We tested the Chevrolet Captiva when it was first launched just over a year ago, and came away highly impressed. The Captiva was extremely impressive on-road with a gutsy 2.0 liter turbo-diesel engine and exceptional on-road manners.

There were a few issues, however. For starters, it wasn’t available with an automatic transmission. Secondly, it appeared that the Captiva would have to be confined to the urban jungle because neither did it have the option of all-wheel drive.

Well, it was only a matter of time before General Motors India rectified those shortcomings, and gave the Captiva a full set of armour with which to take on the Honda CR-V in earnest – in the hope that its diesel engine, compared with the Honda’s petrol motor, would enable it to strike that fatal blow.

The Captiva ‘Automatic Plus’ comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission, adaptive all-wheel drive, hill descent control, which GM refers to as DSC (Descent Control System), electronic stability control, hydraulic brake assist, and something known as a Winter mode, which essentially shortens the gear ratios, and ensures that you start off in second gear instead of first – hence giving you more grip, and helping you avoid wheelspin on snow and other slippery surfaces. So, whereas previously you were perhaps restricted to the highway, the new Captiva gives you the option of treading off the beaten path with confidence if you so choose.



The first thing we did, then, when handed the keys to the Captiva Auto was head off-road. In the process of getting there, however, we noticed that the Captiva had lost none of the on-road excellence that won it so much praise a year prior. The engine did appear to be a little louder than I remember, but still had the ability to propel the Captiva down the road like something half its size. Despite a variable geometry turbo, however, it does have noticeable lag under 2000rpm – but once past, it shoots towards the horizon with unwavering determination. Also, as we remember, the engine is extremely free revving for a diesel, and very smooth all the way to its redline.

The automatic transmission means that you can sit back and enjoy the comfort of the cabin while the 5-speed torque-convertor transmission chooses the appropriate gear. And, if you like things a little interactive, you can always slip the gear lever into manual mode, and change gears for yourself. The shifts themselves are extremely smooth and unobtrusive, if not a little slow – but then you don’t exactly expect lightning fast shifts in a car like this. The impeccable ride and ground clearance combine to ensure that you can pretty much drive over anything on our roads, or lack thereof. In that sense, an SUV such as this makes a great deal of sense on Indian roads.



In fact, the ride appears to be the perfect blend of comfort and control, which is to say it’s not soft to the point where it wallows of floats, nor is it stiff to the point of being uncomfortable. Add reasonable steering feel to the mix, and you have an SUV that feels strangely comfortable and well adapted to the road. Whereas the front wheel drive Captiva can suffer from torque steer under hard acceleration, the all-wheel drive version has a much better time dealing with the engines power – even if it is slightly muted thanks to the auto box. Despite that, however, three-digit speeds are easily achieved, and the Captiva feels decidedly well planted, and comfortable, at speed on the highway. And with cabin comfort being what it is in the Captiva, which is to say very good, this is certainly an effective way of covering ground.

On road, then, the Captiva still excels. But does it fair as well on the rough stuff? It still doesn’t have a dedicated low range gearbox, but given its ride height and range of wheel travel, and now with adaptive all-wheel drive, it should be able to deal with most of what’s thrown its way. Given its wide tires, it’s not surprising that it has a lot of grip on dirt, as we found even with the front-wheel drive version last year. And thanks to its compliant ride, it’s actually possible to make fairly quick progress, even on dirt – especially with the traction control keeping things in check. And now that the Captiva has four-wheel drive, it should be able to get you out of almost any situation.

We certainly put it through its paces, and found that it dealt quite effortlessly with pretty much everything thrown its way – from rocks, dips and gullies, to even some relatively steep elevation changes on rough terrain. In fact, the hill descent control actually works quite well. It can be a more than a little disconcerting to trust that the system will actually work, as you keep your foot off the brake pedal while making your way down a steep slope – but it does so quite effectively, in an uncanny sort of way.



So, with its abilities proven, both on and off the road, the Captiva finally justifies its aggressive, go-anywhere, appearance. The automatic transmission does seem to mute the senses of the engine slightly, and I do wish that the gearshifts were a little more crisp – at times it almost feels like a CVT (continuously variable transmission). Nevertheless, it is very comfortable, and makes covering a wide expanse of terra firma, both in the city and on the highway, completely effortless.

However, whether the all-wheel drive is worth almost an additional 2 lakhs over the standard car depends on how you plan to use your Captiva. If you don’t plan to take it off-road, and can handle changing gears for yourself, keep the additional cash and still enjoy 90% of what the car has to offer. If, however, you value the convenience of the auto box, and do actually plan to get a little adventurous, then the Captiva Auto is well worth the extra money.

As it stands, there are no chinks in the Captiva’s armour now – the Honda CR-V better be prepared for a real duel.

Engine	:	1991cc / 4 cylinder / 16 valves / common-rail direct injection / variable turbine geometry turbo
Transmission	:	5 speed Automatic / All Wheel Drive
Fuel	:	Diesel
Torque	:	235lb/ft @ 2000rpm
Power	:	148bhp @ 4000rpm
Price (as tested)	:	20.3 lacs (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Acceleration	:	0-100 km/h – 12 seconds