Renault Captur Review 2023 | Achievements and awards (2023)

there are many small onesSUV'sto choose from these days, so a car has to have something different, a little je ne sais quoi, to stand out. forward theRenaultFixation.

It looks a bit more elegant than conventional alternatives like theSkoda KamiqofVolkswagen T-Cross. It's like comparing a macaron to a digestif - both are taken with a cup of tea, but the French snack looks more appealing and tastes better.

Compared to the first Captur, the current model now has C-shaped LED headlights, standard LED headlights, a wider grille, redesigned bumpers and larger alloy wheel options. It's still a Captur, but looks like it's had some serious training.

Inside, the Captur has evolved too, with a new infotainment system, sleeker design and updated materials. And because it's taller, wider and longer than before, and has more distance between the front and rear wheels, there's more room for people inside, especially in the back.

Entry-level (Evolution) and mid-level (Techno) Capturs get a 7.0-inch portrait-oriented infotainment system with integrated satellite navigation, as well asApple CarplayeAndroid Auto, so you can also get navigation through your smartphone. DAB radio and Bluetooth are also standard. All other versions get a larger 9.3-inch portrait touchscreen.

Whichever you choose, the native menus and response times don't match the best systems from rivals likevolkswagenT-Cross eSkodaKamiq and Renault's digital gauges also don't look as good and are less configurable than on other small SUVs.

The quality of the interior materials is high - although perhaps thePeugeot2008it's just shady in that regard. But the space of Captur is great. You won't have any complaints beforehand - drivers of all sizes can feel comfortable and easily seen. From behind, the Captur is just as impressive. An adult pair will fit comfortably, although it can be difficult to get a third.

The Captur has a party trick in the rear - the rear seats slide back and forth as a single unit, trading rear legroom for trunk space. That means the Captur's trunk at 536 liters with the seats pushed forward is the largest of any small SUV. With the seats all the way back to maximize rear legroom, the boot shrinks to 422 litres, which is still competitive with most other alternatives.

It is noteworthy that thehybridand the plug-in hybrid versions have smaller boots than the petrol versions due to the addition of the batteries.

The Captur's engine and gearbox offerings are plentiful, with two petrol options (one with mild hybrid assistance), as well as self-charging and plug-in hybrid options. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the regular andmild hybrid, while a six-speed automatic transmission is installed on hybrids.

If you drive mainly in the city, the 91 hp TCe 90 petrol model can do the job, but the 140 hp mild hybrid costs a little more and offers significantly better performance, especially on the highway.

If you use your Captur at work and have reliable access to charging, the plug-in hybrid can be extremely cheap to run, but keep in mind that purchasing it will be more expensive.

The Captur isn't a thriller to drive, but small SUVs aren't designed for that. More importantly, it steers with precision and feels grippy and stable through corners. A VW T-Cross is quieter and more comfortable both in the city and on the highway.

So overall the Captur impresses with its initial styling, but it doesn't quite match the best small SUVs once you scratch below the surface. Still, it looks great, looks high quality and offers plenty of interior space.

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The Renault Captur has an MSRP of £22,495 to £32,495. However, you can save an average of £3,316 with carwow. Prices start at £19,527 if you pay in cash. carwow starts at £12,900.

Our most popular Renault Captur versions are:

The Captur is easy to drive around town and does well on the highway. Ride quality isn't good on rougher road surfaces and we'd avoid the low-power base engine

In the city

Thanks to its small dimensions and light handling, the Renault Captur is a cinch for city driving. Visibility is good, although the base version of the Evolution only gets rear parking sensors as standard. All other models get front parking sensors and a reversing camera. Emergency Brake Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition are standard on all Capture models.

One area where the Captur doesn't do very well is ride comfort over potholes and bumps; 17-inch wheels are only available on the base trim, and the larger 18-inch wheels fitted to the rest of the lineup don't help matters. OCitroen C3and the VW T-Cross seem more relaxed around town.

The plug-in hybrid is the most expensive of the bunch, but it offers the smoothest driving experience, especially as it can travel up to 30 kilometers in pure electric mode. The self-charging version can only go a few miles on the battery, but it's much cheaper and can still save you money in the long run.

on the highway

Once you hit highway speeds, the ride settles down, and bar some wind noise the Captur feels planted and capable. Lane Departure Warning andlane stay assistentare standard, as is cruise control.

Avoid the base 91PS petrol engine if you're planning longer journeys, opt for the mild 140PS hybrid which feels much more compliant with a full load and overtaking maneuvers. The Captur is comfortable enough for rear seat passengers, although the rear window pillar sits quite close to the heads of the two outer occupants, which can make them a little claustrophobic on a long drive.

On a winding road

Few people would buy a small SUV for its dynamic prowess, and the Captur is clearly not designed for high speed driving on a winding road.

That said, it grips the road well and feels snappy and responsive in corners, as long as you don't push too hard. aSeatAaronford cougarIt will be a bit more fun on a winding road, but that's not exactly what these cars are for.

There is quite a bit of space for passengers and their luggage on the Captur. However, it can be a little tight to fit three adults in the back.

The latest generation of Captur is larger than its predecessor in all directions. This translates into plenty of space in the cabin. The front seats are adjustable enough for most shapes and sizes, and the steering wheel also adjusts for tilt and reach.

Storage space is decent, with a large box with a lid and a couple of cup holders between the seats. The floating center console (on automatic) has space underneath for smaller items, and a shelf on the underside of the dash provides a convenient place to store your phone, offering wireless charging on higher trims.

Large pockets in the doors hold large water bottles or purses, and the large glove box has a cool pull-out design, which is really handy unless someone is in the front passenger seat...

Space in the back seat

The Captur's increased dimensions really pay off for rear passengers. Even the tallest adults won't have a problem with knee or head room, and the rear seats slide back for even more room.

Putting three adults side by side will be tight - just like any other small SUV. There are a few door pockets and rear pockets for storage, and the center backrest folds down to reveal a set of cup holders.

trunk

The Renault Captur has one of the largest trunks on the market - as long as you keep the rear seat in the most forward position. In this configuration you get an impressive 536 liters in the petrol version. That drops to 440 liters for the hybrid and 379 liters for the plug-in hybrid models. Slide the rear seats all the way back and you get 422 liters of petrol, 326 liters of hybrid and 265 liters of plug-in hybrid.

For comparison: the Volkswagen T-Cross has between 385 and 455 liters with its sliding rear seat. OCitroën C3 Aircrossalso offers sliding seats (optional), good for 380-520 liters of trunk space. This makes the standard petrol-powered Renault Captur the most spacious here with its 422-536 liters of trunk space. Keep in mind that you'll have a hard time getting passengers into the back of one of these small SUVs if you push the seats all the way forward.

Fold the rear seats down and you get a flat luggage compartment without a boot lid and a handy divider to separate your luggage. Total space is 1,275 liters for the petrol models, equal to the VW T-Cross but below the 1,467 liters of the Peugeot 2008.

The new Renault Captur has a high-quality interior, with much improved materials. However, the infotainment system and driver's digital display aren't the most elegant.

The Captur's cabin is finished with good quality materials and offers a touch of style to elevate it above the more mundane offerings in this class. A 2008 Peugeot may look even nicer, but the Renault's large steering wheel provides a clear view of the driver's digital display at all times. Something not always guaranteed with the 2008 small-diameter steering wheel. There are a pair of USB ports and a 12-volt outlet in front of the gear lever, and another set of USB ports between the front seats for rear passengers.

Evolution and Techno trims come with a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, DAB radio, satellite navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. A wireless phone charger is optional on the basic version and standard on the rest of the range. Higher finishes get a 9.3-inch portrait touchscreen with the same features.

The system's responsiveness isn't as fast as we'd like, and the small icons make it difficult to access the right options on the go. Standard smartphone connectivity helps, and in most cases you're likely to ignore Renault's apps.

The driver gets a 4.2-inch digital dash display in the Evolution trim, which increases to 7.0-inch in the mid-spec Techno. Rive Gauche models. RS Line and e-Tech Engineered versions (only available with hybrid engines) come with a 10.0-inch display as standard. Images on all versions are good enough, with the larger units providing more detailed information. Alternate views are typically sharper and more configurable.

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to engines. Offers start with the 91 PS petrol TCe 90, which is only mated to a manual transmission and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 14 seconds. Combined fuel consumption of 47.9mpg is decent, but it's still the least efficient option here. The base engines in all Captur alternatives are faster and more fuel efficient.

Better than switching to the Mild Hybrid 140 engine.This turbocharged petrol engine produces 140hp and makes the 0-62mph sprint in 10.3 seconds that much more thrilling, the smooth hybrid assist helps deliver up to 48.7mpg at mixed driving. This compares well to most alternatives, but it's manual only, which can be a pain if you spend a lot of time in slow traffic.

The E-Tech Hybrid 145 is a self-charging hybrid petrol engine and comes with a six-speed automatic transmission. It produces 142 horsepower and offers similar performance to the mild hybrid engine, but with better fuel economy. It can travel on short bursts of electrical power, but mostly relies on the gas engine. It offers a good compromise between cost and efficiency and works well both in the city and on the highway.

The top model is the E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid 160 Auto. Together, this model produces 160 hp and can travel up to 45 km on electricity alone, thanks to a battery of 9.8 kWh. That gives it an official 217.3mpg, and if your daily commute is short, you may not need to call the petrol engine.

Charging at home in a 7kW wallbox takes you from empty to full in three hours. It only has a maximum charging speed of 3.7 kW per hour, so connecting a fast charger will not speed up the charging time. It is the most expensive to purchase, but gets the lowest tax benefit from the company car; currently 12% against 26-32% for other models.

The Renault Captur passedEuroNCAPTested in 2019 and received a full 5-star rating. The adult safety score of 96% is one of the highest in the small SUV class, and the child safety score of 83% is also impressive.

Standard passive and active safety kit includes automatic headlights (auto high beam on all trims but the lowest), hill start assist, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist andCruise control. Rear parking sensors are standard, with additional front sensors and a rear-view camera standard on higher grades. Active Emergency Braking is included as standard on the three highest trim levels.

The Renault Captur has received generally positive reviews from owners and only one recall to date for an incorrectly fitted seat belt.

The Captur comes with an above-average five-year/100,000-mile warranty, with hybrid variants receiving an additional eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on their hybrid components. Maintenance costs are reasonable, with a three-year/30,000-mile subscription available as a one-time fee or paid monthly.