Review - Renault Captur

This begs the question, though, of whether or not the Renault Captur is a genuinely good option for those looking for a compact crossover SUV, or if it’s merely a design exercise with little substance accompanying that style. 

Let’s find out just how well the Renault Captur performs as a compact SUV, and see how it compares to a number of its key competitors in the segment like the Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Volkswagen T-Cross, Hyundai Kona and the Toyota C-HR. 

Starting Price: $28,190

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Renault Captur (LIFE) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Renault Captur car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Renault Captur lineup kicks off from $28,190 for the entry-level Captur Life, with the range moving to the mid-range Captur Zen, which is priced from $30,790, and culminates in the flagship Captur Intens which is priced at $35,790. Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change, and do not include on-road costs. 

The entry-level Captur Life can be optioned with Renault’s ‘Peace of Mind’ package, which adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and a set of folding side mirrors for an extra fee, while the range-topping Captur Intens can be optioned with the ‘Easy Life’ package that adds automatic headlights, a frameless rear-view mirror and an upgraded 10.25-inch digital driver’s display. 

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What Features Does the Renault Captur Have?

The entry-level Renault Captur Life comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, and receives a reversing camera with a set of front and rear-mounted parking sensors, LED head and tail lights as well as LED indicators, cruise control, air conditioning, a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay paired with a six-speaker audio system, wheel-mounted gear levers, manually-adjustable front seats and a number of active safety technologies that we’ll cover later in the review. 

Moving up the range into the Renault Captur Zen adds a climate control system, automatic wipers, wireless smartphone charging, keyless entry and start, a heated leather steering wheel as well as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts as standard. 

Finally, the range-topping Captur Intens adds a set of 18-inch alloys, black leather upholstery, chrome exterior finishes around the bodywork, a set of Eco LED headlights with a three-dimensional tail light effect, heated seats with a powered driver’s seat, privacy glass, an upgraded 9.3-inch infotainment system with satellite navigation paired with a nine-speaker sound system, 7.0-inch driver’s display, a surround view camera, USB ports in the rear of the cabin and LED interior lighting. 

Range Features: 

• 17-inch alloy wheels 

• LED headlights and tail lights 

• 7.0-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

• Wheel-mounted gear levers 

• Reversing camera

• Front & rear parking sensors 

• Six-speaker sound system

• Cruise control

• Heated steering wheel (Zen)

• Wireless smartphone charging (Zen) 

• Automatic wipers (Zen) 

• Keyless entry & start (Zen)

• Climate control (Zen) 

• 9.3-inch infotainment system with sat-nav (Intens) 

• Eco LED headlights with three-dimensional tail lights (Intens) 

• Surround-view camera (Intens) 

• Heated seats (Intens) 

• Black leather upholstery (Intens) 

• 18-inch alloys (Intens)  

Renault Captur (LIFE) Colours

Is it Comfortable to Drive? 

Depending on where you plan on spending most of your time driving the Renault Captur, it doesn’t take long behind the wheel to find out that it’s the perfect companion for trips around the city. As a package, Renault has designed the Captur primarily as an urban commuter, which makes it feel right at home in tight confines of the urban jungle, and in this sense, it performs remarkably well as a compact SUV for the city.  The Captur’s petite proportions mean that the Captur is unphased by narrow streets and compact car parks where a number of large SUVs can prove problematic, but as you’ll discover later, the Captur performs admirably when it comes to offering practicality in this small package. 

In terms of driving, though, the Captur is very much at the head of the crowded compact SUV pack, thanks to its perky 1.3-litre turbocharged engine which offers a significant amount of power and places it ahead of the majority of its competitors in terms of power. In real-world driving situations, this power advantage doesn’t translate to much more than an ease of acceleration, but the power on offer is certainly worth taking note of. As a result of its engine, the Captur has absolutely no problems getting up to speed from a standstill without a fuss, and the seven-speed dual clutch transmission is a nice addition to the mix, too. At speed, the DCT unit offers rapid shifts that are barely noticeable, making the Captur even more appealing as a point-and-shoot commuter, however, these transmissions can prove a bit sluggish at low speeds in certain situations. 

You’ll be quick to forgive any lurchiness from the transmission when you’re up and moving, though, thanks to the wonderful suspension system that Renault has installed into the Captur. While some European vehicles can feel rough and unforgiving on Australian roads, the Captur has been fitted with a soft, supple suspension system that irons out bumps and keeps everyone in the cabin both supported and comfortable. It is perhaps the most comfortable offering in the compact SUV segment, which is made even more impressive by the fact that it is one of the most powerful, too. 

Overall, as a commuting experience for the urban jungle, the Captur is a fabulous fit-for-purpose vehicle that offers engaging acceleration, comfortable suspension and an extremely user-friendly driving experience. 

Is it Practical and Spacious? 

Typically, space and practicality are the pitfalls of a compact SUV, due to their small overall footprint. The Captur is a prime example of clever interior design and packaging, and while it might be limited by its proportions, Renault has created a cabin with a relatively impressive amount of space, particularly when compared to its main rivals. 

Up front, the Captur’s interior has received a significant upgrade over previous years, with a redesigned front cabin using new materials, culminating with an upgraded infotainment system that looks significantly more modern. The driver and front passenger are treated to a heap of forward visibility, adding to the confidence already gained from the added ride height on offer in the Captur. The driving position has enough adjustment on offer to get comfortable, and there’s more than enough width and headroom on offer in the front of the cabin to make the Captur a truly comfortable place to sit. In terms of practicality, up front there’s the usual set of door bins, cup holders and storage areas that you’d find in most compact SUVs, although the Captur receives two-tiers of storage in the central console that its rivals do not. 

In the rear of the Captur’s cabin, there’s a surprising amount of space for passengers in the second-row, which also features a sliding bench seat that allows you to expand the storage in the Captur’s boot. While tall adult passengers might notice the lack of headroom in the rear of the cabin, it’s hard to complain about the amount of legroom on offer, especially when you compare the Captur to some rivals that offer an extremely cramped second row of seats. The ISOFIX anchor points are also easy to access, with three top tether mounts on offer for child seats that makes installing a baby seat a simple task. 

Moving to the boot, you’ll find 422L of storage as standard, which is miles ahead of most of its rivals, and even beats the segment’s top offerings like the Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Cross. To make things even better, this space expands to a total of 536L with the second-row moved forward, offering the most space in the boot for the compact SUV segment. 

As a spacious and practical offering, then, the Captur is no doubt limited by its overall size, but it performs admirably with all things considered. The front of the cabin offers no nasty surprises, and there’s enough space in the rear of the cabin for even adult passengers. Combined with some of the leading boot space of any vehicle in its category, the Captur scores strong marks when it comes to practicality in the compact SUV segment. 

Is it Safe? 

Safety is no doubt one area that the Renault Captur fails to out-pace its competitors. While it comes with a number of active safety technologies as standard, compared to some of its major rivals, it lacks the full suite as standard. 

The Renault Captur has been awarded a five-star rating from ANCAP, who gave the Captur a score of 96% for adult and 83% for child occupant protection, 75% for road user protection and 74% for its safety assistance technologies. As standard, every Renault Captur variant is packaged with a rear view camera with front and rear-mounted parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assistance with lane departure warnings and traffic sign recognition. 

Rear-cross traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring are also available, however, they remain an optional extra for the entry-level variant while being packaged on the mid-range and flagship variants. 

Is it Fuel Efficient?

While it might be lacking some safety tech, the Renault Captur performs well when it comes to overall fuel efficiency, thanks to its powerful yet economical 1.3-litre turbo engine, which is rated at just 6.6L per 100km on a combined cycle. This figure is right on par for the segment, and can likely be improved upon in the right situations. Real-world driving around town, though, might see these figures jump into the 7 or even 8L/100km category, however we were able to match Renault’s economy figure without a problem, making the Captur a relatively economical option in the compact SUV segment. 

Our Verdict: Is the Renault Captur Worth it? 

In terms of the question we posed at the start of this review, the Renault Captur is far, far more than a funky design exercise on wheels- it’s a genuine performer in the compact SUV segment. Not only does it boast some of the biggest power figures for the segment, it also has one of the largest boots currently available on the market, making it an undeniably practical compact SUV. 

While prices are creeping higher than some of the more affordable compact SUVs on the market, Renault has done a great job in justifying any price discrepancies between rivals, and as a result, the Captur remains one of the most attractive vehicles in the compact SUV segment. On that note, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925 

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty 

2. 12-month/30,000km service intervals

3. Largest boot of the compact SUV market at 536L 

4. 6.6L per 100km fuel economy 

5. Five star ANCAP safety rating 

Pros 

• Funky styling inside and out

• Powerful yet reasonably economical engine 

• Extremely comfortable styling 

• Massive amounts of boot space for a compact SUV

Cons

• Price increases in recent years 

• Blindspots from the large, bulky pillars 

• Lacks some safety equipment compared to more affordable rivals 

OnlineAuto Rating: 8/10

Renault Captur Competition