In its first appearance, Thailand’s latest all-new Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Chevrolet Captiva, received an enthusiastic welcome from Thai motorists. Captiva was designed to meet the demands of active drivers for daily business use, leisure, and family recreation.

To serve all driving needs, the Captiva is available in two engine types – a 2.4­litre gasoline engine and a 2.0-litre tur­bo diesel engine. Each engine is avail­able with all-wheel-drive (on-demand) and front-wheel-drive transmissions.

The Captiva offers a combination of the best characteristics of a comfortable, dynamic sedan with the toughness of a SUV. This makes the vehicle perfectly suited for con­gested urban driving, long highway journeys and fun adventures on rough terrain. The Captiva has proven itself over five million kilometers of tests under different road conditions and different weather conditions all over the globe.

Luxurious and Sporty

The Captiva is the result of collaboration among 11 GM research and development centers around the world. As many as 450 prototypes were developed and tested before the final model was ap­proved for production. Its premium features evoke the same feelings one gets from luxurious, pow­erful and sporty SUVs.

The Captiva has a strong character with thoroughly modern proportions. The bold, handsome front grill is designed to be timeless and modern. The headlamps are aggressive with double-rounded bulbs, complementing the round-shaped fog lamps. The lower section looks very robust, and the body features bold lines and taut surfaces that combine to give a sporty muscular appearance with stylish elegance. The front bumper looks very robust and features bold lines that give the SUV a sporty muscular appearance with stylish elegance.

The dynamic side character line rises up toward the rear, highlighting the roomy passenger space and the wheelbase of 2,707 millimeters. The wheels featured are sporty, multi-spoke alloys. The roof curve line inte­grates well with the front part of the vehicle, giving the Captiva a very aerodynamic profile.

The rear of the Captiva was designed to be distinctive. The rear window can be opened independently from the rear door, making accessing the cargo space more convenient. A rear wiper aids in better visibility and the back-up lamps are integrated within the transpar­ent rear lamp covers, providing strong contrast against the shiny red lamps. The rear bumper is augmented with aggressive aluminum-color protection and dual exhausts add just the right touch of sportiness.

A Calming, Well Thought out Interior

In addition to being roomy, the Captiva’s interior – from the side door to the console – was thoughtfully designed to emphasize its serious and calming nature. The seats are made of high quality leather consistent with the materials used in premium European cars.

At the top of the center console, the Driver Informa­tion Center (DIC) reports useful information such as fuel consumption, distance traveled, available fuel, out­side temperature, climate control details and compass. The speedometer and tachometer dials are sporty and highlighted with aluminum consistent with Chevrolet’s style.

Storage in front of the passenger seat uses cool air from the air conditioner to keep refreshments chilled throughout long drives.

The design of the gear shift is modern with aluminum accents. The automatic transmission is a 5-speed Tip­tronic, providing drivers with the convenience of an automatic with the sporty precision of a stick shift.

Even with seating for seven, every passenger will be able to ride in comfort. Third row seats are equipped with their own air conditioner vents, ensuring that even rear passengers travel in comfort. The second and third row seats can be folded down to create more cargo space. With only the third row folded, storage ca­pacity is a spacious 465 litres and with both the second and third rows folded, capacity increases to an impres­sive 930 litres.

Riding in Comfort & Safety

The Chevrolet Captiva is designed not only as a bal­anced vehicle but also to maximize comfort and safety.

The Rain Sensor wipers adjust the speed of the blades automatically to match the volume of rain hitting the windshield. The front headlamps turn on automatically when the light sensor detects insufficient sunlight as a result of nightfall, tunnels, or indoor parking lots and turn off again when it detects more light. As an added convenience, the headlamps also shut off automatically moments after the engine is turned off and the key is removed, and turn on again when the doors are un­locked by remote control.

The Captiva’s Cruise Control system helps motorists concentrate on steering during long drives or when maintaining a constant speed is a priority. Au­tomatic turn signal mode eliminates the need for the driver to worry about turning off his turn signal when overtaking another vehicle. Normal mode is available for ordinary driving.

Most possibly Captiva’s most innovative technology is its “Self-Levelizer” suspension that automatically adjust the rear shock absorbers when weighed down by heavy loads or on certain road conditions. By raising or lowering the rear, this feature helps maintain the vehicle’s normal ride height, improv­ing handling, ride comfort and safety.

Maximum Performance for Gasoline and Diesel Engines
Because the Captiva was designed to be the perfect vehicle solution for multiple purposes from everyday commuting, family recreation as well as outdoor fun, it was important for performance to be flexible to meet every driving requirement.

The power plant in the gasoline Captiva is a 2,405cc or 2.4-litre, 16-valve DOHC four-cylinder engine generating maximum power of 136 BHP at 5,000 rpm and 220 nm at 2,200 rpm of torque for a powerful yet smooth ride.
The common rail diesel Captiva has a 1,991cc or 2.4-litre, SOHC 16W en­gine with a turbo intercooler, with maximum output of 150 BHP at 4,000 rpm and 320nm at 2,000 rpm of torque.

The automatic transmission is a 5-speed Tiptronic. This “manual-shift” of­fers both the performance of a manual when precise control is required and the convenience of an automatic. Even in automatic mode the transmission allows for fast kick-downs for immediate acceleration when passing power is urgently required.

In addition to the efficient powertrain, the Captiva’s suspension set-up fea­tures MacPherson struts up front and an independent four-link design in the rear, giving the vehicle excellent road handling as well as a smooth ride.

Driving Safely with On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive

The weakness of 4WD is increased fuel consumption but not in the Captiva. In normal road conditions, Captiva operates with only the two front wheels. But when the system identifies a situation where four wheels would be better than two, such as in wet road conditions or rough terrain, the all-wheel­drive system will transfer power to the rear wheels in proportions ranging from 50:50, 60:40, or 70:30 depending on the situation. The benefit of this is that Captiva gets much better fuel economy without the trade-off of safety or flexibility when compared to other 4WD vehicles.

Self Balancing Integration Technology

Self Balancing Integration Technology is included in the diesel-engine Cap­tiva to maximize its safety attributes. This technology differentiates the Cap­tiva from all other SUVs with respect to safety.

European-styling, tough suspension, on-demand all-wheel-drive and Self Balancing Integration Technology all work together to make the Captiva truly a safe vehicle to drive. As a result, Captiva was awarded a four-star quality rating for occupant protection in its category by Euro NCAP (www. euroncap.com), one of the highest regarded safety organizations.

Excellent after-sales service on par with global standards is available through Chevrolet’s nationwide dealer network. Customers can be confident with the knowledge that Chevrolet’s warranty package of three years or 100,000 kil­ometers, 24-hour Roadside Assistance and quality service at 103 Chevro­let dealers throughout Thailand are protecting them every kilometer they drive. Drive it, and feel the balance of your life.

For further information, please contact:

Public Relations for GM Thailand/ASEAN
General Motors (Thailand) Ltd. and Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Ltd.
Tel: 02-791-3400  Fax: 02-937-0171