Remember the Chevrolet Captiva? The compact crossover originating from Daewoo was first brought to the Philippine market in 2008 by The Covenant Car Company Inc. (TCCCI) with many units rolling off to the metro. However, General Motors announced in 2018 that its production worldwide would cease.

Later that same year, GM peeked through its Chinese partnership with SAIC Motor and Wuling, and rebadged the Baojun 530 as the Captiva for the South American, Thai, and Middle Eastern markets. We wondered if the Philippines would be its next target, and after six years and an acquisition from Hariphil Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), we got an answer.

The new Captiva is now a crossover MPV aiming to eat the Toyota Innova for breakfast. It comes in two trim levels: LTZ and Premier. And while the nameplate used to have a choice between a five- and seven-seater, it now has grown up to be an exclusive seven-seater.

Regardless of trim, the Captiva is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 148hp and 255Nm, and mated to a CVT. Its ground clearance is 180mm, unlike its predecessor’s 198mm but still enough for gravel roads and typical potholes.

Owners of both trim levels are greeted by a seven-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.4-inch infotainment system in portrait configuration, equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other standard features include hill-start assist, brake assist, and rear parking sensors.

Meanwhile, LED projector headlamps, perforated leather seats, additional front sensors, and a 360-degree surround view are exclusive to the Premier.

The new Chevrolet Captiva starts at P1,258,000 for the LTZ, and up to P1,408,000 for the Premier—right around the ballpark of its Japanese-branded rival. Could this be a fighting chance for the American brand to take on the MPV market as it did in the days of the Orlando and the Spin?