2006 Holden Captiva MaXX 2.0L CDTI 5MTAWD (150 HP)

Vehicle Overview

When Holden introduced the Captiva MaXX in the Australasian market in 2006, it surprised its competitors and customers with a pleasant and sporty SUV.

Developed as a world SUV by General Motors, the 2006 Holden Captiva MaXX was the shorter and sportier version of the Captiva range sold under various badges around the globe. The vehicle was developed by the former Daewoo R&D center, which was bought by GM. Its platform was shared with the American Pontiac Vibe. At the same time, the Europeans met it under the Chevrolet Captiva and Opel/Vauxhall Antara.

Holden’s styling team had great input in reshaping the original form of Daewoo’s project. The front fascia of the 2006 Holden Captiva MaXX featured a mix of sharp angles and curved lines. Its headlights had the turn signal lamps placed on their lower area, protruding into the upper side of the bumper. Holden created a unique-looking grille for the vehicle, with a thick chromed slat that supported the brand’s badge and two slim black ones. On the lower bumper, the automaker placed a set of round fog lamps that flanked a rock-sliding shield-like plastic trim.

From its profile, the 2006 Holden Captiva MaXX resembled its slightly longer and taller brother, the Captiva. Its sporty look was emphasized by the flared front fenders sporting a pair of vertical vents behind the wheel arches adorned by chromed trims. The ascending waistline, body-colored door mirrors, and grab handles were meant to improve the car’s look with a touch of upscale flavor. The car rode on 18×7-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/55 tires. Behind the rear doors, the automaker installed a set of narrow windows next to the trunk area. A set of corner-mounted taillights flanked the raked-forward tailgate that sported a chromed horizontal badge in its lower side.

The Australian automaker tried to make the SUV appealing to its younger audience, so it offered the 2006 Holden Captiva MaXX with enough features for that. Furthermore, the interior design resembled its smaller stablemate, the Astra, with some switchgear and vents carried over from that compact model. However, the tall dashboard with curved lines was unique to the Captiva. Fronting the driver was an instrument cluster featuring large dials for the speedometer and tachometer that flanked a round gauge for the fuel level and an LCD for other helpful information. Atop the center stack, the automaker installed another display for the sound system below it. Holden placed bolstered bucket seats at the front to make the car feel sportier. Those seated in the back benefited from a split-folding bench seat.

Under the hood, the 2006 Holden Captiva MaXX was powered by a 3.2-liter V6 engine paired with a standard five-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel-drive system sent all the oomph to the front wheels during regular driving situations and transferred part of the torque to the rear ones only when slippage occurred. Thanks to the independent suspension in all corners, the crossover provided adequate comfort despite its stiffer spring/damper settings.