CHEVROLET CAPTIVA test drive since 2006 SUV

Hard

Alexander Alexandrov, 28 years old, the general director of the company. Drives to Chevrolet Captiva
Opel Antara. Price: from 937,000 rubles. On sale: since 2007
Chevrolet Captiva. Price: from 798 700 rubles. On sale: since 2007

We suggested that the owner of the Chevrolet Captiva compare him with Opel Antara. The purpose of finding out what are similar and what two cars are different and to understand, he would not want to change one to another now.
Opel Antara
Driving
Not much impressed. The feeling is that you control not a machine, but a toy. Everything is very simple.
Salon
Spacious, but not too convenient. There are complaints about the materials and quality of sound insulation. For that kind of money it could have been better.
Comfort
At an acceptable level, however, the central console is too sophisticated for understanding.
Safety
The basic equipment is quite extensive and is quite consistent with the class of the machine.
Price
Acceptable.

Chevrolet Captiva
Driving
There is not enough stars from the sky, but will not give itself offense. Although if I chose now, I would have taken with an engine of 3.2-liter.
Salon
Spacious and cozen, and the third row of seats is a gift at all. It seems to be not, but when it is always needed at hand.
Comfort
Noise insulation is definitely weak. It was she who demanded improvement in the first place.
Safety
The systems of active and passive safety are quite consistent with the class of the machine.
Price
Acceptable.
Right before the new 2008, I happened to become the owner of the new Chevrolet Captiva. When choosing a car, there were several decisive criteria. The price should not exceed 950 thousand rubles. The car must have increased cross -country ability compared to passenger transport. In addition, the car should have been available. As a result, at the moment, I own them 3.5 months and drove 9,000 km.
Appearance
The design of the captiva, in my opinion, is more classic, more European. In front, a powerful bumper, smoothly turning into a hood, classic headlights and foglights crashed into a bumper. At the back from under the bumper, two exhaust pipes are visible, which give a more aggressive appearance to the car, a blowing bumper and rounded lanterns. It turns out a quite nice car that does not remind of its Korean roots.
In Antara, in front of the car gives a slightly different impression. There is no feeling of massiveness, the car seems easier. Elements of the bumper, combined with the radiator grille and headlights, create a certain American smile. Low -located fog lights give a car a little aggressive. For targeted use, fog lights are located lucky, but more likely to break them to a stone flying from under the walking car. Antara’s rear bumper is completely different: it stands out too much against the background of the whole car, which I personally did not really like it. The lid of the trunk is still distinguished by its narrowing to the bottom.
Conclusion: Captiva has a more classic design and is suitable for people who prefer not a very catchy appearance of the car; Antara, as a kind of unisex, is suitable for people who love original and causing cars more than cars of classic smooth forms.
Let's look inside
The interior of the captiva, as well as its appearance, most corresponds to the definition of neutral. Smooth, clean surfaces, well -entered panels, soft plastic, chairs with a high landing. All devices are well read and do not irritate the eye. The creators of Captiva did not begin to be original, all buttons and devices where they should be, and control of the radio and cruise control on a very pleasant leather steering wheel is thought out so that the fingers themselves find the right buttons. Everything is very affordable and intuitive!
Going to the back row, you understand that there is even more space than in front! Three people of high stature can comfortably sit in the back seat! Even if this is not enough, the trunk has a third row of seats that are in a folded state of an even floor. For those who like to travel by car, completely laying the trunk, the captive has a significant plus of the trunk glass opening separately. It is very convenient to correct and take things from a completely clogged cargo ward on the road. An important factor: the trunk of the captiza is greater than that of Antara, and loading into it is easier! In Antara, part of the trunk opening eat the back door and plastic on the sides of the trunk.
However, there are few complaints. For example, to the shape of the leather seats: the pillow is short, the side stops of the backs are weak. The computer’s screen could be made wider if you remove the box from above (there are plenty of them in the machine). It was not possible to do the extension of the radio backlight when the dimensions are turned on. Well, and make the steering wheel a little smaller in diameter.
Once in the salon of Antara, you feel not a sense of calm and balances, as in a captiva, but a feeling of drive and fussiness. The salon does not have peace! What is immediately striking is an orange backlight. In the dark, I think it irritates my eyes. In the captiva it is green, and the green color soothes.
Now in order. That I didn't like it. The entire information display is upstairs, and control to it below! It is intuitive to control the computer and the radio, it takes time to figure out why this or that button, and until you learn, you have to turn your gaze to the screen every time you click? What has changed? Doors closing handles are located horizontally and very far uncomfortable to close the door and it is completely impossible to stay during the trip. A number of buttons of heating glasses, etc. It is located low, and the buttons themselves are very small. Climate control control made in the form of rotating handles resembles a car of the 90s.
In the captiva, all the information is immediately written on the display, and do not look down, how many degrees are there and where I put the air direction. I did not like the thin gear shift handle on the machine. The button that should be pressed on the handle is located very low, and it simply cannot be taken out if you put your hand on top. When you look at the fundamental Opelian control panel, the question arises: how to put another receiver, or am I doomed to ride with a regular one?
All other controls are similar to the captive, except that the inclusion of light in the captiva is located on the handle of the turn signal, and the Antara on the torpedo on the left, and you have to stretch a little to turn on the light or fog. Sitting in the car with a completely open door, in the captiva you can reach the opening handle of the door cover, but there is no in Antara! Yes, and the pen itself in Antara is not thought out: it is inconvenient to hold on to it on the road. What I liked: softer plastic, better side support for seats, drowning devices into small wells on the dashboard.
Go
Since the cars are almost the same, and 9,000 km are already rolled on the captiva and I already know what the car is capable of, then I didn’t feel the same, I did not feel surprise, surprise or ambiguity. Sound, or rather growl, both cars are the same. Acceleration is not for racing, but for a calm city ride. I was pleased with the Antara box with the possibility of manual gear shifts. Sometimes I just want to cross something to take a hand. There was a habit of putting a hand on the switching lever from the mechanics.
On the suburban road in both cars when driving into the sand or puddle, as soon as the front wheels begin to scroll, the rear bridge is connected. The operation of electronic connection of all -wheel drive works the same way. He believed that noise insulation in Antara was better, but this was not confirmed: the engine and the noise of the wheels were confidently audible!
The interior of the captive has a more smooth and measured ride. In Antara, with its orange backlight and gray plastic, you feel not very comfortable.

Database
Dimensions, weight
Opel Antara Chevrolet Captiva
Equipped mass, kg 1805 1543
Full mass, kg 2225 2153
Length, mm 4575 4635
Width, mm 1850 1850
Height, mm 1704 1720
Base, mm 2707 2705
Trunk volume, l 370 405

Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 170 178
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 12.5 12.5
Control consumption of fuel
city cycle, l/ 100km 14.0 14.6
Control consumption of fuel
highway, l/ 100km 8.0 8.0

Technique
The type of engine is gasoline, 4-cylinder, in-line gasoline, 4-cylinder, in row
The number of valves per cylinder 4 4
Working volume, cm3 2405 2405
Power, L.S. at min-1 140/5000 140/6500
Torque at MIN-1 220/2200 220/3250
Transmission 5-speed, automatic 5-speed, automatic
The drive is full
Front wheels suspension is independent independent
Rear wheel suspension independent independent
Front disk, ventilated disk, ventilated brakes
Brakes rear circular ventilated ventilated discs
Steering gear-rack gear-rake
The size of the front tires 225/70r16 215/55R17
The size of the rear tires 225/70r16 215/55R17
Fuel tank volume, l 65 65
 
My verdict
Opel Antara and Chevrolet Captiva are very similar in technical characteristics and external data, if you do not look at the details. But if you pay attention to the little things, you can find a thousand differences in them and say that these are two different cars for completely different people. Chevrolet Captiva will be in demand among customers who value comfort and an old, actually classic European interior. Opel Antara is definitely suitable for active people who want original solutions.
Expert opinion
Oleg Kalaushin, journalist 5 wheels
Opel Antara and Chevrolet Captiva rest on the same platform and have approximately the same dynamic characteristics with similar engines. However, Antara is noticeably more expensive than Captiva. So is it worth overpaying? Probably not, because, in fact, this overpayment goes exclusively for the brand. Although who is more expensive. Yes, and in the secondary market, it will be much easier to implement Opel than Chevrolet.
Author: Alexander Alexandrov
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [May 2008]