Well, the Honda has it. It's called the CRV and has been a success ever since its inception. Suzuki too has it and it is called the Grand Vitara. The Hyundai has it as the Tucson and Nissan, as the X-trail. And it will not be long before Toyota gets its Fortuner here. So it is probably the best time GM thinks about trying its luck to grab a piece of the cake.
We are talking about the Soft roader segment here. These look like regular SUVs, with ample ground clearance and aggressive stance, but are designed to spend more time on the road than off it. They will tolerate a degree of loose surfaces and inclines with their mild four wheel drive systems, but it is usually advisable to stick to the road with their pleasant car-like handling- the reason being that they are based on saloon cars.
Manufacturers have realized that for an SUV to be successful, it should have a large number of seats and diesel engine. The Captiva has these and much more. It will be the only seven seater soft-roader in its segment until the Toyota Fortuner comes along. Like its rivals, the Captiva will be brought in as a completely built unit (CBU) and that means it will not be cheap. Price will be close to Rs. 20lakhs but for that you get a great soft-roader. It has got the quintessential SUV looks and plenty of equipments on offer. It will have more power from the same 2.0 L diesel engine as the Optra Magnum. And it should, since it has to haul the 1800kg kerb weight, which is considerably more than that of the car.
The design of the Captiva has some captivating flair to it. The head lights and chrome grill which form the family identity reminds about the younger Aveo. The bulges in the bonnet, triangular vents on the front fender and the protruding wheel arches add character to the vehicle and so does the sloping roof line which is now the norm for sporty SUVs. The bumpers have skid plates incorporated into them and these stand out in contrasting silver colour. Smart looking alloy wheels and roof rails complete the overall look.
Interiors are made of quality materials and the overall layout is pleasant. There is a liberal use of silver finish throughout the fascia and a display unit takes centre stage. This display has all the information related to climate control, a temperature gauge, a distance to empty meter and a compass. The instrument cluster had the rest of the dials and gauges and looks great too. All seats except those at the rear row have ample space and support. Access to the rear most row is not quite easy and these seats are best suited for children than adults. Fortunately, these can be stowed down on the floor to maximize the boot space.
The engine as mentioned earlier is quite similar to the Optra Magnum's 1991cc engine, except that this one is in a better state of tune. In this state, the engine should produce around 148bhp and 32.6kgm of torque. Performance is adequate with 100kmph coming up in about 13 seconds. It remains to be seen how GM adjusts the engine to suit our fuel, when it is launched here. The car should come with a manual or the 5speed automatic transmission which will soon be available in the Optra Magnum.
The handling is pretty decent for a tall SUV, the wide track and long wheel base helping here. What is more remarkable is the ride qualiity which is brilliant. The vehicle comes equipped with hill descent control and ESP in the top end variants. The drive-train usually runs the vehicle as a rear wheel drive but once it senses wheel slippage, it directs power to the front wheels as well. There is no manual selector for the various four wheel drive modes as in more serious off roaders.
To sum it up, the captiva makes a good case for itself. It has great looks, a torquey diesel engine, a right blend of ride and handling, good equipment levels and quality interiors. The price of Rs.20 lakhs would seem a bit high, but this is the case with its rivals which are imported as well. But then theoretically, it has space for seven people, which none of the other soft roaders can offer. Well, the Ford Endeavour has seven seats and a diesel option, but it is an old school SUV and not a soft roader. The Captiva is more in line with modern times and has less bulk to ease driving in cities. It will/won't be until December that this one arrives, but it will definitely be worth the wait.
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