Our long term Renault Captur has no fallen into the hands of Taye, who's going to share his thoughts on the chic French crossover.
We’ve been lucky to have a long term Renault Captur in the office. Lately, this vehicle has been dependable and proved itself to have some massive appeal. Before this scribe had a go, my colleague Chad Lückhoff had the Captur for a month. You can read his thoughts here.
The second-generation Captur isn’t merely just larger Clio, rather, it’s something that’s pretty well-rounded with what it seeks to do, resulting in what is an enjoyable vehicle to live with. We received the Captur in 1.3 Turbo Zen trim, and this writer spent some time with it. Does the Captur deliver on style, safety and tech? Well, read on further.
Style and Interior
Although Clio-based, the Captur is a good-looking vehicle. In this writer’s eyes, the second generation looks bolder than the first, with praise given to the front and rear fascias. The LED head and tail lights stand out, complementing the mixture of body curves and sharp lines. Its design execution is easy on the eyes. The Captur exudes elegance inside and out, leaving no stone unturned with its design cues to make it an attractive vehicle. Inside the Captur, praise needs to be given to the execution of the interior, living up to its ‘Zen’ trim name. The partial leather and cloth seat materials used here prove that you don’t need to have full leather to have a luxury seat that’s comfortable to the touch but also breathable. Pair that with the cushy seat foam, and the Captur is brilliantly comfortable on long journeys.
Joining the seats are soft-touch materials across the cabin and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Ergonomics are good with easy-reach controls and a shelf-like centre stack to store phones and keys. Some materials in the cabin, such as some plastic finishes like some covers and moulded plastics, do feel a bit cheap in some areas, which honestly is minor, but you will notice them. The 9.3 infotainment system is alright to use, but we found some of the menu structures need some refinement. Passengers in the Captur appreciated the level of sophistication in the cabin, with special praise given to the adjustable rear seating. Boot space is 404 litres with good form factor, and with the adjustable rear seating, it can extend to 536 litres of capacity and 1275 litres with the rear seats folded. Practicality gets a thumbs up.
Power and Handling
Powering the Captur is a 1.3 turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 113 kW and 270 Nm. This is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending power through to the front wheels. There are paddle shifters, too, if you want to use them; they work just fine. The engine in the Captur is lovely; it’s smooth peppy and puts a smile on your dial when you’re puttering about. If you do get on it from a standstill, the front tyres can fight for traction due to the potency of this engine. The dual-clutch transmission works well enough but tends to hang in gears sometimes when you need it to shift up, but that’s the only issue there.
The drivetrain is well suited for this vehicle, and it’s frugal to boot. This writer managed a best fuel economy figure of 5.5l /100km without hypermiling. The Captur rides like silk with minimal NVH (Noise Harshness and Vibration) and doesn’t falter. It still has the agility you’d expect from the Clio. The MySense driving modes are well-adjusted and even adjust the ambient lighting and instrument cluster. You can have the Captur set in MySense, Sport and Eco. This writer set the Captur to MySense and Eco for the majority of the test period.
Verdict
Living with the Captur has been a pleasant experience. It hits the mark on what it seeks to do and has left a lasting impression. It is considerably more expensive compared to what other crossovers are out there, but it’s definitely worth a test drive if you want something different. Understandably, R469 999 (*Current price at the time of publishing.) is a bit of an ask. This writer also just loves how inconspicuous the Captur is as it just flies under the radar, adding to the pleasant drive. Would he have another in the Captur? Sure.
If you’re now interested in a Renault Captur after reading our long-term updates, you can search AutoTrader for the latest used and new Renault Capture offerings.
Keyword: Renault Captur (2023) Long Term Update : Taye's Turn