The second-generation Renault Captur is more than just a Clio on stilts. It's a well-rounded compact crossover with big appeal! Here's a few of the things we love about this particular model.
Renault struck gold when it first introduced the Clio-based Captur in 2015. Timed to perfection, the agreeable Captur came in at the right price with the right amount of equipment to satiate those looking for an SUV’s high-riding nature but still craved the convenience of a hatchback.
The second-generation Renault Captur builds on this recipe but enhances it in all aspects. This second generation is larger, more luxurious, better equipped, more powerful, and considerably more expensive.
We’ve enjoyed spending a few weeks with the new Captur in 1.3 Turbo Intens trim, finding it rather agreeable. All of us who have spent time with have found it to slot into our lives seamlessly, offering a wonderful blend of practicality, comfort, and style.
Surprising power
The impressive power output is one of the more surprising discoveries encountered while driving the new Captur. A 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine powers this new generation Captur. Renault has dropped all three of the engines one would find in the first generation, so there’s no diesel offering at this point.
That’s not a complaint, though, as the new 1.3-litre unit is rather powerful, producing 113 kW and 270 Nm torque. This power is sent to the front wheel through an automated dual-clutch gearbox with 7-gears to choose from, should you wish to intervene with proceedings.
113 kW doesn’t sound like a lot, but the Captur is still a reasonably compact vehicle despite having grown in size somewhat. I am always genuinely surprised by the power delivery whenever I put my foot down, and the turbocharger spools up.
It’s not perfect
As agreeable as the Captur is, it’s not perfect either, and we’ve experienced a few situations where it’s left us scratching our heads.
Now and then, under what seems to be a rather specific set of circumstances, the acceleration will be stunted as you accelerate away from a near standstill. It feels like the clutches are slipping, the engine’s RPM rising while a disproportionate amount of progress is made. Lifting off the throttle and reapplying the power quickly rectifies it, but it’s still a little unsettling.
The infotainment system is not what one would call ‘intuitive’. A single errant finger saw the home screen layout completely erased, and this, with its customizable tile interface, could only be resolved when the car was stationary. Needless to say, the remainder of the drive was rather silent.
Does the 2023 Renault Captur have a sunroof?
With space, comes practicality
A larger vehicle will usually provide a little more in the way of space: additional legroom, headroom and boot space. The Captur feels bigger than its predecessor, and cabin space is generous. There are several places to store items up front, even if some are a little smaller. The door bin, for instance, is too narrow to take a water bottle comfortably, but you do get two cupholders between the front seats. Ahead of them, there are two shelves. The lower one allows for wireless charging of your mobile device, but the top one is a little too small for your phone to rest completely flat.
The boot floor seems too high initially, but this is thanks to the adjustable floorboard that can be set at two different heights. The highest setting will make it easier for ladies or kids to get their items out of the boot, reducing the size of the lip that they would have to lift things over. Drop it down to the floor level, and you’re given 536-litres of space, up from the 404-litres you get with it set to the highest position. Need even more? Fold the rear seat forward and load away to your heart’s content!
More to come
Stay tuned to these pages to see what else we get up to in the rather endearing Renault Captur as we spend more time with it. We’ll be bringing you real-world fuel consumption figures and letting you know if anything happens to run awry with the lovable Frenchie!
Keyword: Renault Captur 1.3 Turbo Intens (2023) Long-term test – a month with the Captur