oz
6th October 2007, 08:04 AM
I picked up my new Holden Captiva yesterday, after a long wait for delivery. My guy at the local dealer is good value, though, and I know he did his best for me.
Specs:
Captiva SX - AWD
2.0 Turbo Diesel
5 Speed Manual
with all the nomral mod cons - cruise, air, CD, more airbags than I can count, ABS, ESP, Descent Control, etc, etc
Anyway, here are my first impressions, after only 100 kms of driving:
First off, this is a deceptively roomy vehicle. Loads of front & rear legroom and headroom. One of my lanky colleagues (about 6'3") was amazed that he had so much room in the back seat. Plenty of little hidey-hole storage compartments, too, which are always handy.
Engine - you get the typical diesel rattle at startup & idle, but once you are in motion, this all but disappears, and at cruising speeds it is very, very quiet, particularly for an SUV style vehicle. The torque provided by the turbo diesel in the low-range through to the upper-mid range is excellent, and you cannot call this vehicle sluggish, despite its weight.
Transmission - very short clutch uptake took a little getting used to, but otherwise it is very user friendly. Gear shoft throw is a touch longer than most sport sedan cars, but certainly not truck-like by any means. Gates are crisp and snug, but easy to find.
Handling - only limited trial so far, but the power steering is very direct at speed, and just light enough at slower speeds. Body roll is minimal for a pretty tall vehicle, and the suspension is firm enough to know you are in an SUV, but not bouncy at all, and it soaks up the bumps very well.
Overall, so far, I really like what I see, and cannot believe the value proposition of this vehicle. It's a lot of bang for your buck. I am heading off for a drive to Wagga today, so we'll get a nice open road run in it, and our first look at early fuel economy (which should eventually be between 7 & 8 l/100km).
:)
Specs:
Captiva SX - AWD
2.0 Turbo Diesel
5 Speed Manual
with all the nomral mod cons - cruise, air, CD, more airbags than I can count, ABS, ESP, Descent Control, etc, etc
Anyway, here are my first impressions, after only 100 kms of driving:
First off, this is a deceptively roomy vehicle. Loads of front & rear legroom and headroom. One of my lanky colleagues (about 6'3") was amazed that he had so much room in the back seat. Plenty of little hidey-hole storage compartments, too, which are always handy.
Engine - you get the typical diesel rattle at startup & idle, but once you are in motion, this all but disappears, and at cruising speeds it is very, very quiet, particularly for an SUV style vehicle. The torque provided by the turbo diesel in the low-range through to the upper-mid range is excellent, and you cannot call this vehicle sluggish, despite its weight.
Transmission - very short clutch uptake took a little getting used to, but otherwise it is very user friendly. Gear shoft throw is a touch longer than most sport sedan cars, but certainly not truck-like by any means. Gates are crisp and snug, but easy to find.
Handling - only limited trial so far, but the power steering is very direct at speed, and just light enough at slower speeds. Body roll is minimal for a pretty tall vehicle, and the suspension is firm enough to know you are in an SUV, but not bouncy at all, and it soaks up the bumps very well.
Overall, so far, I really like what I see, and cannot believe the value proposition of this vehicle. It's a lot of bang for your buck. I am heading off for a drive to Wagga today, so we'll get a nice open road run in it, and our first look at early fuel economy (which should eventually be between 7 & 8 l/100km).
:)