Chevrolet's Captiva V6 LTZ looks like the love child of a BMW X5 and a Honda CRV. General Motors says it "clearly draws its styling cues from the Chevrolet SX3 concept car first shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2004".
The Captiva is the SX3 (see the gallery if you have any doubt) and the design work was by a team at GM's design centre in Incheon, South Korea. It's next door to the plant where the Captiva is built.
There's nothing Korean about this vehicle though - it's all American; filled with creature comforts, looks like an SUV but handles like a sporty sedan.
Safety first
Safety is high on the list for the Captiva and its high -strength shell - which includes a cross-member mounted ahead of fascia - helped it achieved a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
The bumpers are designed to absorb low-speed impacts and direct energy away from the chassis - keeping occupants safe as well as minimising repair costs for minor collisions.
All doors have side-impact bars and there are crash bags in the front with side and curtain bags along the first two rows of seating. All seven seats have three-point seat belts and the second row is child-seat ready.
The heatable external mirrors fold away at the press of a button so pedestrians don't crack their heads or shoulders against them when they pass the stationary Captiva in a car park.
Cavernous
Safety is great but meaningless without comfort, which explains the luxury of the cabin. The leather seats will hug a diverse range of body shapes, as will the head restraints, cradling you as you roll along. All controls are within comfortable reach of the electronically-adjusted driver's seat, putting the person at the wheel in charge - the Americans know how to make you feel like the king of your (roving) castle.
Two adults can comfortably be accommodated in the third row of seats which, when folded, offer plenty of boot space (465 litres of it) that expands to 930 litres as the second row bows and then grows to a gaping 1565-litre maw with all but the driver's seat folded down.
Doing all this is a remarkably easy task as the seats are spring-loaded and levers are conspicuous and marked with neat diagrams - that goes for just about every other control in the car. No guessing games here, thank goodness.
The supplied cargo net fits across the boot opening so groceries don't come tumbling out when you open up the rear door and the rear glass pops open with a touch on the remote for quick access.
As for storage space, it's easier to ask where they aren't. My favourites were the two mini bins with pop-open lids directly above and below the driver's information display in the centre of the fascia.
Sitting pretty
The view from the driver's seat is pleasing and the fascia appears organic; one smooth, flowing piece. The trim is low-key with chrome and synthetic brushed-steel highlights. Knobs on the centre console have been pared back to minimum and replaced with myriad buttons.
The speedo and rev counter are bold and a white band marks their circumference. Cruise control buttons sit on the right side of the steering wheel, those on the left are for the sound system which, in the Captiva , includes a radio, six-disc CD, MP3 player and - lo and behold - is that a cassette deck I see? After confirming this was correct I had a quick scout around for the eight-track player, but GM's tongue-in-cheek retro styling had not gone that far.
What looks at first like a satnav display at the top of the console is actually an information screen that will tell you the temperature of the air inside (and where it's flowing) as well as temperature outside the vehicle. Fuel consumption, range and average speed are also displayed just above a digital compass, which seems to have been plopped in because nobody could think of anything better to fill the blank space.
Hoarse whisperer
Enough with the cosmetics already, you say, tell me how it handles on the tar.
OK, in short, the Captiva is a pleasure to drive. It is nimble and its steering is light. It nips in and out of corners and sits tightly on the road. All-wheel drive is automatically engaged via an electronic clutch whenever the computers decide it is required. Couple this to a suspension system that adjusts itself according to load and you have rock-solid handling free of under- or oversteer.
This 3.2-litre V6 model has automatic transmission with clutch response that's lightning fast. The Captiva instantly pulls away from standstill and gear changes are imperceptible. The ride is super-quiet, punctuated only occasionally by a rumble from the twin pipes that hints at the 24-valve dual overhead cam engine's output of 169kw (at 6600rpm) and 297Nm of torque (at 3200rpm).
All this power drives a set of 235/55 tyres on 18" alloys and can be reined in with the hydraulic brake assist system that will bring the vehicle to a halt in a shorter distance in an emergency.
GM will also be bringing in 2.4-litre petrol and two-litre diesel models for the power-shy, or perhaps budget conscious, because the "Go USA" design of this vehicle includes an all-American appetite for fuel. GM claims its 2.4-litre plant will consume 10 litres/100km and I sincerely hope it does for you but this V6 got no better than 13.9 litres/100km and drank away nearly the entire 65 litres in its tank with just under 400km travelled.
Verdict:
Buy this SUV for its superb looks, comfort and performance but open a long-term, high-return investment portfolio to pay for the petrol.
Prices:
Prices include a three-year or 100 000km service plan and a three-year or 100 000km warranty that includes breakdown assistance over the warranty period.
Three-year and five-year maintenance plans are optional with service intervals at 15 000 km or a year.
Captiva FWD 2.4 LT - R244 300
Captiva AWD 2.4 LT - R272 300
Captiva AWD 2.0 D LTZ - R319 900
Captiva AWD 3.2 V6 LTZ AT - R329 900