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The General's honey trap

It has the looks, wears a bowtie and prefers drinking diesel to petrol. GM's Chevrolet Captiva should be here in 2007, says ASHISH MASIH

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE This Chevy has the common-rail diesel firepower and allwheel drive to hold its end of the game up - CR-V, Tucson, watch out!

The soft roader market today is essentially a two-player game. The Honda CR-V and the Hyundai Tucson - both have their fair share of strengths and weaknesses. While the Honda scores well in the looks and snob value department, its preference for petrol, coupled with economy on the lower side is its Achilles' heel. The Tucson on the other hand, comes with a refined diesel motor that packs a punch but this vehicle `s looks invites diatribe more intense than the Parliamentary debate.

Styling and looks

The Chevrolet Captiva, which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show, seems to take the best aspects of these two soft roaders at a price that would be hard to ignore. We expect it to be priced around Rs 15 lakh. The car's sleek, yet strong wheel arches and a sweeping feature line that runs from the front fender vent through to the tail lamps, accentuate the bold design. A grey sill-finish runs around the vehicle, reducing its apparent height and is interrupted by contrasting `under-tray' features on front and rear bumpers. Design sophistication also features in the cylindrical prism type headlamps, LED type turn signal lamps, turn signal repeaters in the door mirrors and the snazzy flush fitting, pullout-type door handles.

The inside story

The instrument panel itself is separated from the middle console. Style and function characterize the theme inside. The interiors are conventional looking but have a certain degree of sophistication. Expect GM to launch the car with high-quality materials and an impressive level of fit and finish. The instrument cluster features easy to read, semi-circular dials accentuated by aluminium rims.

The hearts of the matter

Internationally, the car will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options, but in India, we expect to see the diesel first. The diesel is a brand new, state-of-the-art common rail engine jointly developed by GM Powertrain and VM Motori. This 16-valve unit offers 15 bhp, which is right there with the Honda CR-V. Chances are that Chevrolet will throw in an automatic transmission as an option as well with this diesel engine.

The support system

Like the CR-V, the Captiva is based on a car-like monocoque platform and comes with independent suspension, both at the front and rear wheels. Safety features like ABS, ESP and multiple airbags should be offered as options. The great thing about the Captiva will be its four-wheel drive option. Where the Captiva should easily manage to trump the Honda CR-V will be in the seating department - unlike the CR-V it will be sold in a seven-seat configuration, which will offer more practicality to buyers.

With these specs and the backing of the Chevy badge, the Captiva seems like a winner. Well, on paper, at least. We expect this car to be just that wee bit stronger than the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson, but whether the Indian customer will forgo his magical loyalty to that Japanese brand or his faith in Hyundai is to be watched. This is one war that promises to be epic - trust us to keep you posted!

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