Holden: SUV gets more than a makeover

Holden says compact and SUV buyers are bound to be impressed with the updated look. Photo / Supplied

Holden has given its Captiva SUV a fresh look that helps to redefine and separate the five- and seven-seat options.

The range gets a new face, design tweaks here and there, sharper pricing and three new engines. Both of the new Series II Captiva models share General Motors' Theta platform but have no exterior panels in common. Holden says the updates to the Series II range give the Captiva more widespread appeal in a growing market segment.

"The introduction of three powerful new generation engines, each providing a performance boost and fuel efficiency benefits will make compact and medium SUV buyers sit up and take notice," said Holden NZ managing director Simon Carr.

The updates take the fight to classy compact competitors like the Kia Sportage and mid-sized rivals such as the Ford Territory and Toyota Highlander.

The new engines, a 2.4 litre four-cylinder petrol with variable valve timing, 3-litre V6 and a 2.2-litre turbodiesel, each paired with six-speed transmissions, spearhead the Series II line-up and are meant to drive down fuel consumption by between 3 and 6 per cent.

The four-cylinder 2.2-litre turbodiesel also boosts appeal. The Euro4 unit was developed jointly with Italy's VM Motori and delivers 135k/400Nm - 23 per cent more power and 25 per cent more torque than the previous 2-litre diesel.

The Captiva is the first vehicle in the GM world to get the new engine, which uses a variable geometry turbocharger and common-rail fuel injection to push up performance while cutting fuel consumption by 6 per cent over the previous diesel. Carbon dioxide emissions are also down, from 224g/km to 213gr/km. The more refined engine is much quieter, a situation that is further enhanced by greater levels of noise insulation around the engine bay.

Diesel is now available in the Captiva 5 as well as the Captiva 7, in all three specifications but only with all-wheel drive and automatic transmission. The base engine is a new American-made, Holden-calibrated 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder, producing 123kW of power and 230Nm of torque. This engine, replacing the previous 103kW 2.4-litre engine that was available only in the Captiva 5, is now available in both five- and seven-seater models.

At the top of the range and available only in the seven-seater is Holden's 3-litre SIDI (spark ignition, direct injection) V6 transplanted directly from the Commodore and made at Holden's Port Melbourne plant.Although this engine is 200cc smaller it generates 12 per cent more power, up from 167kW to 190kW, and cuts fuel use by 3 per cent, from 11.7litres/100km to 11.3litres/100km.

From 2012, the V6 Captiva will be adapted for E85 ethanol-petrol flex fuel. For now, both the V6 and Yankee four-cylinder petrol engine can use unleaded petrol only.

The Captiva range is priced between $38,490 and $57,890.