Holden Captiva News

Holden has added a number of features to its Captiva SUV range in a mid-year upgrade planned to keep it close to the head of the sales race. Particularly impressive are fuel consumption decreases of up to 10 per cent in the two petrol engines. Emissions have been significantly reduced at the same time. These changes have been achieved without any increase in the recommended prices. Adding to the savings is the offer of driveway pricing as an introductory incentive. Driveaway price for the Captiva 5 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol with manual transmission is a mere $27,990. As part of the special introductory deal it comes with a sunroof and 18-inch alloy wheels (however, the spare wheel is made from steel). The Captiva 7 SX when fitted with the 2.4-litre petrol and automatic transmission is priced at $33,990. It has a sunroof and side steps. All Captiva petrol engines now have flex-fuel capability, giving owners the choice to refuel with bio-ethanol, E10, unleaded, premium or any combination of the above. Bio-ethanol, usually called E85, is a fuel consisting of up to 85 per cent ethanol - a renewal fuel - with the balance being petrol. It is a cleaner-burning fuel that can enhance vehicle performance and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent, compared to petrol. Updates to the Holden Captiva range for 2012 include safety and luxury features. Rear park assist is now standard on the Captiva 7 SX while heated front seats and front park assist are now standard on the top of the range Captiva 7 LX. The five-seat Holden Captiva 5 has a 2000 kg towing capacity when the big 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine is installed. Though the Captiva is sourced from GM Korea (formerly Daewoo) it had considerable input in both body design and mechanical components by Australian Holden staff. The Holden Captiva 7 is proving popular in the sales race, with many buyers praising the versatile interior which offers no fewer than 32 seat/luggage combinations. Interior comfort is good for four adults and three children, but it can cope with seven adults at a bit of a squeeze. Boot capacity is limited with all seats occupied. The third row of seats fold neatly beneath the floor, the second row can be folded flat with a single movement. The front passenger seat flips over for extra long-load space or a flat desktop. Holden engineers worked on improving Captiva’s handling for the 2011 model and it has good cornering feel and less body roll than many in the Asian class. Steering is reasonably sharp and the feedback it offers is good. Having said that, it still lags behind the European SUVs in its on-road dynamics. Holden Captiva is also sold with an economical diesel engine with a capacity of 2.2 litres. Fuel consumption has been trimmed slightly, with improvements in the five per cent range. Exceptional pricing combined with Australian styling and on-road dynamics seem sure to have buyers queuing up for the revamped Holden Captiva SUVs.  

There is more value in extra equipment, and more flexibility on fuel thanks to ethanol compatibility, but less thirst with an update to the petrol performance of the family wagon's four-cylinder and V6 engines.Sales of Captiva have been booming this year, with delivers of the Captiva 5 up by more than half and a 2.5- per cent lift on the Captiva 7 despite shortages of diesel-powered cars. "We are very happy with how Captiva is going. Medium SUVs are very popular and it's great to have a solid performer," says Emily Perry, spokesperson for Holden.The company is also looking ahead to the arrival of its big-and-little SUV additions, the Trax and Malibu, next year. "The SUV segment is up nearly 60 per cent and to have great new entries will be good."The Captiva 5 and 7 join the V6 and V8 Commdores with ethanol compatibility, but Holden says it is not planning a full-scale switch to E85 engines across its lineup.The flex fuel is not compatible with its top seller, the compact Cruze, or any of the other import models in its current lineup."It's partly a chicken-and-egg thing. If the market says there is a demand then we go for it," says Emily Perry, spokesperson for Holden. "Apart from the Captiva, it's really only the V6 Captiva and the V6 and V8 Commodores. We're looking at it on a case-by-base basis. It's about where we go with the powertrains."It's about providing solutions for different customers. Not everyone wants or needs flex-fuel capability. It's more a wait-and-see on our other models." The E85 package means new Captiva owners can refuel with bio-ethanol fuel, E10, unleaded, premium or any combination of the fuels.But petrol-powered Captivas are now being delivered with fuel economy that's improved by up to 10 per cent thanks to re-calibration work on the engines and drivetrain. That cuts the official economy of the 2.4-litre petrol from 9.1 to 8.8 litres/100km in the Captiva 5, with the 3-litre V6 in the Captiva 7 down from 11.3 to 10.1 and other improvements across the board including diesels.There are no visual changes to the latest Captivas, but the 5 gets a new body colour and there is rear parking radar USB input and a 2000-kilo tow rating across the Captiva 7 range, with the LX picking up heated front seats and front parking assist. Holden is also sweetening the deal with driveway prices from $27,990 and $33,990, as well as a sunroof and 18-inch alloys on the 5 and a sunroof and side steps on the 7. "Captiva is a great model for us. Any time you can create better value is a good thing," says Perry. But she admits the changes to the SUVs are relatively minor. "There are no cosmetics. It's improved fuel economy. It's an ongoing update rather than a mid-life refresh." 

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.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. 

The recall notice is for 16,181 Series 1 Captivas built between February 11, 2008, and January 2, 2011, after a fault was found in the fuel feed hose. It also affects 2724 Epicas made between February 1, 2008, and June 20, 2011, and 6512 Series 1 Cruze vehicles built between November 4, 2008, and July 20, 2010. Holden's senior production communications manager Kate Lonsdale said yesterday the fault was within the fuel feed hose which can leak diesel fuel. She added there had been some complaints of fuel smell or a leak, but Holden had received no reports of fires. "This is a different recall to the March 2010 recall on the fuel feed hose - that was the 1.8-litre petrol engine,'' Lonsdale said. Holden replaced the 2.0-litre turbodiesel with a more efficient 2.2-litre unit when it launched the Series II Captiva in March this year. The vehicles will be inspected and repaired free of charge and Lonsadle said the process will take up to 90 minutes. Holden is contacting owners of affected vehicles by mail but anyone with concerns should contact Holden directly on 1800 632 826.  It is the fifth major recall for Holden this year as listed on the government's recalls.gov.au website. In July it contacted 1951 Hummer H3 owners to advise the dashboard indicator lights might not show that a bulb had blown when towing a trailer. In June 6509 Holden USB Jackaroo and Monterey vehicles built from 1998-2002 were recalled to fix a faulty earth connection on the main wiring loom that could cause the engine to idle too quickly. Potentially unsafe rear seatbelt anchors led to letters being sent to 4236 JG Cruzes owners in May and in February the sun wasn't shining on 14,612 vehicles built from 2002-2006 when Holden advised the sunroof's glass panel could separate from the frame while the cars were moving.

GM Holden next year plans to wheel out a refurbished Captiva SUV to an increasingly discerning crowd of Australian families.  Expected here early in 2011, the five or seven-seat Captiva stars in its global reveal at this month's Paris motor show as a Chevrolet - GM's mainstay brand that turns 100 year next year.The four-year-old SUV built by the Korean Daewoo arm of GM gets upgraded with a polished face and more power choices for 2011, but most importantly, aims to add more value for family buyers.GM Holden in the year to August 31 has sold almost 11,000 Captivas, giving it the lead in the softroader field – and making it for overall SUVs second only to the more 4WD-oriented Toyota Prado's 11,650 figure.Externally it wears a bigger, two slot grille under a muscled bonnet, new slim-line headlights and repeater indicators in the wing mirrors. GM Holden is keeping quiet about the SUV."We're not in a position to discuss powertrains or features for our local model at this stage," says GM Holden spokesman Jonathon Rose.  "But the styling does give a clue as to what an updated Captiva for Australia may look like when it reaches our shores."The Captiva goes on duty in Europe with four powerplant options and new transmissions. It is expected in Australia with the same choices as the current model.  The basic model range of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, petrol and diesel, will remain but the drivetrains are expected to be more advanced.Global markets have the choice of two petrol engines (a 127kW 2.4-litre variable-valve four and a 192kW 3-litre V6) and two 2.2-litre turbo-diesels rated at 121kW and 136kW.  The turbo-diesels and the 2.4-litre petrol can be ordered in front or all-wheel-drive configurations. It is unlikely we will get the V6.Transmissions are new six-speed manual and six-speed automatic units.  In acknowledgment of its market, the next Captiva accents new cabin colours and finishes, a wrap-around instrument panel and ice-blue backlighting.For the first time, it gets an electric park brake that allows more room in the centre console for storage.  The new manual transmission Captiva has "hill-start assist" to prevent rolling back on hills.Other cabin improvements are an audio system with iPod, USB and Bluetooth connectivity. European buyers are to have a touch-screen sat-nav option with rear view camera. This feature is expected on the Australian-bound models.GM says a new, more rigid chassis and attention to sound deadening have resulted in a Captiva that, in comparison with the current model, has more positive handling and reduced road, wind and engine noise.  Safety features include standard electronic stability and traction control, brake assist and six airbags.

Just a brief look into any junior sports club shows fewer people now do more to keep such clubs and teams afloat.

... now it means buying cars from almost anywhere else. Sales figures for January released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reveal that Australian-made vehicles were a poor fourth in terms of buyer preference.While we have long favoured imports from Japan, last month more buyers bought cars from Korea and Thailand in preference to those made manufactured in Melbourne and Adelaide. In fifth position, German imports recorded one of their best-ever sales months.  With the tariff having been reduced from 10 to five per cent, importers are sharpening their prices, posing a still more acute threat to the locals.Last month 26,311 vehicles from Japan sold in Australia; 13,130 from Korea; 10,777 from Thailand; 9741 locally made and 6066 from Germany.  While not the worst-ever numerical return in a month for Australian-made, fourth is an ordinary result for the local industry which the federal Government assists to the tune of $6.2 billion.While Holden can claim the Commodore was January's best-selling model on 3241 and Ford can point to an improved performance from the Falcon compared with January 2009, both models are hugely reliant on bargain sales to fleets rather than more profitable private sales.  Moreover, Holden's other bestsellers -- such as the Cruze, Barina and the Captiva -- are made in South Korea and re-badged for local buyers.Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan in Melbourne, was on top in the January monthly market with 14,564 vehicle sales, ahead of Holden with 10,468 and Ford on 6730. Mazda, was the fourth most popular car maker on 6658. Hyundai, with 6208, was fifth.Although they were several thousand behind the locals, sales of German imports are only going north, with a 78 per cent increase on January, 2009.  While the prestige brand Audi recorded a record 1328 sales, the impetus was due largely to manufacture of the Carsguide Car of the Year-winning Volkswagen Golf moving from South Africa to Germany, where its derivative Tiguan soft-roader is also made.COUNTRY OF ORIGINVehicle sales figures for January26,311 ... Japan13,130 ... Korea10,777 ... Thailand9,741 ..... Australia6,066 ..... Germany 

An accelerating Korean auto industry is now within a car's length of equalling sales of our home-grown models.  According to the official car sales figures for October released last week Korean vehicle sales in Australia were up 80 per cent compared to October 2008 and up 23 per cent for the year so far compared to the same period in 2008.Sales of Korean-made cars (12,324) nearly equalled the total sales of all Australian manufacturers (12,822) for the month.  Nearly 20,000 more Korean-made cars have been sold in Australia this year than in the same time last year.  By comparison, locally-built cars are down by 24,594 units, a drop of 17 per cent.Hyundai is leading the way, recording its best-ever October result in Australia, up by 106 per cent over October 2008, and is our fourth biggest-selling carmaker behind Toyota, Holden and Ford.  It's not only Hyundai and Kia that are raising the profile of Korea.The Holden-badged models of Captiva, Cruze, Barina, Viva and Epica are made by GM-Daewoo in Korea. The Renault Koleos is made by Samsung in Korea and Ssangyong SUVs are from a Korean plant.  About 39 per cent of light cars sold in Australia, 27 per cent of small cars and 26 per cent of medium-sized SUVs - including Australia's most popular SUV, the Holden Captiva - are built in Korea.A Hyundai spokesman said: "We are now on the shopping list. There was a time when we weren't but we have won awards - such as the Carsguide Car of the Year in 2007 - which has made people really notice us.  We didn't take our foot off the accelerator when the recession started late last year.  We didn't reduce production and we didn't spend less on marketing. That worked in our favour because people saw us as being constant."Overall car sales in Australia were up in October for the first time in 16 months.  Improvements were across the board covering private, business and rental buyers.  Sales of vans and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were particularly strong.And the situation is set to improve when import tariffs drop 5 per cent from January 1.  Some importers, including Mazda and Subaru, have already passed on savings.

 Rebounding new vehicle sales have - for the first month in more than a year - exceeded 2008 figures.  Last month's new car and truck sales from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) totalled 80,813, up 1708 sales - a 2.2 per cent rise on October last year.The October total is the first month since June 2008 that there has been an improvement - all segments except heavy trucks contributed to the improvement.Holden's Adelaide-built Commodore remains the number one seller for the year so far with more than 36,000 sedans and wagons sold, but last month ran third to the Toyota Corolla's tally of 3724 - 269 ahead of the Commodore - and the HiLux light-commercial's total of 3707.Holden's results included Captiva topping the SUV sales charts for October and sales and marketing executive director John Elsworth said the Cruze recording its strongest sales month since it arrived in showrooms in June."We continue to be delighted with the public response to the Cruze - from a standing start it's now the third best-selling car in small car segment," he said.The year-to-date 2009 market of 762,787 vehicles is running behind the same period in 2008 by 11.7 per cent or 101,250 vehicle sales.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Andrew McKellar said the market was boosted by sales activity in private, business and rental buyers.  "The industry is looking to round out the year on a positive note and we expect a further surge in sales as businesses move to take advantage of the successful tax break prior to the end of the year," he said.Van sales were up almost 20 per cent last month and Rick Castellan has just bought the top-selling van in the segment, a Toyota HiAce.  The 47-year-old director of Castellan Plumbing Services is on his ninth HiAce and the tax rebate sweetened the deal to buy a new one."The deals are good at the moment, one of my other old vans died after being run into the ground, and with the government tax rebate makes it a bit better financially," he said.  Mr Castellan said many of his colleagues and opposition have also updated vehicles because of the tax rebate.  "One guy I know would normally go to the government auctions and gets a two or three year-old van but he worked it out that he's better off buying the new one with the rebate," he said.TOP 10 BRANDS     Sept         (YTD 2009 +/- on 2008)Toyota                      17,888       160,786    -20.6 per centHolden                     10,737        96,404     -12.2 per centFord                           8240          78,529     -12.7 per centMazda                        5637         63,332     -6.5 per centHyundai                     6281         53,906     42.0 per centMitsubishi                 4775         44,867     -14.3 per centNissan                      4484         42,930     -15.6 per centHonda                       2984         34,771     -25.1 per centSubaru                      3302         30,527     -6.4 per centVolkswagen             2626          25,343     -2.7 per centTOP 20 VEHICLES        Sept 2009    Year to dateToyota Corolla               3724              32,200Toyota Hilux                   3707              30,096Holden Commodore     3455             36,085Ford Falcon                   2841              25,411Mazda3                          2211              29,397Hyundai Getz                2198               17,389Holden Cruze                2183               8327Mitsubishi Lancer        2066                 17,071Hyundai i30                   2041              17,913Toyota Camry              1817               16,529Nissan Navara           1689               15,013Toyota Yaris                 1613               15,990Toyota Aurion                1426               11,289Holden Colorado         1378              12,157Ford Ranger               1284               11,046Holden Captiva          1255                 9133Mitsubishi Triton         1251              14,115Holden Utility             1127                 9411Suzuki Swift               1113                 9602Volkswagen Golf         1055             10,096     

The car industry is reeling from the Federal Government's increase in the luxury-car tax.