A CHEVROLET revolution is sweeping Britain and the Continent as the famous American marque delivers great-value motoring to cash-strapped drivers.

But some of the new Chevrolets on sale in the UK may not be familiar to drivers in the United States because the bow-tie brand has powered to success in Europe with a line-up of models built in South Korea rather than Michigan, including the smart Captiva sport utility vehicle I've been driving.

These are Chevrolets that originate in plants that were taken over by parent company General Motors when it acquired the failed Daewoo operation and means the operation now has cars to satisfy a variety of tastes in Europe.

The line-up is topped by the Captiva sport utility vehicle and the stunning Camero coupé with the 4x4 looking better and being a lot more satisfying at the wheel following an update last year.

Bodywork changes and a bold fresh face have improved the look of the model. It now has a huge new grille adorned with a massive badge as well as revised lights and reshaped wings. It really looks the business with the update giving the vehicle a similar appearance to American-built Chevrolets.

At the wheel the driver enjoys the benefit of a more powerful diesel engine and suspension changes.

The Captiva shares its platform, engine and other features with the Vauxhall Antara we assessed last Friday but bodywork is different and it's also a longer vehicle, allowing the manufacturer to offer it as a seven-seater whereas the Griffin-badged car is simply five-up transport.

The Captiva is one of a growing number of SUVs with a pair of additional seats, making it an alternative to an MPV. The extra seats are large but limited legroom means they are really only suitable for children. They come in handy when your offspring want to take friends on outings or when in-laws are visiting.

Fold them into the floor and the extra length of the Captiva means you can carry quite a lot more in the back of the vehicle. Capacity grows from 85 litres when all rear seats are in place to 1,565 litres when all are folded. As you might expect, Captivas without the extra seats have a large under underfloor compartment. No spare wheel means there's also room for tools to be stowed under the floor.

The introduction of a new Euro 5 compliant, 2.2-litre diesel engine in place of the 2.0-litre diesel previously used has made a huge difference. It's offered in 163 or 184 PS form with both versions being cleaner as well as more powerful than the previous 2.0-litre power plant. Drivers also enjoy a 16-valve turbodiesel with strong pulling power from relatively low revs.

As for economy, Chevrolet quotes a combined figure of 36mpg in the case of the automatic-transmission, LTZ vehicle tested against 32mpg in the case of a two-pedal Captiva with the 2.0-litre previously used.

More good news is that C02 emissions of the automatic cars are down from 225 to 203g/km while those of Captivas with the manual gearbox are down to 174g/km. The automatic is in VED band K with a standard annual rate of £310 to be paid.

Having a diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission is still not all that common yet there is so much to commend such a pairing. The derv-burning power plant brings more economical motoring, while the auto transmission makes for easier and more relaxed driving.

The Captiva has a clever, on-demand 4x4 set-up rather than one which drives all the wheels all the time and this helps towards more economical motoring. The system automatically detects situations when drive all round is needed, bringing the rear wheels into play via an electronic clutch.

A descent control system maintains a constant speed even down steep inclines without the driver needing to brake, while an advanced electronic stability programme prevents the vehicle from skidding in an emergency. Active rollover protection and hydraulic brake assists are other high-technology features. The introduction of an electronic parking brake has brought more storage space.

Caravanners will appreciate the self-levelling suspension which ensures driving characteristics and stability remain unaffected when towing or carrying a lot in the back. The suspension was tuned for European conditions at the Millbrook Proving Ground.

There's no doubt about it, the Captiva is a very roomy car. It's surprisingly spacious, in fact. Headroom is most impressive and legroom is also good and six-footers won't feel cramped when taking a middle-row seat in the seven-up vehicle.

The bench is a good three-seater because it is wide and there is no transmission tunnel to contend with. Another plus is the excellent view ahead enjoyed by those taking a back seat.

Full leather upholstery comes as part of the ultimate LTZ deal, along with a reverse-parking camera and a touch-screen satellite navigation unit with seven-inch display, heated front seats, alloy wheels, automatic lighting control and rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, a multi-function display panel, a radio with six-CD changer and MP3 capability, power-folding, heated door mirrors with integrated turn signals and a visible twin-pipe exhaust system with chrome detailing.

The reverse parking camera supports audible distance sensors in making it easier to squeeze the vehicle into the tightest of spots. It also picks up a view lower than that the driver gets through the back window and is really useful when the extra seats are in use.

To sum up, the Captiva is a family-friendly SUV that feels solid, drives well and is looking a whole lot better following the update last year. It's sold with Chevrolet's five-year warranty deal that's supported by fixed price servicing.