Crossovers are very popular in Russia. These cars are chosen for their spaciousness, high ground clearance and relatively low fuel consumption. This is what we need for our operating conditions. Not everywhere there are good roads, and not everyone can keep a massive frame SUV. If we talk about popular crossovers, often motorists choose the Chevrolet Captiva. This is a five-door SUV, mass-produced by General Motors since 2006. This machine is still being produced. What are its features and what are the weak points? A detailed review of the diesel Chevrolet Captiva, reviews and photos are further in our article.
Description
So, this car is a front-wheel or all-wheel drive crossover, built on a common platform GM Theta. On the same platform, General Motors developed the Opel Antara and the GMC Terrain. Note that, depending on the modification, the Chevrolet Captiva can be five- or seven-seater.
Whose assembly?
Chevrolet Captiva is assembled in different countries. In South Korea, the car is going under the brand name "Daewoo". Also, a large-site assembly was established in Russia (the village of Shushary of the Leningrad Region), Kazakhstan (Ust-Kamenogorsk) and Ukraine (the city of Zaporozhye).
In addition, the machine is produced at the Vietnamese factory in Hanoi. And versions for the North American market are made in Ramos Arispe, in Mexico. Note that the collected specimens for the market in Australia and New Zealand are sold under the brand name "Holden". Thus, the country of manufacture of Chevrolet Captiva may differ significantly. But most of the versions that exist in Russia are still assembled at a factory near St. Petersburg.
Design
The appearance of the car is quite modest. There are no aggressive or expressive elements in the design: everything is as simple and calm as possible. The main audience of buyers of such cars is family people who value practicality rather than design.
The front of the car has a signature oval grille and linzovannye headlights. The bumper is only half painted - for the sake of practicality. Regularly, the machine is equipped with cast 17-inch wheels and has plastic lining on the arches and doors. In expensive trim levels for this crossover, 19-inch alloy wheels are available (but the spare wheel is stamped anyway). The car is as much as possible protected from small stones, branches and other road troubles - reviews say. Diesel Chevrolet-Captiva is a universal car on which you can move around the city and beyond, without fear of damaging any body element. Indeed, the clearance of this car is very substantial (more on that later). But there are also drawbacks to Capitva. According to reviews, the car has poor factory lighting. There is no full-time xenon - only halogen headlights with diffuser lenses. Also, the body does not survive our reagents very well. Salt and sand, which is on our roads, do their job: over the years, the door edge and trunk lid blooms. Thresholds are also unstable to reagents. In addition, over time, the chrome coating on the body elements of the car peels off.
Sizes, clearance
Judging by the dimensions, the Chevrolet Captiva is a mid-size crossover. So, the length of the body is 4.64 meters, width - 1.85, height - 1.76 meters. The wheelbase is 2705 millimeters. The ground clearance of the mid-size crossover on standard disks is exactly 20 centimeters. This is quite good - say the reviews. The diesel "Captiva" feels great on the dirt road and on a snowy road. The overhangs are short and the risk of hooking something on the bottom is minimized. As for the curb weight, depending on the modification, the mass of the SUV is from 1.69 to 1.83 tons.
Salon
The interior design is typical of the mid-2000s. As motorists themselves note, the trim is made of inexpensive materials.
Among the problems that owners face during operation, it is worth noting:
- The appearance of condensation between the upholstery and the roof with a sharp temperature difference. This condensate as a result leaves through a shade of light or through clips in the trunk area.
- Backlash seats with electric drive. The armrest and backrest of the front seats also play over time.
- Faulty wipers. This is often due to a blown fuse on the control unit.
- Incorrect fuel gauge on the instrument panel. In this case, you need to check the connector under the power steering tank, which goes to the fuse box. Most likely, the arrow does not show due to lack of contact.
Among other complaints, the steering wheel is worth noting. According to reviews, the diesel Chevrolet-Captiva is quite thin. To have at least some grip, you have to buy an extra braid. Also, the disadvantages of the cabin include easily scratched and hard plastic in the cabin, which publishes various squeaks. A very significant difference in the “Captiva” pedal difference - the accelerator is below the brake, which is why you need to get used to the car. Owners also complain of poor visibility due to the thick front pillars.
These are all the obvious shortcomings that the owners encountered when operating this vehicle. As for the pluses, they should include the presence of free space in the cabin and the absence of glitches on electrical appliances.
Trunk
This is another advantage of this car. According to reviews, the diesel Chevrolet Captiva is a very functional crossover. The machine has a 477 liter volume boot.
The backrest can fold. As a result, the volume doubles exactly. In addition, in the trunk there is a large glove box for tools and various little things.
Chevrolet Captiva: specifications
In total, there are five engines in the line. Among them are three gasoline, which were officially imported into Russia. But diesel engines were not provided for Russia. All that is available on the market are versions brought from abroad. Well, let’s take a closer look at the Chevrolet Captiva diesel.
A 2.2-liter inline four-cylinder engine has become the most common for this SUV. This motor develops 184 horsepower. With it, the car accelerates to hundreds in 9.4 seconds. The maximum speed is 191 kilometers per hour. How much fuel does a Chevrolet-Captiva diesel consume? Responses of owners say that this engine is quite economical. In the city the car spends from eight to nine liters of fuel. And on the highway and you can completely meet the "six". As for maintenance, oil and filter need to be changed every 10 thousand kilometers. The dealer recommends pouring the original General Motors oil. However, a good analogue is Total.
Is a diesel engine good? Chevrolet Captiva with a 2.2-liter engine is notable for good traction, owners say. This engine is no worse than gasoline in terms of acceleration dynamics. At the same time it consumes one and a half times less fuel. The machine is able to tow a trailer without problems, as well as climb a steep mountain and overcome various bumps.
Weak spots
Among the pitfalls of the Chevrolet-Captiva diesel is an oil pressure sensor. In case of its malfunction, the red indicator on the panel will light up. The lamp usually lights up when it is reflashed and sharply accelerated when the oil pressure changes. But also this lamp may indicate a failure of the oil pump or insufficient lubrication in the engine. Therefore, you should definitely not ignore this signal.
Another problem that Chevrolet Captiva owners are faced with is the particulate filter. This is an analogue of a catalyst on gasoline engines, which is aimed at reducing the level of toxicity of exhausts. Over time, this filter becomes clogged, which is why the “Check” lights up on the instrument panel. Also, the car stops accelerating normally, fuel consumption increases. As a solution to the problem, owners practice removing the particulate filter programmatically and mechanically. This operation is done in conjunction. First, an old cleaner is cut out, a hollow pipe (flame arrester) is mounted in its place, and then a new firmware is poured into the computer.
The next problem is the crankshaft oil seals (front and rear). At a range of 70 thousand kilometers, the engine begins to “snotty” because of them. If these oil seals are not changed, then after another 30 thousand kilometers the owner will feel a noticeable loss of oil from the engine. At a mileage of 150 thousand kilometers, the thermostat may fail.
Other motors
Less common in Russia is a three-liter diesel engine with 249 horsepower. It is not so common due to higher fuel consumption (from 12 liters on average). But this motor has its pluses. This is a reliable timing chain drive and a successful fuel. Among the problems - perhaps the increased oil consumption, which happens at a distance of 200 thousand kilometers.
If we talk about gasoline units, which were officially offered for this SUV, the base was a 2.4-liter unit with 136 horsepower. In luxury versions, the car is equipped with a 3.2-liter unit for six cylinders. With it, the machine develops 258 horsepower.
Transmission
For this SUV, several boxes are provided. This is a five-speed manual and an automatic in five or six gears. Diesel versions usually went on mechanics. What do the reviews say about this box? The owners note that the manual does not have any serious problems. Its resource is the same as that of the engine. Clutch requires replacement no earlier than 150 thousand kilometers.
But the automatic transmission can cause problems. So, after 100 thousand kilometers, there are troubles with the liners of the transmission. The fact is that the automatic transmission is prone to overheating. The cooling system does not work too well here. As soon as kicks started when switching speeds, it is better to go immediately to the diagnostics. By the way, the first Chevrolet models also had problems with the valve body. Therefore, if you purchase a diesel Captiva, then only on a five-speed manual gearbox.
Chassis
As we said earlier, the car is built on a universal platform "Zeta" with independent suspension. Front - classic McPherson strut, rear - multi-link. How does a diesel Chevrolet behave on the go? According to reviews, the crossover is resistant to rut, despite the narrow transverse dimension. On pre-styling versions there was a “pendulum” effect, but after restyling this problem was eliminated. The suspension itself is energy intensive. Pits and road joints the car runs smoothly. She turns confidently into turns.
The brake system includes disk mechanisms on both axles. There are no problems with the brakes, the owners say. Calipers do not sour or wedge. True, the pads wear out quickly. The front ones have to be changed every 30 thousand kilometers. The rear ones serve about 60-70 thousand.
Chevrolet Captiva: complete sets
The diesel “Captiva” was supplied to the Russian market in several trim levels:
- LS. This is the basic version, which includes the stability control system, anti-lock brakes, traction control, side and front airbags, speakers with six speakers, air conditioning, power windows, a CD radio and alloy 17-inch wheels.
- LT. In addition to the basic list of options, this includes a rain sensor, fog lights, an adjustable steering column and a salon with a combined finish (fabric and leatherette).
- LTZ. There are roof rails, acoustics for eight speakers, factory tinted windows, parking sensors. In addition, this version has larger discs, a sunroof and an electric drive for the front seats.
In general, the level of equipment of the Chevrolet-Captiva is pretty good. The good news is that the car is very safe. There are plenty of pillows and belts with pretensioners. In addition, the car showed excellent results during crash tests and earned four out of five stars with a frontal impact with a 40 percent overlap.
Let's summarize
So, we found out what the Chevrolet Captiva crossover is. As you can see, this car is not without flaws. But if you take into account that a ten-year copy costs 420-500 thousand rubles, a lot can be forgiven for him. This car has a reliable engine and gearbox (if we talk about mechanics). On it, you can easily go to nature or travel. At the same time, the machine is absolutely suitable for daily use in the city.