Rarely does a model appear on the market with a heritage as heavy as the one that carries the second generation Renault Captur.
Thanks to the impressive success of its predecessor, the new Captur hits the market with a single goal: maintain leadership in one of the segments that has grown the most in recent years, the B-SUV. However, competition has not stopped growing and is stronger than ever.
The 2008 Peugeot and the “cousin” Nissan Juke also saw the arrival of a new and much more competitive generation, the Ford Puma is the most recent and quite valid addition to the segment and the Volkswagen T-Cross has been showing an excellent commercial performance in Europe , being already one of the best sellers. Will the new Captur have arguments to “honor” its predecessor's legacy?
To find out what “fibre” the new Captur is made of, we have at our disposal the Exclusive version (intermediate level) equipped with a 115 hp 1.5 dCi engine (Diesel) and a six-speed manual gearbox.
Early signs are promising. The new Renault Captur takes the visual premises of its predecessor, evolving them and “maturing them”. It seems more “adult”, also a consequence of the generous increase in dimensions of the new generation.
It is less “showy” than the Peugeot 2008, and the novelty effect is much smaller, but the Renault SUV does not fail to capture attention — it continues to have attractive fluid and dynamic lines, without falling into the aggressiveness that marks some of its rivals —, disguising the segment it belongs to quite well.
Inside the Renault Captur
Inside, the perception of revolution is greater. The interior architecture of the Renault Captur is the same as that found on the Clio. Like this one, we have a vertical 9.3” screen in the middle (infotainment) that captures all the attention, and the instrument panel is also digital.
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It's a positive evolution in relation to the Captur we knew and, just like abroad, it ends up resulting in a balanced mix of sobriety and modernity, despite the growing digitization, capable of pleasing Greeks and Trojans. It becomes an eclectic proposal (something crucial in a… leader).
The infotainment system turned out to be easy to use and the presence of physical controls for the climate control makes the Captur gain points in usability.
With soft materials on the upper part of the dashboard and harder in areas where the hands and eyes are less “navigating”, the Renault SUV has an interior that even shades… Kadjar.
As for the assembly, despite deserving a positive note, the presence of some parasitic noises show that there is still room for progression, and in this chapter, the Captur is not yet at the level, for example, of the T-Cross.
The automatic parking system turned out to be somewhat indecisive and slow.
As for space, the CMF-B platform made it possible to reach levels of habitability worthy of a C-segment , with the feeling that we have inside the Captur to be of space, being possible to transport four adults in comfort.
The 16 cm sliding rear seat makes a great contribution to this, allowing you to choose between having a larger luggage compartment — which can hold up to 536 liters — or more legroom.
Thanks to the sliding seats, the luggage compartment can offer up to 536 liters of capacity.
At the wheel of the new Renault Captur
Once at the controls of the Renault Captur we found a high driving position (although not to everyone's liking as Fernando Gomes tells us), but to which we quickly adapted.
As for the visibility to the outside, I can only praise it. Even though I had a stiff neck at the time I tried the Captur, I've never had difficulty seeing out or been forced to move excessively during maneuvers.
On the move, the Renault Captur proved to be comfortable and a good companion for long runs on the highway, something that our well-known 115 hp 1.5 Blue dCi is not unfamiliar with.
Responsive, progressive and also spare — consumption was between 5 and 5.5 l/100 km — and refined q.b., the Diesel engine that equips the Captur has a good partner in the six-speed manual gearbox.
Well scaled and with a precise feel, this one even reminded me of the Mazda CX-3's box, renowned for being one of the best in its action. In addition to all this, the clutch revealed a very good set-up, characterized by being very precise.
As for behavior, despite not having the sharpness of the Ford Puma, the Captur does not disappoint, with a precise and direct steering, and a good comfort/behavior ratio.
Therefore, the French model opted for predictability, presenting a behavior that is more safe than fun, and capable of pleasing different types of drivers, something essential in a model that intends to lead the segment.
Is the car right for me?
In a struggle for leadership in a segment that has around two dozen competitors, the new Renault Captur seems to have done its “homework”.
It's bigger on the outside, and that translates into more space on the inside, and its versatility remains in a very good plan. Renault's B-SUV proves to be a sufficiently homogeneous proposal to please a wide range of consumers.
In this Diesel variant, it combines its innate comfort with a frugality that gasoline engines still cannot match. All to reveal itself as an option to consider not only among B-SUVs but also for those looking for a C-segment family member, adding good road skills to their attributes.
Therefore, if you are looking for a comfortable, road-going, spacious and well-equipped B-SUV, the Renault Captur is today, as in the past, one of the main options to consider.