What do you get when you cross a Korean with an Aussie, with a big chunk of The General thrown in? No, Luigi, it’s not a cute Asian chick with a parade-ground mouth, but one of the more attractive 4WDs to hit the New Zealand market.
Often committee decisions result in a diluted end result, but this is certainly not the case with the Captiva, which was conceived by General Motors using its Theta platform, with huge input from engineers at Holden, and built at the GM-DAT factory in Korea.
In fact we were out stocking up with supplies at our local supermarket while testing the Captiva MaXX when a man who sounded German rushed up and asked to look around the interior. Seems he was so enamored with the vehicle that he had ordered one without seeing it in the metal, and wanted to have a look at what he’d bought…
Now that’s enthusiasm for you!
The Captiva has been designed specifically for the Asia-Pacific market and Europe, and it’s much the same as the up-coming Opel/Vauxhall Antara, which will also be built in Korea.
It’s also no cut-price special, although it does undercut its main rivals, the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Sante Fe (though to be fair the Sorento has a high-low ratio gearbox, making it more capable off-road).
Instead it’s a well-engineered and well put-together alternative, marketed through Holden dealers to give a wide spread (it wears Chevrolet badges in other markets), a class act that appeals perhaps more to those who want to parade the high street than the shingle, but with the ability to get off-road and climb a few hills if that’s the owner’s desire.
Certainly it benefits from a Holden-made 3.2-litre quad cam Alloytec V6 that pushes out a lusty 167 kW and 297 Nm of torque, enough to give it car-like acceleration from 0-100 km/h of 8.8 seconds and claimed overall consumption of 11.6 litres/100 km, although we would expect this to rise with more urban and off-road use. The tank holds 65 litres.
What’s more, when you do take it off the tarmac its 200 mm of ground clearance coupled with all that torque, a super-slick 5-speed auto gearbox with manual control and lockup, plus a descent control system, means you can cross to the other side while your buddies in utes and sedans can merely watch and wait.
The Captiva has what Holden terms “Active All-Wheel Drive”. What this means is that the system puts most of its drive to the front wheels most of the time, but sends up to half the engine’s effort to the rear wheels if the fronts lose their grip or traction.
Active ingredient here is a multi-plate electromagnetic clutch that activates in milli-seconds if a front wheel spins - and also if instructed by g-force, yaw, accelerator and steering sensors (as used by the electronic stability programme) if some rear-drive would help prevent a skid or even a roll-over.
But there’s no centre diff. lock as found on many vehicles with permanent 4WD.
On the road ride quality is closer to boulevard cruiser than off-road bruiser, which means the handling can sometimes be less than ideal, but all four wheels stay firmly on the ground thanks to the all-round independent suspension, with Macpherson struts up front and a four-link setup at the back.
There’s a degree of body roll, and some squishiness about the steering, both of which tend to make you back off when the going gets tight, which is probably a good thing.
Off-road it is ground clearance which is the main limiting factor, for traction control gets rid of any cross-axle problems which may occur, and the auto ‘box allows the car to creep slowly without stalling. And there’s plenty of torque from the beautifully-smooth Aussie V6.
But all this aside, it’s the Captiva’s comfort levels which will impress most people most of the time.
In terms of its size (height apart) the Captiva takes up no more on-road space than a medium car,  and weighs the same as a Saab 9-3 convertible!
Of course you sit up high, and this gives a great view over the tops of ordinary sedans. Interior trim is of high quality, the controls are logical, the dials clear, and the recessed sword-handle handbrake is particularly neat because it frees up storage space in the centre console.
Leather is standard on the seat facings and the steering wheel rim on the MaXX, and it comes with plenty of room for five, though the LX version is longer and gets an extra row of seats to bring capacity to seven.
Luggage capacity is ample at 430 litres, and easy to load, and there’s a 70 profile 16 inch spare wheel, which, though not as wide as the standard 18 inch alloy rim, can at least be driven at normal speeds, unlike a space-saver.
The rear seat gets a 60/40 split and the cushion can be left in place and the backrest folded down to make a flat load platform level with the boot floor.
As to be expected there’s a fair amount of stowage space, including a deep, wide glove box, a two-tier front centre armrest, big door pockets, under-floor side compartments in the boot and a horizontal locker above the right rear wheel housing. There’s a spectacles holder, too, plus cup holders and 12-volt power points.
Electric windows and mirrors are standard, as is automatic air-con, six-disc in dash radio/CD player with MP3 compatibility, a trip computer, heated front seats, chrome tailpipes, and cruise control.
There’s also electric driver’s seat adjustment coupled with both rake and reach adjustment on the steering wheel, keyless entry, front fog lights, and a cooled glove box.
The Captiva is good-looking, well put together, and will fulfill many an owner’s 4WD fantasy without having to make compromises when it comes to the daily commute.
In essence it’s a comfortable and luxurious station wagon with the ability to venture off the beaten track rather than an extreme bush-basher.  .: