Chevrolet Captiva: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Chevrolet Captiva: 4 model years scored from 409 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns. Worst year 2014, best year 2013.
Chevrolet Captiva: which years to avoid
Across 4 scored model years the Chevrolet Captiva ranges from 80/100 in 2014 to 97/100 in 2015 — a 17-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (61 of them).
Safest years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2013 (score 89). Worst: 2014 (score 80, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 97 | BUY | $4,604 | 14 | 0 |
| 2014 | 80 | BUY | $5,698 | 144 | 0 |
| 2013 | 89 | BUY | $5,764 | 106 | 0 |
| 2012 | 84 | BUY | $5,946 | 145 | 0 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Captiva, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Chevrolet Captiva
Across every Captiva model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System186 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Engine131 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other73 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train38 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Electronic Stability Control (Esc)27 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Yaw sensor or ESC module replacement$660–$1,560
- Steering21 complaints across all Captiva years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Chevrolet Captiva years to buy?
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2015 at 97/100, on 14 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
Which Chevrolet Captiva years should I avoid?
The 2014 is the weakest year we score, at 80/100 (BUY), on 144 complaints and 0 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Chevrolet Captiva problem?
186 of the complaints filed against the Captiva across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04