The second generation version of Renault's Captur small SUV gets a fresh lease of life in this updated form. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Renault's little Captur crossover model has matured nicely with this smart update of the second generation design. It's now a little more visually arresting but as before, is a Clio-based design offering super-economical engines, some genuinely clever interior touches and no small dose of style. It'll appeal to supermini buyers wanting extra versatility as well as family hatchback customers in search of something more interesting and affordable. And it's the kind of car that'll certainly drive sales in this segment.

Background

New cars don't come much more important to Renault than this one, the Captur. To be completely accurate, this isn't actually a 'new' car but a heavily facelifted version of the second generation Captur design we first saw back in 2020. It's one of the European sales leaders in the popular SUV B-segment for supermini-based small crossovers. So as before, it's essentially a more versatile version of the French brand's little Clio hatch and sits on the same CMF-B platform, also shared by a close B-segment SUV rival, the Nissan Juke. Whereas the Juke has been quite subtly updated for its mid-term wash-and-brush-up, this Captur gets a package of significantly more far-reaching changes, both inside and out. And the result is the most visually arresting Captur we've seen since a concept version of the successful first generation design was shown back in 2011, two years before the start of production. The idea is to widen this Captur's appeal - maybe even enough to take in the Juke crowd. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

Mid-term updates don't usually come with significant engineering or handling changes but in this case, Renault has tried to improve the rather forgettable handling characteristics of the original version of this second generation design. So the steering's been recalibrated for improved response and control. And the steering geometry and shock absorbers have been modified for what the brand believes is a 'more dynamic ride'; see what you think. There are no engine changes in the petrol-only line-up (diesel was banished long before this facelift). So this Captur range still kicks off with a 1.0-litre turbocharged three cylinder TCe 90hp unit only available mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It develops 160Nm of torque and makes 62mph in 14.3s en route to 104mph. Ideally though, you'd stretch to the alternative auto-only full-Hybrid drivetrain - of the self charging sort; there's no longer a PHEV Captur. That remaining self-charging non-plug-in 'E-tech Hybrid 145' powertrain is what we tried and, as before, mates a 1.6-litre four cylinder engine with a couple of electric motors, one to drive the front wheels, the other to act as a starter generator to fire up the engine. The e-motors are energised by a tiny 1.2kWh battery, which can power the car alone for short distances in urban traffic. And via a new 'E-SAVE' function, you can save battery charge for later in your journey if you want to. The whole confection still isn't particularly smooth or refined, the steering's quite light and the auto gearbox isn't particularly eager to kick down. But total system output is a competitive 145hp and 62mph occupies 10.6s en route to 106mph. There are four 'Multi Sense' driving modes provided - 'Eco', 'Sport', 'Comfort' and the configurable 'Perso' setting.

Design and Build

This might be merely a facelift but this second generation Captur looks very different in this updated form. Borrowing cues from the Scenic E-Tech Electric, there's now a much less rounded front end with a more complex front grille bearing the brand's redesigned logo. Plus the smarter front bumper features vertical lighting strakes on either side. Two-tone paint schemes and are now offered and the rear gets transparent tail light housings, plus a simpler rear bumper and diffuser. Inside, your Captur will come with a higher tech 10.4-inch 'Open R Link' central screen with a raft of fresh connectivity functions and wireless smartphone-mirroring. Google Maps and Google Voice Assistant are built into. Another tech upgrade (providing you avoid base trim) is the 10.25-inch digital driver's display, plus there are a couple of USB-C ports both front and rear - and better models get a wireless charging mat. Leather and chrome have been banished from this updated Captur to reflect Renault's sustainability ambitions and recycled fabrics feature heavily. As before, the Captur features a sliding rear bench (still not that common in the segment) and there's a little more legroom than you usually get in a supermini-based crossover. Boot space depends on the engine you've chosen and the position of the rear bench. With the conventional TCe 90 engine, there's 484-litres when the bench is slid back or 616-litres when it's pushed forward. With this E-Tech full hybrid, the figures fall to 348-litres and 480-litres. It's a pretty practical space with a useful adjustable-height boot floor, a dim light on the left and two bag hooks. Fold the rear backrest down and the TCe 90 offers 1,596-litres of space; with this hybrid, it's 1,458-litres.

Market and Model

Prices haven't changed too much, so it's fair to think in terms of Captur asking figures starting from around £21,000 - or around £25,000 upwards for the full hybrid version. There are three trim levels - 'evolution', 'techno' and 'esprit Alpine'. The latter top trim level has 19-inch wheels, sporty features and elegant nods to the Alpine brand. Avoid base trim and your Captur will come with Renault's latest 10.4-inch 'Open R Link' central screen with wireless smartphone-mirroring, Google Maps and Google Voice Assistant built in. Plusher versions get a 10.25-inch digital driver's display and a wireless charging mat. With its new electronic architecture, this updated Captur is now on a par with the best for active and passive safety. New-generation driving aids, such as Active Driver Assist, with Level 2 autonomous driving, and Predictive Hybrid Driving (with the hybrid powertrain) optimise efficiency by maximising the use of electrical energy while driving. The European General Safety Regulation (GSR2) requires some ADAS features to be activated by default every time the car is started. For this purpose, a new function to the left of the steering wheel - My Safety Switch - lets drivers enable or disable their preferred settings for five ADAS at the same time, at the touch of a button.

Cost of Ownership

The TCe 90 base manual model returns up to 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and up to 134g/km of CO2 and is BiK tax-rated at 31%. An LPG variant based on this engine will be offered in other markets but not here. The E-Tech full hybrid 145 powerplant achieves up to 60.1mpg on the combined cycle and up to 105g/km on the WLTP cycle. It's BiK tax-rated at 26%. This hybrid variant's useful new E-SAVE function maintains battery charge at 40% minimum. This ensures optimum performance when driving uphill, for example. There's an unremarkable three year / 60,000 warranty package; Renault used to provide longer warranties than this. You also get UK emergency breakdown recovery and three years' worth of European cover as part of this warranty deal. Plus we'll tell you that scheduled servicing is every 12 months or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. As usual, pre-paid servicing plans are available. Industry experts reckon this second generation Captur will be worth around 49% of its original value after 3 Years/36,000 miles, which is reasonably class-competitive.

Summary

Historically, in our market, the Captur has never sold quite as well as it does in Continental Europe, but such is the step forward represented by this updated MK2 model that we think there's scope for that to change. It's passionate, practical and pretty stylish; as a result, many target customers will find it quite an endearing thing. Of course, there's always a danger with this class of car that in its mix of SUV, MPV and family hatch, you end up with a confection lacking the core strengths inherent in any of these three genres. Broadly speaking, this is a trap Renault has avoided here - provided your expectations in each of these areas aren't too great. Like its rivals, this car doesn't have 4WD, you can only just carry five people and you won't want to drive it on its door handles. None of which will bother most buyers at the smaller end of the Crossover segment one jot. Yes there are some things we'd like to see Renault work on - some minor cabin quality issues, the driveability of the EDC auto gearbox and perhaps a fractionally more comfort-orientated damping set-up. But we can't see much of this deterring likely buyers. They'll love the buying personalisation - and trendy touches like the clever infotainment system, the sliding rear bench and the double-height boot floor. True, this Captur faces strong competition from a growing band of very talented rivals. But it's a model you must consider before buying any one of them. A cleverer Crossover. If you really want a car of this kind, then you'll really want to try it.

Body Glass

Rear wiper

Front and rear electric windows

Drivers one touch window with anti-pinch feature

Heated rear windscreen

Automatic front wipers with rain sensors

Dark tinted glass in rear windows and tailgate

Brakes

Electronic stability control

Anti-lock Brake System + Emergency Brake Assist

Hill start assist

Electric parking brake with auto hold function

Front dash warning indicator in case of heavy braking

Active emergency braking system - Urban, pedestrian/cyclist with junction function

Active emergency braking system - Urban, pedestrian/cyclist with junction function

Communication

Wifi smartphone integration compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

2 front USB-C ports

Driver Aids

Cruise control + speed limiter

Rear parking sensor

Rear view camera

Lane departure warning system

Engine start button

Engine start button

Eco mode

Driver attention alert system

Driver drowsiness alert system

Power assisted steering

Power assisted steering

Emergency lane keep assist including solid line, oncoming traffic and road edge detection

Safe stopping distance warning

Safe stopping distance warning

QR code fireman access for technical information

QR code fireman access for technical information

Intelligent speed assistance include traffic sign recognition with speed alert

Intelligent speed assistance include traffic sign recognition with speed alert

Driver Convenience

Wireless phone charger

Driver Information

Trip computer

Service interval indicator

Service interval indicator

Outside temperature display

Outside temperature display

Gear change indicator

7" digital driver display

10.4" OpenR link touchscreen with Arkamys audio system

e-Call automatic emergency assist

e-Call automatic emergency assist

Driving Mirrors

Heated door mirrors

Manual folding door mirrors

Body coloured door mirrors

LED turn indicators on door mirrors

Auto dimming rear view mirror with light and rain sensor - black

Auto dimming rear view mirror with light and rain sensor - black

Embellishment Trims

Black soft touch dashboard

Engine

Speed limiter 111mph

Speed limiter 111mph

Entertainment

DAB radio with Bluetooth

6 speakers inc 2 boomer + 2 tweeter + 2 bicone

6 speakers inc 2 boomer + 2 tweeter + 2 bicone

Exterior Body Features

Body colour door handles

Body coloured bumpers

Shark fin antenna

Rear side wing doors

Body colour F1 blade

Body colour F1 blade

Body colour matching roof

Radiator grille with 3D graphic black upper part with body tone graphics

Radiator grille with 3D graphic black upper part with body tone graphics

Exterior Lights

Automatic headlights

LED high level brake lights

LED daytime running lights

LED daytime running lights

Automatic high/low beam

LED rear fog lights

LED rear fog lights

Full LED front and rear lights

2 reversing lights

2 reversing lights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Heating system with pollen filter

Automatic air conditioning with one touch demist function and air quality regulator

Automatic air conditioning with one touch demist function and air quality regulator

Interior Features

Height/reach adjust steering wheel

Glovebox

Fabric upholstery

Fabric upholstery

12v power outlet - front

12v power outlet - front

Synthetic leather steering wheel

Multifunctional steering wheel

Multifunctional steering wheel

Central console with storage, sliding armrest and 2 rear air vents

Central console with storage, sliding armrest and 2 rear air vents

Interior Lights

2 front reading lights and central rear roof light

Safety

3 rear seatbelts

Side airbags

Side airbags

Passenger airbag deactivation system

Tyre pressure warning light

Collision avoidance braking

Collision avoidance braking

Distance warning alert

Front driver and passenger side airbag deactivation

Driver height adjustable seat belt

Rear door and window child locking function for rear door

Driver and front passenger airbags

Driver and front passenger airbags

Driver and front passenger and 3 rear passengers seatbelt reminder

Outer rear safety seat belts

Outer rear safety seat belts

My safety shield - ability to personalise ADAS features at press of a button

My safety shield - ability to personalise ADAS features at press of a button

Seats

Rear head restraints

Height adjustable driver's seat

Front head restraints

ISOFIX child seat fixing points on rear outermost seats

Single front passenger seat

3 bench rear seats in 2nd row

Rear seats - 1/3:2/3 foldable sliding bench

Security

Alarm

Alarm

Immobiliser

Immobiliser

Locking wheel nuts

Locking wheel nuts

Remote central locking

Remote central locking

Superlocking

Superlocking

RAID (Renault Anti-Intruder Device) automatic door locking

Hands free keycard with Keyless access and start

Hands free keycard with Keyless access and start

Locking fuel cap

Locking fuel cap

Wheels - Alloy

17" Ediris diamond cut alloy wheels

Emissions - ICE

Particles: N

HC+NOx: N

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 133

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 133

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 133

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 133

Engine and Drive Train

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Gears: 6 SPEED

Transmission: MANUAL

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Catalytic Convertor: No

Cylinders: 3

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Number of Valves: 12

Camshaft: DOHC

CC: 999

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 81.3

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 72.2

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 47.9

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 5.9

General

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 76

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 11E

Service Interval Mileage: 18000

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 80

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 76

NCAP Safety Assist %: 69

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 4

Badge Power: 90

Badge Engine CC: 1.0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 2

Coin Description: TCE 90

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60000

Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12

Coin Series: evolution

Performance

Engine Power - KW: 67

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - BHP: 91

Engine Power - RPM: 4500

Engine Power - RPM: 4500

Engine Torque - RPM: 2750

Engine Torque - NM: 160

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 118

Engine Torque - MKG: 16.3

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Rear: 215/60 R17

Tyre Size Front: 215/60 R17

Wheel Style: EDIRIS

Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY

Space Saver?: 0

Alloys?: No

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4239

Width: 1797

Wheelbase: 2639

Width (including mirrors): 2004

Height: 1575

Height (including roof rails): 1584

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 48

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 48

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 422

No. of Seats: 5

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.1

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1363

Minimum Kerbweight: 1223

Exterior Body Features

Additional special metallic paint

Additional metallic paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Flame red

Metallic - Flame red

Metallic - Oyster grey

Metallic - Diamond black

Metallic - Arctic white

Metallic - Arctic white

Metallic - Ceramic grey

Paint - Special

Special metallic - Iron blue

Trim - Cloth

Fabric - Assault grey with darke blue stitching

Fabric - Assault grey with darke blue stitching

Wheels - Spare

Space saver wheel kit