CHEVROLET CAPTIVA CROSSOVER READER REVIEWS

My car

Previously I had owned BMW, Jags, Volvo and Saab however my wife decided she wanted a smaller car so my car was traded for a new FIAT 500 and I took over my wife's Peugeot 807. After a week of driving the Peugeot I resolved it had to go before another piece of trim fell off on me. The replacement car need to fit several criteria i.e. an auto, diesel 7 seat car. After testing driving a Volvo (very loud engine) a Quashi (a bit bland) a Kia Sorento & Hyundai Santa Fe, I really wanted the Kia in KX3 trim but at over £32k thats Land Rover money & i could not get the discount I wanted. I decided to leave the purchase until Kia offered the discount I liked but then I saw an advert for the Vauxhall Antria and its warranty. I was told by the dealer that this did not come with 7 seats but its sister car the Captiva did so I took a test drive. The car was a 6 month old auto LTZ on for £18k (this was a £31k car when new) and I was glad i did take it for a drive, its more car like than the Hyundia and has more character than the Nissan and the price was right. I have had the car 2 months and covered 3k miles returning over 40mpg on a run. I do a lot of miles and this is one of the most comfortable cars I have owned, yes the engine is gruff when cold but on a run it silent. The car is practical, drives well, cheap to run, has really road presence, the dealer was great, the family love it, everyone who sees it thinks it looks great and miles better built that the Peug, whats not to like.

My car

Before choosing this car, I also had the ford s-max and the nissan quashqai in my shortlist and drove all three. My criteria was always seven seats and 4wd and even though the s-max doesnt come with 4wd, I felt I should test it. In the end of course I choose the Captiva and so glad I did. The s-max is a bit too mainstream for me and the quashqai cabin felt too small for us. The Captiva in LTZ form comes with of course seven seats, 4wd and you get leather and satnav not to mention so many other toys like heated seats, auto lights and wipers, hill descent and real practicality. As a family car, the Captiva really does offer it all. Okay, it doesn't have the badge kudos but do you want to impress your friends or drive a 4wd that is going to do the job and isn't going to have excessively high running costs.

Fuel consumption is 33mpg combined and with 2000 miles on the clock, there have been zero problems. Quality of interior is good. It doesn't have the clunk of an Audi but I didn't pay Audi prices. Nothing feels like it will fall off and so far nothing has!

Downsides are the manual gearbox which while more fuel effficient than the auto, does feels notchy but is definitely loosening up and the cornering which is a bit wafty but I think I just need to slow down a bit!

When you look at the market for a 4wd seven seater, the options are limited and some of the brands in this space are very, very expensive. I think Chevrolet could be on to a winner here.

My car

I've had the car 20 months now from new (internet purchase at a bargain 12,999) and no complaints so far. A huge cabin, plenty of storage room and space in rear for the two child seats plus an adult squeezed in. The two folding 3rd row of seats are a genuis move and have proved a useful addition. Main dash/stereo etc all fabulous and looks great. Some really useful gadgets too - like the auto folding wing mirrors - v useful if living in the city like me. Mounted steering wheel controls are not too well thought out though as they're actually on the wheel so you cant adjust anything whilst your turning and the skip button only goes forward not back!

In terms of handling, I have found it absolutley fine and the passengers comment on how smooth a ride it is. For the driver I would say the engine feels gererally quite gruff and can be felt underfoot - so not as refined as maybe the audi or BMW equivalant, but for the price its fantastic. The gears were a bit notchy to begin with which was a pain, but they have definitely become smoother over time. Motorway driving is a breeze - very smooth, fast with limited noise (despite the other reviews)

It's also no slouch. When moving off in 1st the car feels pretty nifty and light given its bulk, and you can move up the gears quickly getting up to speed quickly. Good acceleration - and you will also hear the engine!! Clutch does let off a stink every now and then if I give it some, but its come to no harm so far. Overall - a bargain!

My car

Since new - and now, nearly 20,000 miles later, the car has been damn near perfect for my requirements. Sure, there are a few things I would change - gear selection, particularly 2nd gear, can be a bit tricky until it warms up - rain pouring in when rounding a corner, if the window was open, was rectified with the £38 purchase of wind diverters - tracking was out, not discovered until front tyres revealed uneven wear (even though the drive itself had not made me aware of the problem!) Having driven literally, dozens of cars over the years, this one is only beaten (like-for-like) by the Freelander. The compensation? - Loads more equipment, comes as standard. So far, no regrets! But remember, this is NOT an off-roader! It was never meant to be one - but it does handle mod-rough terrain, snow, ice and flood (driven sensibly!) with comparative ease!