Holden Captiva 5 LTZ 2013 review

These days very few SUV buyers are looking 4WD capability in off-road conditions. Rather, they want an on-road station wagon with a high level of equipment and the premium features usually only found in upmarket models. Well aware of this, Holden has introduced a new model to its Captiva 5 range, the LTZ.

Price and equipment

Holden Captiva 5 LTZ has a recommended price of just $32,990 for the two-wheel drive 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol variant, and $36,990 for the 4WD 2.2-litre turbo diesel model. At this stage the LTZ is only being produced as a five-seater.

The Captiva LTZ comes as standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, leather trim, heated front seats, a powered driver’s seat. Holden Captiva is offered with either five or seven seats and with the choice of two or four-wheel drive. All Holden Captiva models have alloy wheels, cruise control and Bluetooth phone and music connectivity.

Engine and transmission

Our test Captiva 5 had the latest 2.2-litre turbodiesel that has lower fuel usage and fewer emissions than the one it superseded a couple of years back. It also had a new-design six-speed ‘Gen II’ automatic transmission that’s designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. This new automatic is installed not only in the five-seat Holden Captiva 5 LTZ we tested, but also in all Captiva 5 and 7 variants.

Safety

Safety features include six airbags, ABS brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, stability and traction control.

Driving

Steering is reasonably sharp and the feedback it offers is good, for an SUV, that is. While it lags a little behind the Europeans in handling dynamics, the lower cost of the Korean/Australian Captiva must be taken into consideration.

We were surprised by the relatively high noise levels from the diesel engine when it was idling, and didn’t expect the radiator fan to make as much noise as it did. When cruising everything quietens down.

Typical fuel consumption when running on motorways and level country roads was in the eight to nine litres per hundred kilometres range. About town in traffic this rose to 10 to 12 litres. Not particularly good figures for a diesel, but this is a relatively large heavy SUV.

Interior comfort is good with large front seats that support nicely. There’s good space for four adults and a child and the luggage space area is large and easy to load. The rear seat backrests can be set at three different angles to juggle load length and/or comfort needs. The 60/40 split backrest folds completely flat in a matter of seconds, but only from inside the back doors, there’s no access by way of levers at this stage.