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Image Courtesy of Holden.com.au

Our Thoughts

Bang for Your Buck

‘Value’. It’s the key to survival for any large family. The Holden badge is also a nice added extra, but hardly the primary motivator. First and foremost, the challenge here is about getting bang for your buck. When the troops are in tow, you need to know that the family can withstand the challenges of modern family life.

The Captiva 7 LTZ delivers on these promises of value. Holden have made sat-nav, dual-zone climate control, powered sunroof, heated front seats, leather trim, rear view camera and 19-inch alloys are standard additions to the Captiva 7 LTZ.

It’s a similar situation on the entertainment front, with a large 7 inch multifunction touch screen with all the expected inputs, including Bluetooth. Though the control layout is generally logical, phone pairing with the on-board computer is tricky; Tim Britten of motoring.com.au had to refer to the instruction manual.

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Image Courtesy of CarAdvice.com.au

Design and Build

The exterior of the Captiva is attractive, though hardly radical. Small design changes over the years on the front fascia, grille and rear styling have kept the SUV visually appealing. Despite its South Korean origins, the boxy and smoothed square finishes are more European in trend. Chris Riley of Cars Guide even notes that the dimpled side steps look suspiciously similar to BMWs X5.

Inside, things are somewhat of a different story. Although there are some attempts at luxury, Chris Riley also notes that the Captiva has a tendency to be less refined than some of the competition. For a large family car this is may be permissible—or even expected—especially when you remember the Captiva’s price range.

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Image Courtesy of CarAdvice.com.au

Size and safety

Another edge the Captiva has over its rivals—such as the popular the Mazda CX-5—is its sheer size. Size is essential for large families to meet the demands of everyday life; shopping trips, sporting events, holidays and getaways. With 5 or 6 family members in tow, a big size and extra space offers greater options and flexibility in the family car.

“Climbing into the Captiva 7 brings the feeling it’s a bit larger than the likes of CX-5, CR-V or RAV4 with its spacious-feeling cabin and oversize steering wheel” says Tim Britten of motoring.com.au. There is plenty of room for cargo, too, provided that the third row seats have been folded down—up to 465 litres. This amount of space is sure to satisfy even the largest of families. Holden assures us up to 50 shopping bags could fit neatly into the Captiva’s hold.

Under the hood, the turbo diesel engine puts out 400Nm of torque to add to one and a half tonnes of towing capacity, for those times when a large cargo hold doesn’t cut it. Trailers and boats are more than accounted for when the school holidays arrive.

Lastly, but certainly not least, are the ample safety features crammed into the Captiva 7. Six airbags, parking sensors, reverse camera, electronic traction control, electronic brake force distribution and hydraulic brake assist, just to name a few. Unsurprisingly, the Captiva has been awarded a maximum 5 Star ANCAP rating—a reassuring stamp of approval for any large family SUV.

 

Summary

There is a lot of like about the 2015 Holden Captiva 7. If you’re looking for a large SUV for your large family, then you’ll agree. There are plenty of modern features, including an array of the latest safety features and technology, all packed into the Captiva’s large frame. Though it might not tick all the luxury boxes, it’s certainly hard to beat on price.

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Image Courtesy of CarAdvice.com.au