We traded our captiva for a pathfinder, auto (2011). It handles differently coz it's a 4wd not an SUV, more body roll than the captiva, but still way more comfy than any of the dual cabs I've driven, including hilux, triton and new and old colorado. The new colorado is probably the best. All of the utes were mostly empty though and a bit of load makes a big difference in the bounce of the back end.
The pathfinder is our main vehicle for round town and for trips with and without camper and find it suits pretty well. The seven seats come in handy for dragging the kids mates around, 3of ours plus extras.
Personally I prefer the versatility and security of a wagon over the 'utility' of a ute.