonings and stylish lines. There are plenty of useable open pockets spread around the interior and the seating in the seven-seat models is particularly flexible. Six of the seven seats will fold flat to allow for a wide mix of passengers and cargo.The standard third row of seats in the CX and LX models is roomy enough for small adults and features sensible packaging, which allows the seats to fold flat into the floor without removing the headrests.A flip of the easily accessible release and the 60:40 split second row of seats drops the back forward then rolls the entire seat to the front. This leaves a practical opening for access to the third-row seats.On the down side, the Captiva has a larger turning circle than the bigger Territory and the spare tyre is of the limited-range, limited-speed type, which seems so out of step with an SUV's stated purpose of getting away from the beaten track.

There are five and seven-seat models, plenty of standard equipment, an on-demand AWD system and prices from $35,990.That is enough for the Captiva to start a strong showroom run, even though it is pitched against the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Jeep Cherokee, Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and many others in the mid-sized, AWD class.What gives the Captiva an edge is its pricing and the lion on its nose.GM Holden has had AWDs in the past, but they have been a dowdy and disappointing bunch.Captiva will be almost as important to Holden next year as the VE Commodore, competing with the Ford Territory, the locally developed wagon that was a hit from day one and has given Ford a runaway lead over anything Holden could pitch against it.The Captiva is a more realistic rival, though we rate it significantly behind the Territory in most key areas.It is not as refined, composed or gutsy and must rely on its price advantage — the cheapest Territory is $39,490 — to make its mark.Still, it will do well and GM Holden now enjoys a twin-edged showroom effort with it sitting alongside the Commodore.The two vehicles share their locally made V6 heart, though the Captiva's 3.2-litre motor is shipped to Korea for installation.The Captiva is Korean, like the Barina and Viva, which also are shipped here from the GM Daewoo factory, now a global supply centre for value-focused newcomers.The difference for Captiva is that it was designed by Australians and has been tuned for local conditions.It is arguably the first of the Australianised Korean contenders in the GM range, though there is still plenty of work to be done.The Captiva is a typical mid-sized, AWD, with a V6 engine, five-speed automatic gearbox and a large family cabin.It is sold as a soft-roader but will mostly serve as a suburban runabout for families who know they can get more for their money in a Captiva than a Commodore wagon.There are two body styles in the Captiva range — the regular wagon and the Euro-focused Maxx — with three grades in the regular model up to the seven-seat luxury LX at $41,990 complete with alloy wheels and cruise control. The MAXX is $42,990 and sits as the flagship.The V6 is tuned for 169kW and 297Nm, there is on-demand all-wheel grip but otherwise the Captiva runs with front-wheel-drive.Standard safety equipment runs to four airbags, electronic stability control, rollover protection and a hill-descent system.The Captiva has not been put through the NCAP crash program yet, but GM Holden believes it will make four stars.THE first time we drove the Captiva we were surprised and impressed. And rocked by the value.But that was using the route chosen by GM Holden for the Australian press preview.Now, after putting three cars through real-world work for a proper review, we are not as impressed.The Captiva is the right size and price for a lot of Australian families, but we have seen the flaws.The seats are awful, the ride is too firm, the automatic can take too much convincing on kick-down, and some of the cabin quality is disappointing.Still, it is a lot of car for the money and there will be plenty of people who like the idea of an affordable Holden wagon that can tackle bush tracks, a bit of beach and towing work.Close your eyes for a blind test and the Captiva betrays its South Korean roots. It is what you feel, what you smell and the amount of noise.It just does not have the refinement we expect from a top-drawer Holden such as the Commodore or European Astra and Vectra.Will customers notice? Probably not. Will customers care? Probably not.And the Captiva does drive well enough, with solid performance, reasonable fuel economy and the space and versatility that suits so many Australian families.The five-speed auto is smooth and there is a manual shift mode, but you can catch the auto out without enough revs or response for big hills or overtaking.We spent most of our time with the LX seven-seater.The cabin is commendably flexible and easy to set for five or seven people.Luggage space is fine for the class. Access to the spare, which is big but rated to only 80km/h, is reasonable.We like the standard equipment. Holden has worked to put some classy touches into the dash and console.But the leather looks and feels cheap and the front buckets are as flat as a park bench, rivalled only by the uncomfortable seats in the new Subaru Tribeca.The Captiva is easy to park, the lights are fine and it looks as if it will take long-term hard work without turning cheap and nasty.It is hard to find anything at $41,990 that does as much or gives you as much.Lining it up against its imported rivals, the Captiva has an edge over the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento with its Holden badge, even if the other Koreans are just as good in most areas. The Toyota Prado is now showing its age and can be heavy on fuel.Most people want to know if they should go for the new Holden ahead of the Territory from Ford.So is the Captiva good? Definitely.Is it as good as the Territory? Definitely not.But it is still more than good enough to earn our recommendation and plenty of sales with Australian families who are looking for a high-riding people mover at the right price.

Holden's flirtation with things Korean has taken another step with the arrival of the Captiva, but this time it could be the real thing."We've been waiting a long time to get the right SUV for the Australian market and Captiva fits the bill perfectly," Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney said at the launch this week."It looks fantastic and offers the kind of flexibility customers demand from these types of vehicles."More importantly, the compact Captiva is much more Holden than the sadly inadequate Barina, which opened the batting for the General's Korean business plans.This time around, Holden's engineers and designers got to the project table in time for the first course, when the Captiva was little more than a borrowed platform and a vision for a global car.Nobody at Holden need blush over this vehicle nor fall back on the "value" argument to justify its origins.Priced from $35,990 for the five-seat SX model through to $38,990 and $41,990 for the seven-seat CX and LX models, the Captiva will top out with the five-seater Euro-luxury styled MaXX at $42,990.From the outset, key Holden personnel were invited to the Captiva party and in the end they virtually took over the catering.The styling of the car fell to Mike Simcoe (of Monaro and VE fame and now a design director for General Motors in North America) and young Turk Max Wolff (SSX concept and the Chevrolet WTCC Ultra Concept).Working out of the GM DAT design centre in South Korea, the Aussie designers gave the Captiva its compelling lines and set the standard for its quality interior packaging.The engineering story was similarly important, if not more so. Holden chassis development engineer John Taylor and his team got hold of a donor platform from a Saturn Vue early in the program and set to work."When we first saw what we had to work from it was, to be honest, disheartening," says team engineer Mark Andre. "It was down to JT's determination to get things exactly right that the final product is what it is."Taylor was more circumspect. "We had to get the balance and dampers just right ... the rebound just right," he says. "I really wanted that to be spot on before there was any ESP or anything involved."The final tuning of the Captiva suspension — developed and validated over 450 prototype, pilot and test vehicles and five million kilometres — so impressed GM that the Holden calibrations will be used on the cars in Europe and Korea.Built at General Motors' Bupyeong plant in South Korea, the Captiva is powered by the Australian-built 3.2-litre Alloytec V6 with 169kW of power and 297Nm of torque.Drive is through a five-speed automatic to an electronically-controlled active AWD system delivering 100 per cent of torque to the front wheels as a default setting but capable of up to a 50:50 split.Holden has announced a commonrail turbo diesel will join the model mix sometime next year.European models are available with a 2.0-litre 110kW diesel but Holden would not confirm if that was the engine for Australia.The VE safety strategy has been continued in Captiva, making electronic stability control standard along with a descent control system to automatically brake during steep downhill driving and an active roll-over system to guard against one of the banes of 4WD safety.A notable and unfortunate omission from the standard safety fare is any form of reverse sensor; an almost moral obligation on any vehicle, but particularly on one whose main duties are likely to be as a mum's taxi.While one Holden source insists that the company is developing a reversing camera for the Captiva, in the interim it has made the sensors available as a $429 option.On the road the Captiva is something of a revelation — something of a Ford Territory-tester. Dynamically, the Captiva behaves with the aplomb of a large sedan.Ride is subtle without being soggy and the car has the ability to soak up some seriously broken surfaces without rattling the occupants' teeth.Body roll is kept to a minimum which is a benefit to both the control of the car and the comfort of passengers.The steering is not particularly sharp or communicative but it has a decent weighting on centre and is positive under load.Comfortable seating with reasonable adjustment, coupled to a reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, also makes for relaxed driving.If there is a disappointment in the Captiva it is the 3.2-litre Alloytec engine.With around 1800kg to shift, the engine needs to be kept in the 3000-4500rpm range to utilise peak torque of 297Nm.The five-speed automatic deals well with those needs on open roads and moderate hills. On more twisty sections and when the uphill grind becomes serious, however, a great deal more driver input is necessary through the manual shift mode to keep the drive flowing.One of the highlights of the Captiva is in its interior styling and packaging; an area that has not been a strong point for some Korean products.The surface materials are soft-touch plastics or cloth (leather in the LX and MaXX) with subtle tonings and stylish lines.There are numerous sensible storage bins and open pockets spread around the interior and the seating in the seven-seat models is particularly flexible.Six of the seven seats will fold flat to allow for a considerable long-load capability or a wide mix of passengers and cargo.The standard third row of seats in the CX and LX models is surprisingly roomy with good leg space and sensible packaging which allows them to fold flat into the floor without removing the headrests.Particularly clever, and practical, is the one-touch seatback release for access to the third row.Flip the easily reachable release and the 60:40 split second row of seats not only drops the back forward but without effort then rolls the entire seat to the front.This leaves an unusually practical opening for access to the third-row seats.Holden's marketing team will not put a number on Captiva sales but expect a model split strongly in favour of the seven-seater."With nothing to benchmark it on we really do not have any true indication of numbers," says Holden marketing boss John Elsworth. "That aside, it is nice to finally have an SUV that we can offer."