2011 Holden Captiva Reviews

There's a lot to be said for the Holden engineering teams' efforts with models sourced from Korea, especially the Cruze sedan. It's a shame they can't do more with the Captiva SUV. The pricepoint and features list is competitive, but the new model seems to have lost its way dynamically.We're in the LX seven-seater all-wheel drive flagship. At $42,490, it's $2000 cheaper than the pevious model. Another $1000 gets you into the turbodiesel. The LX has a long standard features list - climate control air conditioning, power windows, three 12 volt power outlets, split second and third row seats, leather trim, power-adjustable driver's seat, automatic headlights (but no rain-sensing wipers), bluetooth phone (which was temperamental at best) and audio link for the eight speaker sound system, cruise control, electrochromatic centre rearvision mirror, satellite navigation (with compass), tilt-and-reach adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, mu ltifunction driver information display, rear parking sensors and rear camera and a trip computer.There's little ground-breaking gear here. The 3.0-litre direct-injection V6 is good for 190kW/288Nm, but feels short of that. The diesel has 400Nm on tap. The V6 doesn't seem to be enamoured of the six-speed auto, which feels a little slow and confused when asked for quick action. The combined fuel use claim is 11.3l/100km. We got 13.2 during our time in the car, which was not always driven for frugality, which is on par with its petrol competition.The all-wheel drive system is on-demand. This, like most of such systems, takes a very long time to bring the front wheels into play, despite extreme provocation. The delay suggests anything other than fire trails and hard-packed beach sand would be a challenge. The descent control system does a reasonable job of bringing the big SUV down a hill at a gracious pace, but serious off-road work would probably bake the brakes.That's an issue in any of these SUVs with electronics in lieu of a good low-range. There's a USB port within the more spacious centre console for added connectivity  the extra room comes from the inclusion of an electric park brake.The main change aesthetically comes at the front, with a sharper, sculpted snout and more air intake grilles. The bonnet and headlights have been re-designed and seem to be following a similar path to the new Ford Territory.The Captiva rates a four-star crash performer, though it has dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags, anti-lock braking on four-wheel ventilated discs, emergency brake assist, a hill descent control system (which is too fast), electronic brakeforce distribution, rollover, stability and traction control.Immediately the ride was a concern  very sharp over small bumps and not much better over bigger ones. A quick check with the pressure gauge prompted five pounds of pressure out of each tyre and the ride became a little less brittle, but it was still too firm for the rugrats and the Speaker Of The House. Part of the problem is, regardless of the myriad seating configurations, the seats themselves are flat and not overly comfortable.The suspension's taut control does deliver flat cornering and that shows up the seating's deficiency in terms of lateral support, but the compromised ride is too hard for a family truckster. As mentioned, the six-speed auto and the petrol V6 are not the best of bed-fellows, with a dearth of low-down torque to overcome the transmission's indecision.The infotainment side of the cabin is considerable, with Bluetooth phone and music link, but the system seems more adept at the latter than the former. The satellite navigation screen is clear and easy enough to use and read but gets confused. Despite claiming signal from nine satellites, the map was telling me I was driving on the South Eastern freeway when I was still well and truly on Upper Sturt Road, more than a couple of kilometres away.

The Ford Falcon wagon is dead. The Toyota Camry wagon is gone. Some like the Holden Sportswagon still survive, and there are loyal buyers in both the small-car and luxury classes, but the rising tide of SUVs has washed most station wagons out of showrooms.The distinction between the traditional sedan-based station wagons and Australia’s new favourite family freighter has become much more blurred in the past decade or so.However, there are still some important points of difference. And it's worth looking at some of the leading contenders on the rival teams to see what's happening and what works best for you.A sedan-based wagon is usually lighter than a similarly-sized SUV. This means better fuel economy and lower costs for servicing and tyres. It also sits closer to the bitumen, with a lower centre of gravity, so it’s more agile and stable, especially when cornering or in an emergency manoeuvre.However, you don’t enjoy the high-and-mighty driving position, with an unimpeded view of the road, that SUV drivers - and women in particular - cite as one of the breed’s major attractions.Who hasn’t sat in traffic, cursing the SUV blocking your vision? Booming SUV sales indicate more and more people are taking the view that, if I can’t beat ‘em, I may as well join ‘em.It’s a myth that SUVs are more space-efficient than wagons, however most mid-sized models - including the popular Holden Captiva and Ford's Territory - can come with a couple of extra seats in the back, a feature you no longer find in conventional wagons.Kids also love an SUV’s elevated seating position because they can enjoy the scenery, whereas many wagons have low seats and high side window sills, which, for nippers, can be like sitting in a hole.  So they get unhappy. And we know what happens then...Whether you choose a sedan-based wagon or an SUV - an Americanism for Sports Utility Vehicle, incidentally - the good news is that affordable family transport, with five star safety, can now also be an enjoyable drive.Among the wagons, the Commodore VE Series ll Sportwagon, priced from $41,990 for the 190kW, 3.0-litre V6 Omega, is a standout. It looks sensational - which, it must be said, is still a rare thing in wagon world.Recent improvements to drivetrains, including E85 ethanol fuel compatibility, direct fuel inection and a six-speed automatic - plus a flash new dash with hands-free Bluetooth and audi streaming as standard - have re-written the Commodore's technical resume to 21st century standards.Around town, the 3.0-litre V6 averages 12.6L/100km in official tests.  A big serve of additional grunt in the 3.6-litre V6 SV6 Sportwagon, plus tighter suspension, sports seats and other extras, justifies its $45,790 ask, and with a city average of 13.3L/100km, you’re not savagely penalised at the pump.Despite the Commodore's appeal, Ford’s Mondeo and the little-known Skoda Superb are the kings of outright space. Behind the driver’s seat, both are as big as the MCG.  Given their size, the fuel economy from their 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines is amazing.  The 120kW, six-speed automated-manual Mondeo, from $36,840, pulls like a train and averages just 7.7L/100km in town.The Skoda is VW engineering with a Czech badge, making  luxury wagon for half the expected price. The 125kW six-speed automated-manual Superb Ambition is $43,990, with a city average of 8.3L/100km and the 118kW 1.8-litre petrol turbo Ambition, at $40,990, offers respectable performance too, averaging 9.7L/100km.In the SUV showroom, Ford’s Territory, from $39,890, is still one of the best size/price/performance packages available - especially with the inevitable big discount ahead of the facelifted model - but the all-wheel drive’s 17.6L/100km thirst in town is a major disincentive.Later this month, a 140kW 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, which averages 11.6L/100km, goes under the bonnet as part of a major upgrade. It will be worth a test drive.Kia’s Sorento, a classy, competent seven-seater with a brilliant 2.2-litre, 145kW turbodiesel, starts at $39,999, with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Around town, it averages 9.5L/100 kilometres. The five-seater Subaru Outback now has enough interior acreage to keep a family happy.  This blue-chip, made-in-Japan SUV starts at $38,490 for the 123kW 2.5-litre petrol (11.5-litres per 100 kilometres), or $40,490 for a 110kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel, in manual only, with a 7.7- litres per 100 kilometre average.Load Lugger ChecklistRear camera: All cars should have one as standard, especially wagons and SUVs. The Sorento’s is a brilliant design, integrated into the rearview mirror.Curtain airbags: Essential protection against a side impact. In a seven seater, they should extend to all three rows of seats. In the Territory, they don’t.Child restraint anchors: Should be on the back of the rear seat, not in the load floor, or the roof (as in the Outback), where the tether straps get in the wayCargo bay: Check that the extended floor is flat when you fold the back seat, and that you don’t have to push the driver’s seat too far forward.Row-three seats: In SUVs most are pretty small, suitable for little kids only, or short trips. Check access, which should be easiest from the kerb side.Protection: You need some way to secure gear, because in a prang even small objects behind the back seat become lethal missiles. Options include a solid load cover, a net, a roll out mesh barrier, that clips into the roof, or an aftermarket barrier.Want to go off road ... really off road?Try these:Jeep Grand Cherokee from $45,000. The new Laredo 3.6-litre V6 petrol is great value, but the diesel, due in June, will be a better drive. Hard-core off-roading made easy, and the all-new Grand Cherokee is much improved on the bitumen too.Mitsubishi Challenger from $45,000. Lots of Pajero bits in this, with lower starting prices and a competent, if rather coarse, 2.5 turbodiesel. Seven seats from $49,390, a huge cargo bay, and a locking rear differential.Toyota Landcruiser Prado from $55,990. It’s a Toyota 4WD, so it’s pricey, but you get bulletproof reliability, unbeatable resale values and smooth, but leisurely, performance from the 3.0-litre turbodiesel.

A $2000 price cut is the new incentive for its seven-seater Captiva, which is updated today as part of a range overhaul with a range of improvements including full curtain airbags.The Captiva lineup still starts with the five-seater model from $27,990, but there is a new emphasis on the family fighter as Holden finally gets serious about its SUVs.  It admits it has only one car and is being forced to straddle classes with the Captiva, but plans to do the job with two body sizes, three engines and three equipment levels.The Captiva 7 now starts at $32,490, complete with ABS brakes, ESP stability control and six airbags.  "This is clearly the best SUV we've ever had," says Mike Devereaux, president of GM Holden.The company has done a lot of work on the Captiva, from massaging the styling through to a complete engine overhaul. The vehicle now comes with the locally-made 3.0-litre V6 - although it's first shipped to Korea - a new 2.2-litre petrol four made in New York state, and a 2.2- litre turbodiesel made in Korea under license from VM Motori in Italy.The engines bring fuel economy savings between three and six percent, while also giving more power and torque in each case.  There are both front and all-wheel drive models, with a manual six- speed gearbox only available in the five-seater and a new six-speed self-shifter across both bodies.Holden sharpened its price pencil by $2000 on the seven-seat Captiva 7 which now kicks off at $32,490 for the 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol model.The pricing for the five-seat Captiva 5 remains at $27,990 for the 2.4-litre.  The Captiva 7 range starts off with the SX front-drive model at $32,990 for the 2.4 and $35,990 for the 2.2-litre diesel.  Next up is the CX all-wheel drive seven-seater at $38,490 for the 3.0-litre V6 petrol and $39,490 for the 2.2-litre diesel.Rounding off the seven-seater range is the all-wheel drive LX at $42,490 for the V6 and $43,490 for the diesel. All Captiva 7s have an automatic transmission as standard.The Captiva 5 front-drive fitted with the 2.4-litre petrol is $27,990, while an automatic option costs another $2000. An all-wheel drive Captiva 5 with the 2.2-litre diesel is $33,990All models comes standard with a full suite of safety gear including electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes and six airbags including side curtain airbags.Standard gear across all Captiva models includes 17 inch alloy wheels, airconditioning, cruise control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, with the level of equipment rising as you move up the model tree.The biggest technology story with the new Captiva can be found under the bonnet.  There are three substantially revised engines that offer more power and use less fuel.The entry level engine is a 2.4-four-cylinder petrol running direct injection and variable valve timing that is made in New York State. This produces a 123kW and 230Nm and uses an average of 9.1 litres per 100km.Next up is a 3.0-litre V6 with direct injection and variable valve timing that is produced in Melbourne and serves in some Commodore models. It replaces the old 3.2-litre unit and has a healthy 190kW but just 288Nm of torque. Fuel economy comes in at 11.3 L/100km.The Captiva runs a substantially improved VM Motori licensed 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel that is made in South Korea. This is a common rail direct injection unit fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger for improved driveability. It uses a respectable 8.1L/100km of fuel.Only the base petrol engine, in the Captiva 5, is available with a six-speed manual transmission.  All other engines are bolted to new GM developed six-speed automatic.Most of the work for Captiva II has gone on under the bonnet or inside the cabin.  There are some new bumpers and headlights, but the new design is not radically different. Holden steered clear of introduced the brash Chevrolet front end used overseas, opting for a more subtle design.The Captiva 7 and Captiva 5 have different bodies and the 7 has rectangular headlights and flatter nose than the 5 which features more rounded lights.There have been some changes to the interior, with new surfaces and the deletion of the regular handbrake which is replaced by an electronic handbrake switch.Holden lead a drive to improve the quality of the South Korean made Captiva, which arrived in 2006.This model is better, significantly better. Some of the plastics feel a bit cheap and things like the sliding cup-holder panel feel flimsy. Some of the electronic displays look old and a few of the instruments are basic while the bad fake ‘carbon fibre’ trim in one model is not about to fool anyone. That said, it is better than before, and it should be noted that this is a quite a cheap SUV.Holden did a lot of work to improve the handling and it shows. No one is going to set a lap record around Phillip Island in a Captiva, but it certainly goes around corners with less fuss than before.  There is far less body roll in the corners which means the kids are far less likely to get car sick.The base engine is a smooth unit and works well for much of the drive. It is underwhelming when you call on it to get up a hill or accelerate hard, but will do an adequate job for a base model.There is always the V6 petrol engine although it is not a firecracker either. This engine does ok in the Commodore but always feels a bit under-done and it is the same in the Captiva.  It’s unfortunate that the 3.6-litre SIDI V6 from the Commodore wasn’t dropped in as that would have been a hoot.The pick of the engines is the 2.2-litre diesel which has more low down pulling power than any of the petrol units. It seems best equipped to pull the Captiva, which isn’t a light car, and a full pack of kids and their gear while also promising good fuel consumption.We only tested the automatic transmission and this is a good six-speed box that works well with the engines, unless put into Eco mode in which case it shifts early and often and becomes quite frustrating.You can still feel some vibration come through the floor with all three engines, which detracts from the experience.The practicality of the Captiva shouldn’t be overlooked and there is plenty of space to be used. The third row of seats are only for the little ones, but they are not bad for the class, while the ability to fold all seats, including the front passenger seat means you can carry some very long items too.