New Car Reviews- Chevrolet Captiva

General Motors made its entry into the SUV car segment with the introduction of the new Chevrolet Captiva. The Captiva is sturdy and elegant with a bold look. It has a classy exterior and a spacious interior with a commanding driving position.

The Captiva competes with the Honda CR-V, Ford Endeavour, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Pajero.

The SUV is powered by 2.0-litre inline-4 turbocharged diesel engine with VCDi fuel injection technology. The engine delivers a solid 148 bhp of power. The electrically-controlled variable geometry turbocharger keeps the revs perfect at any speeds on the highway as well as within city limits. Currently, the Captiva is available only in a diesel version called 'LT'. The standard transmission is a robust 5-speed manual gearbox. Carbon-fiber material used in the transmission makes shifting into high gear easy and quiet. The car can go from 0 to 100 kph in 11.7 secs.

The car rides on a self-leveling independent suspension that keeps the SUV stable no matter what the load.

The bold and sophisticated looking Captiva has a good balance of looks and performance. The exterior it is dominated by large 6-spoke alloy wheels with bold wheel-arches and tubeless tyres. The bumpers have satin silver finish skid plates. The car also features perfectly placed cylindrical prism type headlamps, LED type turn signal lamps, turn signal repeaters integrated in the door mirrors and pull-out type chrome door handles.

The dashboard is ergonomically designed with matte black and brushed aluminum finish. The instrument cluster is sporty and the gauges are placed in chrome ringed bezels. The interior materials are good quality upgraded plastics. The seating offered on the Captiva is flexi type. The second and third row seats can be folded. The driver's seat is 8-way electrically adjustable. Audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel for driver's convenience. The actual audio controls and air conditioning dials too are easily accessible.

The Captiva's rigid body is a car-like monocoque. Dual front airbags come standard. The anti-lock braking system is enhanced by Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) technology.