Renault Captur test drive

Make and model: Renault Captur
Description: Small SUV/crossover
Price range: from £21,095

Renault says: “Known as Clio’s big brother – with even more tech, the new Renault Captur is as versatile and multi-talented as ever before.”

We say: The small SUV market is highly competitive but the Renault Captur does a great job at standing out with its technology and hybrid engine option. 

• Renault Captur (2019 – present) – Expert Rating 
• More Renault reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

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Introduction

This is the second-generation Renault Captur, launched in 2019. The company has now updated the Captur in line with a number of new models and updates to its overall range.

Since the original model’s launch in 2013, more than 194,000 units have been sold in the UK and more than two million across Europe. When the first model was initially released more than a decade ago, the Captur was one of the few small SUV/crossover models available at the time. It has since seen rising competition from other manufacturers with cars in the same segment. 

Captur is the brand’s smallest SUV, with the Megane, Scenic, Symbioz, Arkana, Austral and Rafale sitting above the Captur in Renault’s lineup and the Clio just below.

As of July 2024, the Renault Captur holds an overall New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 72%. As a used buy it’s rated even better at 76%. 

What is it?

Based on the the Renault Clio small hatchback, the Captur is a small SUV that seats five. It sits higher than the Clio, offering a bit more practicality and ease when getting in and out. Over the past few years, competition in this category has boomed as the SUV bodystyle has become more desirable.

If you’re looking at the Captur, you might also be considering similar sized cars such as the Dacia Duster, Nissan Juke, SEAT Arona, or the Peugeot 2008. This segment caters to drivers who don’t need a large SUV but equally want a higher ride height than a hatchback and more space for passengers and luggage.

First impressions

In keeping with the rest of Renault’s lineup, the updated Captur has a fresher, more modern feel. Externally, the styling has been refreshed to include a new grille with Renault’s latest logo, and some sleeker new headlamp and tail light designs. There are also some striking new alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the interior has been updated with a new screen and infotainment system powered by Google to make it more intuitive. The refresh includes a digital driver’s display. Interior materials are a mix of plastics, fabric and synthetic leather as Renault has omitted real leather and chrome from the Captur to improve the car’s sustainability credentials.

We like: Modern updated styling and interior
We don’t like: Limited seat adjustability

What do you get for your money?

The Captur comes in a choice of three trim levels: ‘evolution’, ‘techno’ and ‘esprit Alpine’. Pricing for trim options depends on which engine you opt for, either a petrol or hybrid which we’ll discuss in more detail later on. Entry-level evolution starts from £21K with the petrol engine or £24.5K in its hybrid guise. In the middle comes techno at just under £23K or from £26.3K, and esprit Alpine is only available with the hybrid engine from £28K. 

As standard, evolution comes with 17-inch wheels, rear parking sensors, reversing camera, rear sliding seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, seven-inch digital driver display, wireless phone charger, ten-inch touchscreen, and keyless entry and start. 

Techno trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, roof bars, electrically folding door mirrors, three driving modes, ten-inch driver display, and two rear USB-C ports. The top specification esprit Alpine includes 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, two-tone paint with a contrasting roof colour, and adaptive cruise control with speed limiter. 

Standard safety equipment covers Isofix points on the outer rear seats, cruise control and speed limiter, traffic sign recognition, active emergency braking, driver attention alert, emergency lane keep assist, hill start assist and a tyre pressure warning light. 

The Captur comes with a three-year / 60,000 mile warranty. 

We like: Tech focused specification throughout all trim levels
We don’t like: Heated seats reserved for top specification

What’s the Renault Captur like inside?

The interior layout has been simplified to focus on the screen in the centre of the dash. The previous iteration of the Captur had three round dials underneath the screen for climate control. These functions have now been integrated into a switch strip along the bottom of the screen. This means the climate control features are displayed on the screen and controlled with proper switches or via the touchscreen for things like heated seats on the top trim level.

There’s a good amount of legroom in the back and the outer rear seat backs are inset so rear passengers. This creates a bolsters on either side so instead of the outer passengers bumping into the middle passenger going around a bend, it’s easier to stay put. The outer seats also have Isofix points. Depending on whether you need to prioritise legroom or boot space, the rear seats slide forward as a bench up to 16 cm.

In the boot, there’s a false floor that can be lifted up to reveal more space underneath. The false floor makes the boot floor the same height as the boot lip so it’s easy to load luggage straight in and out. The hybrid’s boot space is a little bit smaller than the petrol engine. When the seats are folded down the load space sits at the same height as the false floor. 

Depending on which trim level you go for there’s a different gearstick and the centre console floats on the esprit Alpine trim to add an extra storage shelf. 

We like: Updated intuitive Google-led touchscreen
We don’t like: Cheap feeling plastic strip below climate controls

What’s under the bonnet?

Renault offers the Captur with two engine options. The 1.0-litre petrol engine is available with evolution or techno trim levels. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox and has official fuel economy figures of about 47mpg. For those that want to use a Captur to tow, the petrol engine can handle more weight, with an unbraked trailer up to 645kg or a braked trailer up to ​​1,200kg – ideal for a small caravan. 

The petrol/electric hybrid unit is quicker and more powerful than the petrol engine, and fuel economy should be better with official figures stating 60mpg is possible.

It’s a conventional hybrid, rather than a more substantial plug-in hybrid, so you can’t plug the Captur hybrid into an external charging point and it means you only get a small amount of driving range in electric mode. All of the electricity is ultimately generated, either directly or indirectly, by the petrol engine. There’s a button inside the car that can keep battery charge over 40% to save it for things like going uphill or towing.

The hybrid comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox and, due to the addition of the battery and electric motor, is heavier than its petrol counterpart. This means towing is limited to 720kg for an unbraked trailer and 750kg for a braked one. 

What’s the Renault Captur like to drive?

The seating position in the Captur is quite high, so for taller drivers we’d recommend going for a test drive to see if the position is comfortable for you. The steering wheel is adjustable for reach and height, and the seats are either manually or electrically adjustable depending on the trim level. 

As the esprit Alpine trim has larger wheels, the ride is firmer than the 18-inch wheels on the techno trim. The hybrid option we tried was very quiet at low speeds, and was only noisy when you put your foot all the way to the floor. For normal driving, it’s relaxed and easy to position on the road. 

Different driving modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport are available to tweak the driving experience to suit the situation. On the right-hand side of the steering wheel, there’s a button called the My Safety Switch. This allows the driver to customise the safety features they would like to use and turns off the ones they don’t want. 

We like: Smooth and quiet hybrid driving experience
We don’t like: High seating position in the cabin

Verdict

The Renault Captur is a great example of a small SUV that has a good amount of technology and practicality. It also seems competitively priced for cash buyers and those looking for finance or lease agreements.

Unlike the touchscreen systems in some rival cars, the new Google-based display in the Captur is easy to use and doesn’t require Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for it to be simple to use on the go. A rear sliding bench is a rare feature which allows for plenty of different boot configurations along with additional storage space under the boot floor. 

Renault expects around 60% of customers to go for the hybrid powertrain and the majority to opt for the techno trim level. We agree this appears to be the best value option for the equipment and driving experience with prices starting from just over £26K. As always, we recommend test driving a Captur to make sure it’s the right fit for you. 

• Renault Captur (2019 – present) – Expert Rating 
• More Renault reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Renault Captur, you might also be interested in these new and used alternatives

Citroën C3 Aircross | Dacia Duster | Ford Puma | Honda HR-V | Hyundai Bayon | Hyundai Kona | Jeep Renegade | KGM Tivoli | Kia Stonic | MG ZS | Nissan Juke | Peugeot 2008 | SEAT Arona | Skoda Kamiq | Suzuki Vitara | Toyota Yaris Cross | Vauxhall Crossland | Vauxhall Mokka | Volkswagen T-Cross | Volkswagen T-Roc

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