The Renault Captur is a comfortable and easy-to-drive small SUV that should be cheap to run
Pros
- Comfy and easy to drive
- Practical for a car of its size
- Low running costs
Cons
- Dated interior and tech
- Dull to drive
- Build quality could be better
The first-generation Renault Captur is a smart-looking, practical and easy-to-drive small SUV, so it’s bound to have lots of appeal to many buyers. This kind of car is really popular right now and while the Captur isn’t an outstanding example of the crossover breed, it’s good enough in all the right ways to be worth recommending. It’s comfortable, has enough room inside for a small family, has some very fuel-efficient engines and enough modern tech as well. It was never an expensive car when new, so prices are affordable, too.
The Renault Captur is closely related to the Clio, a supermini that’s been around for decades. The Captur capitalises on the current trend for higher-riding SUV models by using Clio parts to create something that has the styling that buyers love but with the low running costs of a small car. It’s a really popular combination, so there are now plenty of first-generation Renault Capturs on sale second-hand.
The Captur makes a lot of sense for anyone torn between a conventional hatchback and an SUV, offering decent practicality and interior space in a compact package. Its considerable popularity comes as little surprise and it's a rival to the Fiat 500X, Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Mokka, among many others.
Unlike some of its rivals, the Captur can't be chosen with four-wheel drive, but this is unlikely to put many prospective buyers off. It has an appealing design, with tough body cladding, muscular curves and bold wheels, while its raised ride height adds road presence as well as providing a good view from its higher driving position.
What’s the history of the Renault Captur?
The Renault Captur first arrived in the UK in July 2013, and could be chosen with a 0.9-litre (TCe 90) or 1.2-litre (TCe 120) petrol engine, with a 1.5-litre diesel (dCi 90) also available. There were four trim levels; Expression, Expression+, Dynamique Media Nav and Dynamique S Media Nav. A flagship Signature model was added later, too.
The Renault Captur diesel was manual-only at first, but it wasn’t long before an EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) version provided buyers with an automatic option. In March 2015, the 1.5-litre dCi was made available in more powerful 110bhp form. Later that year, the Iconic special edition was released, featuring a part-leather interior and unique two-tone paint scheme.
In 2017, there was an update with new LED headlights and a different grille, plus more standard kit. A new 1.3-litre engine was added to the range with either 128bhp or 148bhp at this time. In 2018 trim names were changed to Play, Iconic, GT-Line and S Edition. In 2019, the Captur Mk1 was replaced by the all-new Mk2 model.
Which is the best Renault Captur to choose?
The best engine in the Renault Captur range is the 1.3-litre petrol that was made available in later models. It’s a bit more expensive, but the 128bhp version is plenty for a small car like the Captur and it should still be cheap to run.
However an older model will be better value for money overall, and most buyers were choosing diesel engines in the first half of the last decade. This means you’ll have a greater choice of models if you also go for a diesel Captur, although in general the petrol models will have travelled fewer miles. It can be deceptive, though, because diesels excel on motorways, which are less taxing on the motor, so it may be better to buy a higher-mileage diesel over a petrol version that’s been used for loads of short trips.
We’d choose a mid-spec model, as they are the best value. For example, Dynamique MediaNav has a seven-inch touchscreen navigation system with Bluetooth, as well as climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels and cruise control.
What are the alternatives?
The Nissan Juke is a key rival for the Captur, because it shares some of the same engines. The Juke is rather compromised in interior space, with a far smaller boot than the Captur. It’s well priced, though, and most examples are well equipped.
Another is the Peugeot 2008, which is a good-looking, economical car designed along similar lines and with a practical interior. Another choice is the Vauxhall Mokka, which is often temptingly priced second hand and spacious inside. It’s rather noisy, though, and not much fun to drive.
One of our favourite models in this class is the Citroen C4 Cactus, which is a spacious, comfortable and stylish small SUV. If you’re looking at a slightly newer Captur, there’s also the Citroen C3 Aircross that was launched in 2017.
Renault Captur Mk1 video review
The Renault Captur is a relatively inexpensive car to run and it's also pretty cheap to buy, kicking off at a little bit less than a basic family car like a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus. It's quite keenly priced compared to its rivals, too, coming in at about the same as the Peugeot 2008 and Nissan Juke, but less than the Vauxhall Mokka X. Prices for the Citroen C4 Cactus start lower, but the Dacia Duster is the cheapest of them all – yet it doesn't come with the same amount of standard equipment. You might want to avoid the top trim level, however, as the Captur looks the best value lower in the range and can get pricey.
Renault Captur MPG & CO2
The 1.5-litre dCi 90 diesel Captur is the most economical model, achieving up to 53.3mpg in mixed driving and CO2 emissions of 112g/km, giving it a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rating for company-car drivers, depending on trim level. Renault has given all Capturs an 'Eco' button on the dashboard, which limits engine power and increases fuel economy by up to 10%.
The entry-level petrol is a turbocharged 0.9-litre TCe that returns 45.6mpg and produces CO2 emissions of 122g/km for a low BiK band. Above that, there's a 1.3-litre turbocharged engine with either 128 or 148bhp, which manage 44.1 and 43.4mpg respectively. Both fall into low BiK bands too, although the 148bhp engine is only available with an automatic gearbox.
After the first year's CO2-based road tax (generally included in the on-the-road price), all Renault Capturs cost £145 a year to tax. If you want the most efficient car in this class, then there are better options, including the Citroen C4 Cactus BlueHDi diesel.
Insurance group
Insuring the Captur should be affordable, with groups ranging from eight for the entry-level petrol to 15 (out of a total of 50) for the top-spec diesel.
Warranty
The Captur comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty, which is about average for the industry. The warranty does include three years' roadside assistance. The Kia Niro offers the longest warranty in the class, lasting seven years or 100,000 miles.
Servicing
For £99 you can buy the EasyLife Servicing Pack, including three services and complimentary vehicle health checks.
The Renault Captur feels very much like the smaller Renault Clio to drive. Its light steering is great in town and makes it easy to manoeuvre. Out on country roads, the steering lacks enough feel to give you confidence for quick cornering, while significant body lean will also put you off driving too fast.
While the Captur makes for relaxing long drives, the Nissan Juke edges it for fun. The Captur is generally very comfortable, with supple suspension, but some potholes send a bigger impact through the interior than you’d notice in a Peugeot 2008.
Renault Captur petrol engines
The 1.3-litre TCe petrol engine is quickest, with 0-62mph taking 9.5 or 10.2 seconds, depending on whether you choose the 128bhp or 148bhp version. We prefer the manual, as the automatic is slow to respond, whether you use the steering-wheel-mounted paddles or not. It's a shame, then, that the 148bhp engine is only available with an automatic.
At the entry point into the range is a 0.9-litre TCe. That sounds like a very small engine, and it is, but because it’s turbocharged it actually feels punchy enough. Officially, it’ll get the car from 0-62mph in 13.1 seconds, although it feels faster than this time suggests. It’s a good fit for the Captur’s nature, which doesn’t really suit a big, powerful engine. While it is very quiet at moderate speeds, the lack of a sixth gear means it's a little loud on a motorway run.
Diesel engine
The 89bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel is a reasonable performer that makes more sense if you often head onto the motorway on longer trips.
Be prepared to sacrifice a little bit of comfort with the diesel, though. It’s a little rattly and tends to vibrate through the pedals and the steering wheel more than the petrol. Still, if you cover more than 15,000 miles a year, we’d say going for a diesel is worth considering.
The interior is one of the areas Renault has improved the most for the facelift, introducing more soft-touch materials to improve the feeling of quality. The Captur has a height-adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, so getting a comfortable is very easy.
As with the exterior, there’s plenty of scope to give the Captur’s interior a personal touch. For instance, the seat covers can be unzipped, allowing you to change them for a different design or wash off any dirty marks or stains.
Renault Captur dashboard
The Captur’s dashboard has never been its strongest point, but Renault has made it more competitive with its facelift. More soft-touch materials have been added to improve the feeling of quality and there’s now a two-tone covering for a more attractive design. Lighter shades look even better, as too much black can make the Captur look austere.
Equipment
The basic Play trim includes two-tone paintwork, 16-inch alloy wheels and an R&GO smartphone app that includes navigation.
The Iconic model features some chrome interior touches and a seven-inch colour screen fitted in the centre of the dash. All Captur models from the Iconic trim level upwards are fitted with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. There’s also climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather embellishments and tinted rear windows for security and privacy. S Edition, a relatively new trim, adds LED headlights, different alloys and sportier interior touches like dark headlining, red stitching and Alcantara suede trim on the seats.
Go for the GT-Line range-topper and the Captur looks more rugged and gets some of the latest features like cornering foglights and self-parking. There’s also front and rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, folding door mirrors, a part-leather upholstery and heated front seats.
Options
For optimum comfort, you should avoid the 17-inch alloy wheels. We’d also recommend spending a little extra on a space-saver spare wheel, because you don’t get one as standard and puncture repair kits aren’t always effective.
A part-leather interior will also add a touch of class, and a large panoramic sunroof (available for GT-Line models) will let lots of light into the interior. but really most of the options are concerned with how your car looks from the outside – contrasting roof colours and bright alloy wheels are the order of the day here.
A Techno Pack can be added to the Iconic trim to include the upgraded R-LINK navigation and infotainment system, which is standard in GT-Line models, for £600. It also includes front and rear parking sensors and a rear view camera.
Basing the Renault Captur on the Renault Clio was always going to restrict the car’s practicality, but it still offers useful dimensions. It’s 60mm longer than the Renault Clio, so there’s more rear legroom, while the rear seats can slide backwards and forwards to free up even more space either inside the cabin or in the boot.
The Captur’s short bonnet and vertical tail mean you’ll find parking is pretty easy, too. It helps if you add the parking sensors or reversing camera, though.
Renault Captur interior space & storage
There’s plenty of room in the front seats and Renault has given the car useful storage areas, including deep door pockets and a handy cubby in the car’s centre console. Sadly, converting the Captur from right to left-hand drive means UK models don’t get the same 11-litre glovebox capacity as cars sold on the Continent, which would’ve been handy.
Boot space
There are no worries when it comes to boot space – with the rear seats pushed all the way back, there’s a reasonable 377 litres on offer. That increases to 455 litres when you push them forward – which is bigger than what you get in many cars in the class above, including the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.
The folding rear seats split 60:40 and Dynamique cars also get washable seat covers. If you do have the seats all the way forwards, it’s probably best not to carry passengers in the back, as legroom gets a bit tight with the seats slid forwards.
Remember, though, there’s no spare wheel as standard – you have to specify one as an optional extra and if you do, it lives underneath your boot floor. That limits the amount of boot space, because you no longer have the ability to lower the boot floor to carry extra luggage.
Towing
No matter which model you go for, the Captur has a maximum towing capacity for a braked trailer of 1,200kg. For an unbraked trailer, the maximum capacity varies between 590 and 635kg depending on the version. This is quite low for a crossover, with even the Citroen C4 Cactus able to tow 825kg and some versions of the Jeep Renegade able to haul up to 1,500kg.
The Renault Captur is growing in popularity, with buyers drawn by its impressive safety credentials and customer satisfaction. We know the Captur is safe thanks to its five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating, but owners have told us issues can be common.
Renault Captur reliability
The Renault Captur didn’t finish in our 2019 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey of cars currently on sale in the UK. In 2018, though, the Captur finished 70th overall out of 75 models with 22.8% of owners reporting a problem with their cars at least once in the first 12 months of ownership, with gearbox issues causing the most trouble.
However, Renault appears to be improving customer satisfaction overall, because the French manufacturer scored a respectable 19th out of 30 manufacturers in our 2019 survey. Rival mainstream brands such as Ford, Vauxhall and Hyundai all finishing below.
Safety
Getting a five-star crash safety rating from Euro NCAP is a good sign, especially since the test was made much tougher in 2015. So to go into more detail, the Captur scored very well for adult (88%) and child occupant (79%) protection. That’s down to a body that’s designed crumple in a controlled way during a collision, as well as six standard airbags.
Pedestrian protection was less impressive, rated at 61%, but this is an area that carmakers have only begun to focus on quite recently, so top-notch scores aren’t par for the course yet.
To help keep children safe, Renault has put ISOFIX child-seat points to the passenger seat and the outside back seats – this makes fitting child seats easy and safe. Blind-spot monitoring and front parking sensors are available, as is autonomous parking to help avoid bumps.
Keyword: Used Renault Captur review: 2013 to 2019 (Mk1)