Renault Captur 2021 review

Renault, like its French competitor Peugeot, didn't quite get the hang of its first attempt at a compact SUV. The first Captur was a Clio with low ground clearance and new bodywork, and was not well suited to Australian buyers. Partly because the original engine was on the verge of anemia, but secondly, it was really small. 

When you are French, you have more work in the Australian market. I don't make rules, which is a shame for a number of reasons, but my colleagues seem to think it's best.

Anyway, I didn't mind the old Captur, but I was well aware of its shortcomings. This new one - at least on paper - looks much more promising. 

More market-appropriate pricing, more space, a better interior and lots more tech, the second-generation Captur even rolls on a whole new platform, promising more space and better dynamics.

Renault Captur 2021: Intense
Safety Rating
engine's type	1.3 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	6.6l / 100km
Landing	4 Places
Price from	$27,600

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

The tri-level range starts at $28,190 pre-travel for the Captur Life and comes with 17-inch wheels, cloth interior, automatic headlights, air conditioning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the 7.0-inch landscaping. oriented touchscreen, full LED headlights (which is a nice touch), front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera and a space-saving spare tire.

All Capturs come with full LED headlights. (Intens variant in the photo)

Irritatingly, if you want the extra safety that’s standard on the Zen and Intens, you have to spend another $1000 on the ‘Peace of Mind’ package, which also adds electric folding mirrors and takes you to $29,190, $1600 short of the Zen which has all this and more. 

So think carefully about life with a package. I would bet a modest amount of money on the idea that few people will buy Life.

The Captur is available with a 7.0" or 10.25" digital instrument cluster. (Intens variant in the photo)

Step up to the Zen and for $30,790 you get the extra safety gear, walk-away auto-locking, a heated leather steering wheel, auto wipers, two-tone paint option, climate control, keyless entry and start (with the Renault key card) and wireless phone charging.

Then comes the big jump to the Intens, a full five to $35,790. You get 18-inch wheels, a larger 9.3-inch touchscreen in portrait mode, satellite navigation, a BOSE audio system, a 7.0-inch digital dashboard display, LED interior lighting, 360-degree cameras, and leather seats.

Intens wears 18-inch alloy wheels. (Intens variant in the photo)

The Easy Life package is available on Intens and adds auto parking, side parking sensors, auto high beams, a larger 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a $2000 frameless rearview mirror.

And you can get Orange Signature package for free. It adds orange elements to the interior and takes away the skin, which isn't necessarily terrible. Not because the leather is bad, I just prefer the fabric.

Renault's new touchscreens are nice and include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but I can only talk about the bigger 9.3-inch system that's similar to the Megane. 

Intens has a larger 9.3-inch touchscreen. (Intens variant in the photo)

You get digital radio on top of AM/FM radio and six speakers (Life, Zen) or nine speakers (Intens).

These prices are more competitive than older cars. It seems fair, because there's so much more to it, and prices are creeping inexorably north at other brands. 

The range lacks a plug-in hybrid version, which is unfortunate for several reasons. 

Firstly, the first-mover advantage may work in Renault's favor, and secondly, its French competitor Peugeot prices its new 2008 much higher than the Captur, so the PHEV could be almost cheaper - as you might imagine - than the top-of-the-line petrol version. only 2008 

Perhaps Renault is going to wait and see what happens when Alliance partner Mitsubishi drops the Eclipse Cross PHEV, which I think will do quite well.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

I had to double check that it was the new Captur, but it's actually just the profile that looks the most like the old car. The new Clio is a bit bolder and less overwrought. 

The Life and Zen look pretty much the same apart from the Zen’s (optional) two-tone paint jobs but the Intens looks pretty classy with its bigger wheels and additional materials changes.

The new Captur looks less like a jaded Clio. (Intens variant in the photo)

The new interior is a vast improvement over the old one. The plastics are way nicer and they have to be because hardly anyone has plastics as bad as that old car anymore. 

The new one has more comfortable seats, too, and I really like the revised dash. It feels much more modern, is better-designed and the little paddle for the audio controls has finally been updated and is way easier to use. It also clears the steering wheel of buttons, which I quite like.

The new Captur has more comfortable seats than previous versions. (Intens variant in the photo)

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

You get a massive boot to start with — bigger even than the fabled 408 litres of the Honda HR-V. Renault starts you with 422 litres and then adds underfloor storage. When you push the seats forward and include the hidey-hole under the false floor, you end up with 536 litres.

With the rear seats in place, boot space is rated at 422 litres. (Intens variant pictured)

Of course, that sliding will affect rear legroom. When the rear seats are all the way back, this is a lot more comfortable than the old car, with more head and knee room, although it’s no match for the Seltos or HR-V in that respect. Not far off, though.

The rear seats can slide forward and backward. (Intens variant in the photo)

Fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and you have 1275 litres, a not-quite-flat floor and 1.57m long floor space, 11cm more than before.

If you fold the rear seats, the luggage compartment will increase to 1275 liters. (Intens variant in the photo)

The French take on coasters continues. There are only two of them in this car, but they are at least useful, and not disappointingly small in the previous model. 

Rear-seat passengers don't get cup holders or an armrest, but there are bottle holders in all four doors and - joy for joy - air vents in the back. It's a bit odd that there's no armrest even on the top-of-the-range Intens.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10

All Capturs run the same 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine delivering a mildly impressive 113kW at 5500rpm and 270Nm at 1800rpm, which should make for some reasonable speed. 

Both numbers are slightly higher than the original Captur, with a 3.0kW increase in power and 20Nm of torque.

The 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine develops 113 kW/270 Nm. (Intens variant in the photo)

The front wheels are driven exclusively by Renault's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

With a maximum weight of 1381 kg, this enthusiastic engine accelerates the Captur from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, more than half a second faster than before and one touch faster than most of its rivals.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

Renault says the Captur’s 1.3-litre engine will drink premium unleaded (important point, that) at the rate of 6.6L/100km. 

This is a more reasonable base figure than the previous car's official combined cycle figure below 6.0, and after some web scraping it seems to be a more accurate WLTP testing figure. 

Since we didn't have the car for long, 7.5 l/100 km is probably not representative of real fuel consumption, but it's a good guideline nonetheless.

From a 48-litre tank, you have to travel 600 to 700 km between fill-ups. As you might expect, being a European car, it needs premium unleaded petrol.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10

You get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, front AEB (up to 170 km/h) with pedestrian and cyclist detection (10–80 km/h), reversing camera, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, warning lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance.

If you want blind spot monitoring and reverse cross-traffic alert on the entry-level, you have to step up to the Zen or pay $1000 for the Peace of Mind package. 

Given the limited rear view and the usual rear camera resolution, the lack of a RCTA is annoying. I know that Kia and other competitors offer extra security, but this is an important feature.

Euro NCAP awarded the Captur a maximum five stars and ANCAP is offering the same rating.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

5 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

Renault sends you home with a five-year/unlimited mileage warranty and a year of roadside assistance. Every time you return to a Renault dealer for service, you get an additional year, up to a maximum of five.

Limited Price Service is valid for five years/150,000-30,000 km. That means you can drive up to 12km a year and only service it once, which Renault thinks you can do. So yes – service intervals are indeed set at 30,000 months / XNUMX km.

The Captur is covered by Renualt’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty. (Intens variant pictured)

The first three and then fifth services each cost $399, while the fourth is almost double at $789, which is a solid jump. 

So over five years, you will pay a total of $2385, averaging $596 per year. If you do a ton of miles, this will really work for you, because most turbo-powered cars in this segment have much shorter service intervals, around 10,000 km or 15,000 km if you're lucky.

What is it like to drive? 7/10

Just a reminder of my love for French cars and how they go about their business. Renault has been in good shape in terms of ride and handling for some time now, even on tiny cars with torsion beam rear suspension. 

Where the previous Captur failed was a common French mistake - weak engines that work well in the European market but don't work so well in Australia.

Despite the fact that I really liked the old Captur, I understood why no one bought it (conditionally). This new one feels good from the second you park your ass in the driver's seat, with good, comfortable support, great forward visibility (less rearward, but it was the same in the old one), and the steering wheel is even slightly flattened. edge at the top if you need to set the wheel high.

The 1.3-litre turbo is a bit grouchy and wheezy on startup and never loses a bit of the odd, shrill harmonica coming through the firewall, but it performs well for its size and works (mostly) well with the seven-speed two-speed gearbox. -grab.

The old six-speed Renault was pretty good, and the seven-speed works just fine, except for a slight hesitation when pulling away and sometimes reluctantly shifting to kickdown. 

Despite being fun to drive, the Captur’s ride is almost excellent. (Intens variant pictured)

I blame the fuel economy, not the clumsy calibration, because when you hit the weird flower-shaped button and switch to sport mode, the Captur works well. 

With a more aggressive transmission and slightly more lively throttle, the Captur feels a lot better in this mode, and so do I. means it's great fun on the road. 

It looks like the GT-Line version, not the standard tune out of the box. I don't know if a softer version is available, but if it is, I'm glad Renault Australia chose it.

And despite being fun to drive, the ride is almost uniformly excellent. Like any car with torsion beams, it’s unsettled by big potholes or those horrible rubber speed bumps, but so is an air-suspended German car. 

It's also pretty quiet, except when you put your foot on the floor, and even then it's more of an inconvenience than a real problem.

Verdict

The arrival of the second generation Captur coincides with the handover of the brand to a new distributor and a fiercely competitive market still hurt by a shocking 2020. 

It certainly looks the part and costs accordingly. Without a doubt, the mid-spec Zen is something to look into if you don't want the extra electro tricks available on the Intens, which are much more expensive.

My love of French cars aside, this one looks and feels more competitive in the compact SUV market. If you drive a lot of roads every year - or you need the opportunity - you really should take another look at the service structure, because in Captur 30,000 15,000 km per year means one service, not three in a turbo. - motor rivals. It might be a bit niche, but even over the life of a car, when you average XNUMX miles a year, it will make a difference.