Motor Show: Chevrolet Captiva

Although the Captiva is now badged as a Chevrolet and presented with the claim that Chevrolet made 'the very first SUV, back in 1935', it's been largely developed by GM Daewoo in Korea, and will be sold alongside the rest of the formerly-known-as-Daewoo range in Europe.

The five-/seven-seat Captiva will come with a 2.0-litre (150bhp, 37.1mpg) diesel engine or a 2.4-litre petrol (142bhp, 28.5mpg), and with front- or four-wheel drive transmission when it goes on sale in the UK in September.

It's not intended to be a full-on mud-plugger - even the four-wheel-drive version - but more of a value-for-money family school-run vehicle and load-carrier, perhaps an alternative to an MPV. It's been designed to be simple to drive and own, with clear controls and a one-touch fold-flat function for the rear seats. Chevrolet claims it's a full five-seater, with the optional third row of seats suitable for teenagers or for adults on short journeys.

Standard equipment levels give all models twin front and front curtain airbags, three-point seatbelts all round, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, Isofix child seat mounting points, deadlocks and alarms for starters. Entry-level versions, labelled LS (2.4 petrol, front-wheel drive only), will have air conditioning, four electric windows, separately-opening tailgate glass, an MP3 player and tinted glass.

LT versions (2.0 diesel) have to be the ones to have, however, adding side airbags and stability control - must-have safety items in a high-riding SUV like this - and 17" alloy wheels, self-levelling suspension, part-leather trim, a heated windscreen, cargo nets, underseat storage and chilled glovebox. Seven-seat versions come with the option of automatic transmission and have rear parking sensors as standard, as seeing out past the third row of seats will be difficult. A top-spec version, as yet unnamed, will have 18" alloy wheels, full leather trim, eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, a six-CD autochanger, full climate control, cruise control and a trip computer. Prices for all these models will be announced later in March.

Should you actually want to go off-road (most owners won't) the four-wheel-drive version has a part-time system whereby power is sent to the rear wheels if slippage is detected up front. No locking differentials, low-ratio gears and so on, but enough 'to cope admirably with that muddy track to your holiday cottage in Wales, the escape from a sticky field after a summer downpour or those rare winter snowfalls', apparently. The stability control (an absolutely essential piece of kit, sadly not offered with LS spec) incorporates brake assist and a hill descent control function.

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