High on the highway: SUVs are no longer lumbersome monsters with off-road abilities one never gets a chance to test

The Chevrolet Captiva, Honda CR-V and Maruti Grand Vitara are made to fulfil the requirements of people who want the SUV look but do not want to be stuck with a crude, lumbering monster with off-road ability that they’ll never use. Read on to see which one of these cars catches your fancy.

Style file

The CR-V’s cabin is well-appointed and you could be forgiven for thinking that you are sitting in an Accord. The steering has ample rake and reach adjustment ( can be adjusted for both reach and height), so finding a comfortable driving position is easy. The gear lever sprouts from the dashboard and is easy to reach. The light clutch and easy to use controls make the CR-V cabin a very friendly place to be in.

The Captiva’s interiors are almost as impressive. Everything on the dashboard and the controls is borrowed from the Aveo and the Optra Magnum, which is no bad thing. As it seats you higher than the CR-V, the Captiva feels more like an SUV. The Captiva is loaded with gadgets that you would expect from a car like this.

The Grand Vitara with its all-black interiors and switchgear borrowed from the SX4 and the Swift does not feel as special as the other two cars here. However, the front seats are very good — a combination of the sporty and the comfortable. The backlit switches also look good at night.

Inside story

The CR-V scores highly on the utility front. It has a huge box between the front seats, twin glove boxes and massive door pockets. The rear seats are the most spacious and the 556-litre boot space will be enough to put in your family’s luggage for a weekend trip.

The Captiva seats seven, though the last row is best suited for children. With the last row folded away, you get 465 litres of boot space. A convenient touch is the glass section of the tailgate which opens separately. It has felt-lined cubbyholes on the centre console, a big bin between the front seats and a hidden compartment in the boot.

The Vitara cabin is not as good as the other two when it comes to practicality. Lack of storage space and the drab, all-black interiors make it the least interesting place to be in. Though the headroom at the rear might be less for tall people, the seats are very comfortable. The Vitara has the smallest boot of this group with the middle row up and the biggest with the middle row folded away.

Under the hood

All three cars here have 2.0-litre engines but the Captiva runs on diesel while the other two run on petrol. The Captiva and the CR-V put out 148bhp and 143bhp respectively while the Vitara lags behind at 120bhp.

Even though the CR-V is responsive at lower rpm, it needs to be revved to really get going. This is easy thanks to the slick six-speed gearbox and the ultra-refined engine.

The Captiva leaves the CR-V in its wake after 30kph. There is an initial lag, but once past 2000rpm, the Captiva takes off like a scalded cat. However, the short gearing makes the engine spin faster at cruising speeds, making it feel less than relaxed. The Vitara is short on power, and its full-time four-wheel drive system with its extra weight, saps more power. As a result, the Vitara simply cannot keep up with the other two cars. Refinement too is the worst of the lot, though the gearbox is quite nice to use.

Driver’s deal

The CR-V has a combination of entertaining handling and comfortable ride. Its straightline stability is very good and it rounds off bad patches and bumps with aplomb. The Vitara’s suspension feels a little stiff but at higher speeds, you can confidently drive over bad patches without slowing down. The Captiva’s ride lies between the CR-V and the Vitara, not as good as the Honda but better than the Maruti.

The CR-V is the driver’s car in this group. The sharp steering, minimal body roll and the fantastic grip levels guarantee that you will step out from this SUV smiling. The Captiva has good grip and the longish wheelbase and widely spaced wheels give it a well-planted feel. But where it fails is with the vague steering and the considerable body-roll in corners. The Vitara feels really surefooted on wet roads, its four-wheel-drive system giving it leech-like levels of grip. The accurate steering and the composed stance make it a lot of fun to drive on wet or dry roads.

Final verdict

The Vitara is the cheapest car here, but it is also the least equipped and the least fuel-efficient. The CR-V 2.0 costs Rs 18.14 lakh, is loaded to the gills with features and has decent fuel efficiency. However, the Captiva with its diesel engine, is the most economical of the lot and its equipment levels rival that of the CR-V. Which makes it a clear winner in this group.