Review of the new Chevrolet Captiva Ikon

Iconic status is a tough thing to lay claim to when you're part of a comparatively recent and somewhat oversubscribed trend. Almost every self-respecting mainstream car manufacturer has a compact SUV to peddle these days and the explosion in these road-going 4x4s has happened over a relatively short timeframe. Chevrolet's is called the Captiva and while iconic would be stretching things, you could argue for its Ikonic status - in special edition Captiva Ikon guise that is.

There certainly seems to be an iron belief within the car industry that we want to buy compact SUVs. Otherwise, why so many of them? The appeal is one of an alternative to more traditional family cars for the trendier and more active buyer, or at least the buyer who'd quite like to be seen as trendier and more active by their neighbours. The Captiva fits in well with this. It's quite a handsome thing, displaying all the usual 4x4 design elements and in Ikon form Chevrolet has shovelled on a range of additional styling accessories while keeping the price manageable.

The engine range kicks off in unspectacular style with a rather aged 2.4-litre petrol engine then perks up considerably with the 2.0-litre VCDi diesel. Crucially to the Ikon's prospects, it's front wheel-drive only, the decision to forgo the complex and weighty 4x4 system doing much to keep costs down. The petrol option has 133bhp and will detain you for 11.5s while it zips up to 60mph. The diesel has 150bhp and a 10.8s 0-60mph time which is half a second quicker than a four-wheel-drive Captiva fitted with the same engine.

The Captiva suspension layout consists of a MacPherson strut configuration in front and an independent four-link design in the rear. The car never feels particularly sharp on the road and there are more car-like alternatives for drivers interested in responsive handling to consider but the ride is comfy. Both engines are on the noisy side if you drive them hard but the extra torque of the diesel makes a lot of difference to the driving experience. We'd choose that unit every time.

"Chevrolet's Captiva Ikon will get more than its fair share of attention out on the road"

The Captiva isn't one of these SUVs that tries to tone down its styling in a bid to look more like a conventional car and on the Ikon model the traditional 4x4 accessories get even more extrovert. The 20" alloy wheels are the real showstoppers, they look quite a size shod with their low profile tyres, even when encased by the Captiva's cavernous wheelarches. It's a good job the Ikon isn't four-wheel-drive as these aren't the wheels to take along a rocky track. The side steps do nothing for ground clearance either and you could easily find yourself retracing your steps in search of the chrome tail pipe after it's been knocked off by a boulder. No, the Captiva Ikon is more for looking good around town than showing its prowess out in the wilds. There's even darkened privacy glass to deflect some of the attention the car's clearly designed to get.

The design is clever in reducing the perceived bulk of what is a surprisingly spacious vehicle. Viewed in isolation, the Captiva looks to be about the size of a Toyota RAV4 or a Suzuki Grand Vitara but the tale of the tape shows that it's a much heftier piece of metalwork. For a start, it's fully 4,639mm long, compared with the 4,415 of the Toyota and the 4,470mm of the Suzuki. That's why the Chevy has room for three rows of seats in some versions. The Ikon model only comes in five seater form but you do get a prodigious boot where those two rear seats would otherwise have been.

Based on the entry-level LS model from the standard Captiva range, the Ikon benefits from features such as air-conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking, electric door mirrors and a CD stereo with controls on the steering wheel. Even with the extra styling accessories valued at £3,000 that Chevrolet has added to the car, it's still £1,000 cheaper than an LS in petrol form and over £1,400 less as a diesel.

In terms of fuel economy, Captiva buyers will get 31mpg from the petrol model or 37mpg from the diesel while emissions for the two engines are 217g/km and 197g/km respectively. Most buyers will pick the oil-burner even if it is considerably more expensive as a result of its superior performance and economy but it has the added benefit of being a more desirable proposition on the used market so residuals will be strong.

With its extrovert styling accessories, Chevrolet's Captiva Ikon will get more than its fair share of attention out on the road. This is a compact SUV but there's very little that's compact about it unless you count the price which is over £1,000 less than the standard entry-level model despite over £3,000 worth of equipment having been thrown in.

The Captiva's strengths are its interior space and handsome looks. It's not one of the better compact 4x4s to drive and the petrol engine in particular lets the side down with its economy and emissions. In Ikon form with front wheel-drive and the five-seat layout that yields more boot space, it looks a good value family car and it will certainly stand out from more mundane compact SUVs. Iconic it isn't but the Captiva Ikon can still make a strong case for itself.

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