What they said when it was new
The Captiva is Chevrolet’s entry into the crowded family 4X4 market. It competes with cars such as the Nissan Qashqai and the Ford Kuga, combining the rugged styling and practicality of a full size SUV without the high running costs and social disapproval. The car offers full time four-wheel drive and an option of seven seats.
To drive the car is very smooth and solid. The seats are excellent and the steering is light, making for easy manoeuvring and parking during the urban grind. The only fly in the ointment is gearchange which is unsophisticated and obstructive at times. The car rides well and offers well tailored and comfortable space for all passengers which belies the cars ‘value’ image. On the motorway wind and road noise are minimal and the 2.0 litre diesel engine is muscular and refined.
The car offers two engines. A 2.0 turbodiesel and a little seen 2.4 petrol which is destined to remain a niche model due to high running costs and C02. The diesel model produces 197g/km of C02 which is class competitive.
Which one to buy
There is not a great deal of choice when it comes to buying a second hand Captiva. The 2.0 diesel makes the most sense but if you don’t care about fuel costs or C02 the 2.4 petrol is worth a look. That there are ten diesel models on sale for every petrol shows they are unpopular but, because of this, they are very cheap, often undercutting the 2.0 Diesel by up to £3000. There is little difference between the secondhand values of the 5 or 7 seat models and similarly between auto and manual cars. The pick of the bunch is the 2.0 LT diesel with a manual box and seven seats.
What to pay
The Captiva is very good value in comparison to it’s rivals with secondhand prices undercutting the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga by up to £3000. Expect to pay around £14,000 for a three year old 2.0 diesel LT. The 2.4 petrol is a bit of a steal if it fits your needs. A comparative, fully specced up 2.4 LT model can be had for less than £10,000.