Holden Captiva MaXX 2007 Review

Road Test

Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 4.5/5.0
Safety: 4.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

Badge engineering rears its head with Holden Captiva range. Built in Korea as Daewoos, there's at least one left-hooker in Holden's Port Melbourne HQ carpark wearing a Chevrolet badge (we saw it). And it could just as easily be an Opel label. But then, the Jackaroo was really an Isuzu Trooper, so sticking a lion onto vehicles from outside Australia is nothing new for the General.

Yet Holden claims there's more than a little bit of Australia in every Captiva sold Down Under -- not only is the 3.2-litre V6 engine built in Melbourne, but local engineers were involved in suspension settings and tuning the ride and handling characteristics. Supposedly a 'global' model, the current Captiva was tested in China, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, UK and America -- as well as here in Australia; globally, 450 prototypes covered five million kilometres of testing.

The overtly sporty and young-at-heart MaXX differs from its Captiva stablemates so much that it prompts the question, why? Why offer two different models on the same chassis underpinnings? Why not?

The fact is that the MaXX was styled at Opel's design studio in Germany, primarily for the European market. Thus while the beneath-the-skin mechanicals are by and large the same, the entire outer skin is different -- sheet-metal, lamps, doors, bumpers, trim... The lot!

It even loses the opening rear window. Not, that they get a lot of use in the real world.

Different too is the interior -- dash, instruments and trim. The only obvious common "interface" is the handbrake lever.

Under the skin, there are more similarities than differences: Captiva comes with the MaXX's 3.2-litre Alloytec V6 makes 2kW less (167kW) than the regular Captiva, thanks to a unique exhaust system. Torque of 297Nm remains the same across the range. A tip-shift five-speed auto is the only transmission on offer. Luckily, it's a good one.

All models have a four-link independent rear suspension and MacPherson struts up front. That said, the MaXX misses out on the ride-levelling system fitted to the CX and LX models, instead getting unique (read: sportier) damper settings and spring rates.

ESP, ABS and Active Rollover Protection are integrated with the on-demand all-wheel drive to keep the car going where it's aimed.

Front-wheel drive until it needs help, the Captiva shifts power to the rear wheels seamlessly, making off-road excursions almost too easy. Key to the system are two separate clutches -- one electro-magnetic; the other a hydraulic motorcycle-style multi-plate wet clutch.

A push-button activated Hill Descent Control will automatically pinch one or more brakes and will try to keep the Captiva to under 10km/h. There's an emergency Brake-Assist system too.  While in the safety department, MaXX comes with twin front crash-bags, plus side curtain bags too.

Despite wearing attractive 18-inch alloys mounting 235/55 tyres, Captiva MaXX comes with a space-saving 16-inch steel spare wheel -- all very well in the conurbations of Germany but very much an issue for Australians.

A mark of the technology built into modern Korean cars is the one-touch start -- a high-end option until quite recently, just a momentary turn of the key will see the engine cranking until it fires. Neat. Frankly, the others -- especially Japanese makers like Toyota -- need to catch up.

Indeed, overall specification levels are high -- included are part-leather upholstery, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats and a six-CD in-dash sound system. In fact, probably the only glaring omissions are reverse-parking sensors and a sat-nav system on the standard-fitment list.

However, while the Captiva impresses with clever details, impressive space and comfort, brilliant headlights, well-weighted steering and competent off-roading ability, its all-round lack of finesse jarred with what is an otherwise impressive package. For example, there's a lack of fine-control to the throttle which makes it awkward to trickle the Captiva in tight spaces. Gradually increasing throttle will see nothing, nothing, nothing, then lunge...

Similarly, hustling the Captiva on less-than-perfect asphalt will see a lack of fine control to suspension and damping that gradually becomes irritating -- although the steering remains predictable and the grip is tenacious. Not surprisingly, the big tyres offer up a good deal of squeal -- cornering the MaXX hard sounds like mass-murder in a cattery.

When cruising, those big boots also generate some tyre roar (most of which is adequately muffled by the generous underfloor sound- deadening) and on some sealed surfaces, such as concrete, it can get intrusive.

Being first and foremost a front-wheel drive, the handling and steering offered some understeer when hurried, and the hefty weight did provoke bodyroll, but the supportive seats prevent involuntary slithering on behalf of the occupants.

It goes without saying that the Captiva is masterful on dirt roads -- it has 200mm of ground clearance and offers an approach angle of 24 degrees, a departure of 23  and a breakover of 17.8 degrees -- but is hardly the car to use when crossing the Simpson. Rather it's all about suburban street-cred and looking cool, with a healthy dose of dirt, sand or snowy road practicality thrown in.

With the extra drive to the rear wheels chiming it at the first sign of front wheel slip, traction on unmade roads is exemplary. Interestingly, the ESP allows a fair degree of sideways movement before it steps in to retrieve the car, good news for those that enjoy spirited driving.

Almost exactly the same size as current Toyota's Kluger, benchmarked on BMW's X5 and seemingly intent on seeing off the Nissan Murano, the $42,990 Captiva MaXX is worthy of wearing the General's Lion with pride. Just what it offers that the upper level 'cooking model' Captiva cannot, however, remains unclear...