HOLDEN’S only current SUV, the Captiva, has been given a Series II makeover that might well cement the brand’s third best-selling vehicle – behind the Commodore and Cruze – as Australia’s top-selling SUV.
Three new powertrains – a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol, 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel and range-topping 3.0-litre petrol V6 – are at the heart of the transformation, aided by new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions and a raft of tweaks to the chassis and styling.
More powerful and fuel efficient across the range, the latest Captiva still comes in five-seat Captiva 5 and seven-seat Captiva 7 variants, but with a broader powertrain choice and sharper pricing.
But will the changes be sufficient to keep the dual-personality Holden family hauler on its upwards sales trajectory against a growing band of brash newcomers with murder on their minds?
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Captiva Series I
Released: October 2006
Ended: March 2011
Family Tree: CaptivaGENERAL Motors’ Series I Captiva SUV was launched in Australia in October 2006, bringing to this country GM’s Theta platform – a mid-sized crossover base for a range of vehicles that also includes Chevrolet’s Equinox.
The Captiva also broke new ground by becoming the first Daewoo-built vehicle to be based on a thoroughly new GM platform, instead of a cast-off from the likes of Opel.
With a foot in both the compact and medium SUV segments, the Captiva was launched in Australia in two versions, the Captiva and slightly shorter, European-targeted Captiva Maxx, with a choice of 2.4-litre four-cylinder or Holden-made 3.2-litre V6 petrol engines. Five seats were standard, with seven seats optional.
The powertrain choices were raised in March 2007 with the arrival of the 2.0-litre turbo diesel – an engine that helped the Captiva to cater for the growing demand for diesel but which was derided for its racket.
In keeping with the trend to make SUVs all things to all people, a cheaper and more efficient two-wheel-drive Captiva variant was introduced in August 2008, helping to drive the Holden SUV up the sales charts to knock off first the Ford Territory and then Toyota Kluger as Australia’s best-selling ‘soft-roader’.
Get the full story: Holden finally launches a proper SUV rival for the Ford's popular Territory
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