[Aditya]

General Motors has launched the MY 15 Chevrolet Captiva 2.2 in India. The SUV comes in manual and automatic versions, priced at Rs. Rs. 25,13,528 and Rs. 27,36,192 (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively.

The Captiva has a contoured hood, clear-lens projector headlamps and Chevrolet's signature grille with a Chevrolet bowtie emblem. The side of the car features a character line running across its length with chrome highlights and at the rear is a pair of LED tail lamp clusters with indicators chrome-tipped twin exhausts. The vehicle rides on alloy wheels wrapped in 235/65 R17 section tyres.

On the inside, the SUV comes with additional equipment, such as a new instrument cluster with improved visibility and cluster ionizer which, the company claims, generates ions to purify and deodorize cabin interiors. The interiors have an all-black theme and feature a 5+2 seating configuration. With the seats folded flat, the car can carry up to 1,565 litres of luggage.

Other features include cruise control, dual zone climate control, third row heating, rain-sensing wipers, an electric parking brake, a sunroof, a 2-DIN audio system with six speakers, three 12-volt power outlets, tinted automatic windows, power mirrors, and an eight-way power adjustable driver seat. Safety features include six airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters, and four-channel ABS with brake assist-equipped discs.

There are no mechanical changes to the Captiva. The vehicle continues to be powered by a 2.2-litre, diesel engine that puts out 184 bhp @ 3800 RPM and 400 Nm of torque @ 2000 rpm. It is available with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive (AWD) or a six-speed manual gearbox. The Captiva is also equipped with a level ride suspension system which, Chevrolet claims, automatically maintains nominal ride height under differing load conditions.

[prakash_ajp]

I don't want to sound this negative, but this is dead-on-arrival. Why would anyone buy this instead of the new Fortuner 4x4, which is bigger and so much more popular in the country?

[alabjarus]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

I don't want to sound this negative, but this is dead-on-arrival. Why would anyone buy this instead of the new Fortuner 4x4, which is bigger and so much more popular in the country?

Spot on...this is flogging a dead horse. Chevrolet need to put their efforts in bringing in TrailBlazer than spending time on sprucing up this old lady.

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

I don't want to sound this negative, but this is dead-on-arrival. Why would anyone buy this instead of the new Fortuner 4x4, which is bigger and so much more popular in the country?

This is what is happening!
The Fortuner has butch looks and that Toyota badge! And that's about it! 2 airbags, no rear discs, that ride that makes everyone feel like being on a dance floor but dancing with their bottoms.
If Toyota starts selling potatoes with their badge people would buy it for their 'longevity'

On a serious note! Look at the amount of features this Captiva has! Look at the interior which does not resemble the Chevy Enjoy like the one in Fortuner looks like the Innova. The Chevy badge may not make it look as reliable as the Toyota's Fortuner but this feels like it's at least worth the money you are paying.

Santa Fe doesn't look macho, Pajero Sport is rarer than Audis and BMWs and so is their dealership count and the Captiva doesn't have badge value.

Still...if it's an SUV in that range, it has to be the Fortuner. That is what I, you and everybody else (except of course the ones who buy Pajeros, Santa Fes, etc.) think. And Toyota will go on increasing its prices and no one will complain; those who do will still buy it.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by RavSam

On a serious note! Look at the amount of features this Captiva has! Look at the interior which does not resemble the Chevy Enjoy like the one in Fortuner looks like the Innova. The Chevy badge may not make it look as reliable as the Toyota's Fortuner but this feels like it's at least worth the money you are paying.

No question there really. I am completely with you. But to price it attractively now and depending on the response increasing the price later sounds like a better strategy to me.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by RavSam

This is what is happening!
The Fortuner has butch looks and that Toyota badge! And that's about it!

Everytime I come across a post such as this, the post by Nilanjan comes to my mind.

Quoting him.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

As a Fortuner owner, I keep telling folks that don't go for a Fortuner if you don't use/need 4X4. The compromises are too many.

Ideal use cases for a 4x4 Fortuner - all of them reinforce each other; note that there are better alternatives when considering a single use case:
* You do long roadtrips and are pressed for time (fast cruising)
* Drive extensively through no road areas or on bad roads (toughness). Indian roads are still horrendous and unpredictable in many places.
* Offroad at the end of a x000 km drive (use of 4x4).
* Drive through badlands or at night or through remote areas (the extra reliability)
* Need the extra space: carry people, or carry loads of gear
* Reliable service, low maintenance, good coverage across the country

Very few tick all these boxes like the 4x4 Fortuner.

Re: the new 4x4 AT: I like the black interiors!

[FourWheelDrift]

Having driven a Captiva back to back with a Fortuner over interior roads of Maharashtra for hundreds of km, I can say that the Captiva is highly under-rated, and deserves a lot more acclaim.

Not only is the performance, refinement, ride and handling in a different league, but the Captiva is also more roomy that the Fortuner.

It is a shame that lots of persons considering SUVs in that price bracket (20-30L), seem to blindly plunk down their money on the Fortuner, without extensively test driving ALL the alternatives.

I believe they are purchasing a brand image (Toyota = peace of mind, Fortuner = butch SUV look and feel), rather than evaluating competing vehicles on their merits.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

[SmartCat]

Gentlemen from GM India, if you are reading this thread, have you taken care this issue (fire because of power steering fluid leak) in new and existing Captivas?

Chevrolet Captiva India fire

[Contrapunto]

Considering most of the capital investments would have been fully depreciated by now, Chevrolet should adopt a more aggressive pricing, maybe even discounts from the word go, to start moving the Captiva facelift. They need footfall and interest to even begin to sell the Trailblazer, (if) and when it lands in the showrooms.

Its merits notwithstanding, market realities can not be overlooked. One HAS to compete against Toyota who have got their strategy right, and are now reaping its dividends.

Slightly OT but I had gone to test drive the Duster AWD this Sunday, and I enquired about the Koleos AWD AT. Its price is 34.5 OTR. And the first comment the gentleman next to me, instinctively made, was "what ? more than Fortuner 3.0 AT"? You could see the salesperson cringe, but sort of apologetically explained that the management and the bean counters are far away, and completely cut away from realities of life and poor frontline guys have no voice in pricing strategy :-(. So there you have it !!

[LionX]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Everytime I come across a post such as this, the post by Nilanjan comes to my mind.

Quoting him.

Would like to add one more point :
* If you don't want to compromise on safety features like EBD,BA,VSC,TRC etc (Its only on 4x4 flavors)

[bigron]

As good as this vehicle is, I still feel they need to bring in the Trailblazer just to get noticed as a potential product if nothing else.
Adding features on a product that did not do well when launched new is a lost race IMO.

[drmohitg]

This is exactly what I was saying in the other thread too. Chevrolet and Ford to some extent have just not got the understanding of the luxury SUV market in India. Regardless of the features, if their SUVs including the rumored upcoming launches, have got any chance of challenging the Fortuner, then they ought to give it a serious price advantage. Pricing them similar to the Fortuner or more than it, is not going to be taken kindly by the buyer.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

Why would anyone buy this instead of the new Fortuner 4x4, which is bigger and so much more popular in the country?

The Fortuner's bullet-proof build is the one of choice to drive on inexistent roads. But that's it. For the other 99% of SUV owners who drive primarily on tarmac, a car-based SUV like the Captiva (or Santa Fe, CR-V etc.) is indisputably better to live with.

The Captiva is faster (more power + lighter weight), has car-like interiors (unlike the truck cabin of the Fortuner), more equipment (including a sunroof & dual-zone climate control), a softer comfortable ride and - in terms of handling - it'll run rings around the Fortuner.

Not only does the Captiva have more airbags, but it also has better brakes. And its dynamics will keep you safer than the Fortuner in an emergency manoeuvre.

Again, most of these points apply to other car-based SUVs, and even the XUV500.

Neither the Captiva nor the Fortuner appeal to me. Put a gun to my head and I'll pick the Captiva over the Toyota, although my personal favourite is the Santa Fe.

[avira_tk]

I don't understand why people diss the Toyota Fortune buyers as unimaginative and ignorant of the wonderful product that the flop the Captiva is. People putting 30 plus big ones have no obligation to buy into the unreliable depreciation disaster that is the Captiva. The Fortuner is high selling, low maintenance and commands good resale none of which are the Captiva's strong points. Gm suffers from a perception problem of its own making, if you buy their products the depreciation hit is simply too high to ignore whatever toys are on offer.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

I don't understand why people diss the Toyota Fortune buyers as unimaginative and ignorant of the wonderful product that the flop the Captiva is. People putting 30 plus big ones have no obligation to buy into the unreliable depreciation disaster that is the Captiva. The Fortuner is high selling, low maintenance and commands good resale none of which are the Captiva's strong points. Gm suffers from a perception problem of its own making, if you buy their products the depreciation hit is simply too high to ignore whatever toys are on offer.

Basically let's buy what everyone else has been buying because we buy cars for resale and not for driving them? To ignore the Captiva outright (before as much as a TD!) primarily because its price is so close to the Fortuner and its a Chevy is simply bias.

In that case, why not buy a 15L XUV and invest the remaining 15L? That'll outperform any Toyota resale value in the interim?

PS: Sorry and advance apologies if I'm going ad hominem here - but I'd have thought that a Fiat owner would be the right kind of person to look at vehicles for their merits and beyond the resale? You've demonstrated the courage of conviction and enthusiasm in purchase that few consider, let alone dare!