The Poor Old Chevrolet Captiva Revisited

This blog started with a sequence of posts about the Chevrolet Captiva. At the time the Captiva was the first – as I recollect – 4×4 crossover SUV quickly followed by the VW Tiguan. I posted 20 to 30 articles about the Captiva and according to Technorati became the web’s #1 authority on the car.

I posted about the Captiva because I was one of the growing group of motorists who hated the traditional 4×4. Feelings peaked in 2007 when the Captiva was launched. The Captiva was built like a car, not a truck.

Blind hate is not a good thing so I decided to educate myself. The best way to do that is write about it and so I did. I quite got to like the Captiva as a spacious family car.

The Captiva and Tiguan must have something going for them because so many new crossovers have been announced since 2007 and car manufacturers only produce if they know it’s going to sell.

The Captiva is in the same price range as the Tiguan but you get more space for your money and 7-seats if you’ve got 25k. Compare the Captiva with the VW Tiguan price list. A BMW X5 owner messaged me amazed how close the Captiva was to his car at half the money.

The Captiva has some short comings. It could do with a 6-speed gearbox to spoof up its combined mpg. GM sell this platform worldwide with far more powerful engines. If they were an option it would elevate the model, they may not sell any.

The biggest disappointment is Chevrolet brand awareness in the UK. Maybe it’s because they’re sold alongside the top-selling Vauxhall and the salespeople take the easy way. It’s a joke when punters walk into a Chevrolet showroom with the name plastered everywhere and they enquire about a Chrysler 300 Touring. But it’s not funny considering Chevrolet has probably been the most successful brand in motoring history.

GM once was the biggest, most successful and profitable business in history and its #1 brand is Chevrolet. Chevrolet recently stood alone as the third most successful car brand. Historically it’s been #1. But car buyers in the UK know little about it.

It doesn’t help the Corvette is sold under a separate franchise. The car’s a legend and could elevate the Chevrolet brand in the UK. The Golf is lifted by the GTi. Williams made the Clio a legend. Honda, Ford and Vauxhall do the same.

Do you know about Chevrolet’s motor sports achievements. Legends. Not in the UK.

So poor old Captiva it would’ve sold so much better with a bit of support. Maybe Chevrolet don’t take UK punters seriously. If they’ve fuel in the executive jet and they’re still giving good slide – who cares – I don’t know.

I care because the Captiva’s a spacious family car you could compare with a Q7.

It’s all good though. A lack of brand awareness kills second-hand car values. So as Chevrolet say, ‘Get Real.’ Best get on ebay motors UK.

Regards
Ralph

Small MPV or Crossover Cars?

Today, I scrolled through the search query phrases visitors use to arrive on carbuyersinfos car comparison sites pages. There seems to be a drop in the huge amount of interest motorists have shown in small cars over recent years and an increase  in searches for small mpv cars and crossover cars comparison.

Historically, surveys show some 40% of motorists vow they’ll buy a small car next time but sales never reflect this. My experience over four decades has been people rush to buy small cars when times are hard and soon get out of them when they’re next due a change.

The interest in small MPV cars and crossovers could simply be due to the many new entrants into these markets.

The small MPV car is a great concept. They’re the same size as the latest super sized small cars at around 4m in length. They have the space of larger family hatchbacks like the Focus, Astra and Golf with more versatility. Small MPVs are also efficient with good fuel economy, emissions and performance. Many are Euro NCAP 5-star rated.

Small MPVs like the Modus, Jazz and Agila didn’t set the world on fire but have steadily built loyal repeat buyers.

The interest in crossovers might be buyers trying to make sense of the confusion. What is a crossover? A crossover is when you take two car concepts and merge them together to create a new concept.

Chevrolet claim to have built the first crossover with the 8-seat Suburban. Not true, Renault were the first to do that. And Renault’s Safari was probably the very first crossover.

Today a crossover means a 4×4, SUV, which is built like a car – not like a truck. I won’t go into the issues which have forced this change, but say one word – safety. In the US they actually have a term, ‘the single SUV accident.’ Enough. Let’s look at crossover examples.

The Chevrolet Captiva looks like a real truck 4×4 SUV. It’s built like car, well more like an MPV and better than some which is confusing.

Incidentally, the Chevrolet Captiva platform is sold globally with different badges, usually with a 3.5 lump under the bonnet. It’s surprising GM don’t sell a tyre blistering model in the UK to elevate the brand in the same way VXR elevates Corsas, Astras and Insignias.

The VW Tiguan is a 4×4 built on a Golf platform. The Peugeot 3008 is a – no prizes. The Nissan Qashqai is a Renault Megane in a different envelope.

So how do you categorise a crossover for comparison. Do you compare it with a 4×4 SUV which it pretends to be? Are they no more than variants of medium small family hatchbacks like the Golf, 308 or Megane? To me, the FWD versions are more like MPVs without the interior capacity.

It’s going to get more confusing because in the pipeline are new models – the small crossover. I think they mean small MPVs that look like 4x4s and hopefully without AWD because it compromises interior capacity.

Personally, I’m tired of the 4×4 concept. I can understand 4×4 when I’m in the US. In the UK, if you need 4×4 , stay home or turn back. Excluding of course, motorists who tow heavy loads or use 4x4s in the primary industries.

Regards
Ralph

Comparing SUVs mpg

I’ve published a webpage with the title ‘Comparing SUVs mpg.’ It’s a table of 22 diesel engine SUVs with manual transmission/gearbox – ‘stick-shift’ as they say across the pond.

You’ll find engine size, urban mpg, extra-urban mpg and a combined figure for fuel consumption. Plus emissions figures and cost per 12,000 miles.

Note the importance of a sixth gear and what it does for the extra-urban fuel economy and in turn the combined figure on which the cost per 12k is based.

My tip would be to go on the lower urban figure because I hop in and out of cars all day long and if they’ve an on-board computer they all – yes all – show drivers are on average lucky to return the lower urban figure in real on the road driving.

I would say that because the Captiva only has 5 gears.

Needless to say if a SUV is only available with a petrol engine or only automatic it’s not included in my list.

You’ll have make allowances for size. My list includes compacts, medium size and one or two old-fashioned truck-like SUVS.

Another tip is if there’s no more than a 10% difference in mpg ignore it because it may not realise itself in real-life. My revelation is SUVs are not that expensive on fuel. A small car costs about a grand per 12,000 miles.

Think about the important things like style and space to suit your lifestyle and an elevated view of the world. Check it out for yourself at http://www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk/comparing_suvs_mpg.htm

I’ll be comparing small cars next. My car comparisons for SUVs have proven very popular. So THANK YOU to all visitors. I’m hoping small car comparisons will be even more popular.

Regards
Ralph
http://www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk/comparing_suvs_mpg.htm

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN S 2.0 TDI vs CHEVROLET CAPTIVA LT 2.0 VCDi

 

 

My intention was to compare every popular ‘fun & fashion’ SUV. I will in time. For now I’ve made comparisons with the best selling Toyota Rav4, Honda CRV, Freelander and now VW Tiguan. I’m now losing the will to live.

 

I’m not really finding really big differences. There are no revelations. I suppose that’s right because the vehicle with the most advantageous difference would outsell every other SUV.

 

The VW Tiguan is not significantly different from the Rav4, CRV, Freelander or Captiva. The Tiguan is different in that it just doesn’t look like a SUV. It looks more like an MPV. But the cars compared are more MPV than they are SUV. So we might say the VW looks more politically correct.

 

Let’s make some sort of summary.

 

Size: The Chevrolet Captiva is the largest of all the above vehicles with the most space for the same price so it’s the best value for money.

 

Style is a matter of personal taste. Here’s mine. The Rav4 is getting bland. The CRV misses the mark. The Tiguan doesn’t even look like a SUV. The Freelander is a perfect example of a classic slab side vehicle and looks classy. The Captiva is an exemplar of the sporty style.

 

Standing in the market is weird. Chevrolet is the best selling brand in history, ranking number 3 in the world today. In the UK Toyota, Honda and VW are well known with excellent reputations. None are a match for the Land Rover brand in the UK.

 

Inside these SUVs you’ll find little difference in comfort and convenience features. The Chevrolet probably has the most appropriate styled interior with quality tight-fitting materials.

 

Driving these SUVs demonstrates no real difference in performance in the hands of a real on-the-road driver. The Captiva is the most car-like to drive.

 

Economy figures reveal those SUVs with a 6^th gear get better mpg on a run. But can you get a free run on the M25, M3 M4, M1, or M6? Because I can’t get a free run on the M23.

 

If the above is too close to call it might remind us taking a test drive is all important and data like this on the internet might be more confusing than helpful.

 

Regards

Ralph

Maybe Prestige Does Sell Cars

Before we look at the Land Rover Freelander, in my two previous posts we compared the Toyota Rav4 and Honda CRV with the Chevrolet Captiva.

 

The Chevrolet Captiva is slightly bigger and more spacious than both the Rav4 and CRV making the Captiva better value for money if you want a big family car.

 

Both the Toyota Rav4 and Honda CRV have a sixth gear making them more economical on a run. Otherwise there doesn’t appear to be too much difference between the three cars.

 

The Toyota and Honda have the advantage of being well known brands in the UK. The Rav4 and CRV both have a good following and solid reputation. Chevrolet suffers from low awareness in the UK despite being the world’s third best selling brand.

 

However when we go onto my next car comparison with the Land Rover Freelander it seems reputation may not count so much. It’s not difficult to find a magazine warning of problems with Freelanders. But they’re still a best seller.

 

If you go to my comparison charts you can see there’s no real difference between the four cars. The Land Rover is too wide for UK roads and car parking spaces – in my opinion.

 

What makes the Land Rover sell despite its reputation is its prestigious brand. As an ex-Land Rover salesman friend of mine once said, “they just buy into the brand, they know what to expect and they accept it.”

 

Land Rover is a powerful brand and the more prestigious Discovery and Range Rover support the Freelander. It makes me wonder why Chevrolet doesn’t sell their famous Chevrolet Corvette in the same showroom as the Captiva.

 

Regards
Ralph

Car Comparison Chart 2 – Honda CRV vs Chevrolet Captiva

 

Even after only two car comparison charts it’s fairly clear cars of the same type and size are similar in almost all other respects. So if we take two SUVs – CRV and Captiva – that are the same size with similar engines then other aspects will be pretty much the same.

It’s difficult to understand where the real differences are and figure out why car buyers choose one car in preference to another.

A closer look at Honda CRV vs Chevrolet Captiva shows there is no real difference in interior space or comfort and convenience features. Engine performance is very similar and not different enough to make a real difference when in the hands of a real driver. The same goes for fuel economy/consumption.

You could say the CRV with its 6th gear is more economical on a run. The Captiva is slightly more spacious and versatile. But the differences are not huge. Not big enough to be a deciding factor.

So we are left with subjective aspects such as style, brand equity and prestige.

Personally I think the Captiva is a more handsome looking car both inside and out. It looks just like a SUV should look.

Honda is better known in the UK and they have a great reputation. People in the UK aren’t very aware of Chevrolet. Most wouldn’t know Chevrolet is the number one domestic brand in the USA. Chevrolet is also a best selling car in North America, South America, Eastern Europe, the Far East and China.

If you judge the Chevrolet Captiva against what it promises to be – a BIG family car – then it’s a winner.

Regards
Ralph

Is this the way a family car ought to be?

 

 

Chevrolet UK recently announced a new car – the Chevrolet Captiva LS Diesel 5-seat manual transmission at £18,295. That’s what you call a big cheap Chevrolet car.

 

It’s the answer to customers’ feedback when they’re presented with the Captiva range.

 

First, let’s listen to buyers’ remarks about the Captiva. Next we revisit the big ideas in the Chevrolet Captiva. Then we look at how the Chevrolet Captiva LS Diesel 5-seater satisfies family car buyers needs.

 

When family car buyers’ are presented with the petrol Captiva LS they ask about a diesel option. The salesman would say there was only a diesel Captiva available with On-Demand Four Wheel Drive. 100% of buyers would reply saying they don’t drive Off-Road. What’s more they didn’t want to pay for unnecessary 4WD. They want a big a big cheap Chevrolet car with Chevy quality, reliability and durability.

 

They want an impressive SUV style family car and MPV 5-seat space with car-like performance, at an honest price. It needs to be a fuel efficient car and have car-like handling. But they don’t need four wheel drive. And most don’t need 7-seats.

 

The big idea behind the Chevrolet Captiva is it’s a big family car. If you’ve looked at any family car ratings or reviews and applied the values to the Captiva it would score highly. If you’ve looked at family car comparisons or prices the Captiva is a winner.

 

Now we have a Captiva diesel without four wheel drive and without 7-seats. This means it’s lighter and must be more fuel efficient. It should not only be a more economical car with good gas mileage, it should have better CO2 emissions and maybe fall into a lower Vehicle Excise Duty band so you might pay less for the tax on your windscreen.

 

To find out more - see updates as I get better info’ at

 

http://www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk/chevrolet_captiva_guide_and_price_list.htm

 

I’ve got some great posts coming – what have a Kit-Kat, pump prices and car prices got in common? They are key indicators of what?

 

Regards

Ralph

What a crossover SUV buyer needs to know about their body

  The unibody construction used in crossover SUVs – like the Chevrolet Captiva – is a development of the monocoque chassis. A monocoque chassis is a single shell construction using a vehicle’s external frame and skin panels to support its structure. A unibody is built into a single welded unit with the chassis rather than having a separate body-on-frame.

Lancia first used the monocoque method in the 20s. Chrysler and Citroen put the technique into mass production in the 30s quickly followed by GM/Opel and later VW. 

This meant reduced weight, greater strength and safety, in lower line cars with lower air drag. By the 60s the spot welded unibody became the main method of constructing cars. 

The only disadvantages of unibodys are they are more expensive to repair when damaged and not suitable for real rugged off-road use. The majority of SUV drivers don’t use their vehicles off-road and are certainly not used on rugged ground. This means SUVs can be constructed like cars with a unibody. Unibodies define a SUV as a crossover. 

Traditional body-on-frame SUVs are criticized for their size, weight, high-centre of gravity resulting in poor handling, safety and economy. Unibodied crossover SUVs – like the new Chevrolet Captiva – solve these problems.

Ralph Spence

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

The advantages of a crossover SUV are:

  A crossover SUV – like the new Chevrolet Captiva – is a development of the traditional SUV which has been criticized for its huge size, truck based construction, economy and safety. And the joke is most are not as comfortable or spacious as their size suggests.  

A crossover SUV – the new Chevrolet Captiva – has a car like unibody construction and may be car derived. They’ve limited off-road capability. Normally described as having ‘on demand four wheel drive’ or ‘all-wheel-drive’, AWD and called soft-roaders. Some have car drive trains and suspension. They retain the sports utility vehicle appearance. That would be a Captiva. Some are no more than truck styled hatches or estates on slightly elevated suspension. 

Crossover SUVs – like the Chevrolet – can have car or MPV like features.

New market niches are created by mixing vehicle features. 

The advantages of a crossover SUV are:

1. The SUV styling is retained.

2. The size is more compact and manageable.

3. The SUV image is retained.

4. Inside the driver still enjoys an elevated view of the road ahead.

5. Passengers in the new Chevrolet enjoy the space found in an MPV.

6. Some – like the Chevrolet Captiva – can have MPV 7 seat versatility.

7. The large load space and carrying/towing capabilities are retained.

8. Handling is improved with a lower ground clearance and centre of gravity, lower profile tyres, and shorter car suspension travel.

9. Front wheel drive makes crossovers easier to handle on slippery surfaces.

10. Overall compact and medium sized – Captiva – crossover SUVs are more stable and responsive on the road than large truck based SUVs.

11. Economy is improved by lighter construction, lighter transmission systems and on-road tyres.  They are far more economical than large truck based SUVs though like MPVs suffer from poor aerodynamics.

Insatiable demand for SUV type vehicles and competition has driven these improvements in this market sector. The new Chevrolet Captiva is today’s example.

Ralph Spence

Understanding what a Chevrolet Captiva IS NOT

 

 Making comparisons really helps understanding – what is it and is it not?

 

The Chevrolet Captiva’s Size

The Chevrolet Captiva is a medium size crossover SUV (sports utility vehicle). At 4639 mm long it’s bigger than more compact SUVs under 4600 mm. Compacts include the BMW X3, Honda CRV, Jeep Cherokee, Freelander, X-Trail, and Rav4.

The Captiva is not as big as huge SUVs over 4900 mm long, which include the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Shogun, Range Rover, and Mercedes GL. Some SUVs are way wider than the Chevrolet Captiva’s 1849 mm width, including the Q7, X5, and all the new Land Rover range, the Mercedes GL and ML, and Patrol. All are over 1900 mm wide.

The Chevrolet Captiva is more the size of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Grand Cherokee, Discovery, Lexus 400, Mercedes ML, Outlander, Mirano, Pathfinder, and Volvo XC90.

Where the Chevrolet Captiva scores is whilst scraping into the medium size class, its interior space and the versatility of 7 adult size seats challenge larger vehicles. This is because its total space is not compromised by unnecessary gearbox, and suspension mechanisms. The space is used to accommodate people and luggage.

The Chevrolet Captiva’s Style

Style is matter of taste so this is my personal opinion. It seems to me SUVs can have a utility, rational – wanna be a Hummer tough look, a classy slab-sided style, a sporty, dynamic appearance or look like elevated estate cars.

Attempts at the Tonka-Toy look include the Honda CRV, all Jeeps, Mitsubishis, and nearly all Nissans.

The new Land Rover Range and Vauxhall Antara very successfully achieve the classy slab-sided look.

Various attempts at the more sporty style include the Q7, BMW range, Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Lexus, Mercedes range, Murano, Cayenne, Rav4 and VW.

The Subaru and Volvo appear to be elevated estate cars.

Driving the Chevrolet Captiva.

You must always test drive a car for yourself. Don’t listen to pundits who compare every car with the pleasures of driving a Ferrari. I always judge a car by what it holds itself out to be – what it promises. I must say I find expensive cars boasting their badge – disappointing. The performance figures may look impressive but they’re not even achievable on a German autobahn. Cheap cars I generally find just that – cheap but not disappointing. Later drivability might be the deciding factor.

Economy

You can dismiss most SUVs on the basis of running costs. Out go the Audi, BMWs, Land Rovers, Mercedes, Porsche, VW and Volvo on the basis of cost. Generally these SUVs are also uneconomical, have poor CO2 emissions and high insurance groups.

In summary, the new Chevrolet Captiva is not a huge SUV. Big SUVs are TOO big. The Captiva is just that bit bigger than compact SUVs with interior space and 7-seat versatility to challenge larger SUVs. It gets 100% for style. And the whole package represents value.

So the Captiva is not a big Audi Q7, BMW X5, Shogun, Range Rover, or Mercedes GL. It’s not a compact BMW X3, Honda CRV, Jeep Cherokee, Freelander, X-Trail, or Rav4. The new Chevrolet Captiva is more a Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Grand Cherokee, Discovery, Lexus 400, Mercedes ML, Outlander, Murano, Pathfinder, or Volvo XC90.

In styling approach it only resembles the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Lexus 400, Mercedes ML and maybe the Murano.

The Lexus, Merc and Murano we can discount on the basis of cost.

So we have three contenders to test drive – the Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia Sorrento.

Which is fortunate if you live in our area because the dealers are just round the corner from one another on the Manor Royal Estate Crawley.

 

Ralph Spence
car salesperson Stevens Vauxhall Chevrolet Dealer Crawley West Sussex UK