As one of the last team members to drive the long-term Captur, Lawrence and family get to grips with the pint-size French model.
Family value(s)
As our time with our long-term Renault Captur comes to a close, it was my turn to take some time behind the wheel as the designated family man of the team, It was interesting to see how my colleagues had spent their allotted time with the Frenchie, Chad did the daily commute, Sean did an economy run and Taye made a sandwich. Now, it was my turn to put it to use with family in tow.
Once you have a small family, space and convenience, become essential, especially when that family are teenagers that want their own space all of the time. The Captur came in rather handy for two weeks between test vehicles, and I got a pretty accurate take on how a car of this size would slot in with the needs of the average South African family.
School run
If you have ever tried to squeeze three high school kids into a car, you know the hassle that comes with school bags, extra-curricular equipment, and lunch bags filling up the boot area, then of course, there is the required legroom, charging points for cellphones and tablets and heating / cooling required so that they can look their best.
The Captur has a two-tier boot system that allows you to add or subtract boot space by lifting or dropping the false floor. This adds 132l of extra storage space should you need it. The Captur may look small from the outside, but Renault has done that voodoo magic that makes the inside feel more extensive. Legroom for rear passengers is ample and cool or warmed air from the climate control quickly reaches the back to keep everyone happy.
Pulling power
When most people hear that the Intens model Captur is equipped with a 1.3l turbo petrol engine, they may scoff, but the power production from this family crossover is something else. The new 1.3l engine is rather powerful, producing 113 kW and 270 Nm torque. This power is sent to the front wheels through a 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) and is genuinely surprising if you put your foot down without preparation.
This is more than enough get up and go for the school run, or any run for that matter, a true pleasure to drive despite the smidgen of throttle input lag. The kicker here is that the Captur is incredibly light on fuel, returning a measly 5.8l /100km on average over the time I drove it.
Verdict
Time spent with the Captur was very enjoyable and its comfortable ride and handling dynamics made commuting and long freeway drives an absolute pleasure. The only thing I could possibly fault the Renault on was its comparative price against class competitors and in our current market, it is sadly a dealbreaker for many families with tight budgets. The Captur is fantastic but the R 499 999 price tag may be off-putting to some.
Keyword: Renault Captur 1.3 Turbo Zen (2023) Long-Term Update 3