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At the beginning of this year, the Renault Captur subcompact crossover received an update for the European market.
Although the Ukrainian division of Renault still sells the pre-racing version, we suggest you read about the test drive of the model in the material from the German edition of Motor1.
A little about Renault Captur
Renault has always wanted to go its own way, especially when it came to exploiting gaps in the market with new body ideas. Be it Vel Satis, Avantime or Espace, boldness was on the agenda, and in some cases the French were even able to open up new segments, as in the case of the Espace.
In 2013, it was decided to create a mini-crossover based on Clio. While another well-known competitor, the Suzuki Vitara, has been in this segment for years now, the Captur has really given the market a big boost in this niche.
Today, almost every manufacturer has such a crossover in its range. Since its launch, the Captur has sold more than 1,2 million units, at times significantly outselling its platform donor, the Clio. The second generation entered the market in 2020 and was refined in mid-2024. Interestingly, the Mitsubishi ASX, which, apart from the brand logos, is almost identical to the Captur, is even more successful in Germany than the original.
| Test model | Renault Captur Mild Hybrid 160 EDC |
| Мотор | 1,3-liter four-cylinder turbo engine, 48 V - mild hybrid, 116 kW / 158 hp. |
| Transmission | 7-speed, double clutch |
| 0 – 100 km/god | 8,4s |
| Maximum speed | 180 km / year |
| Price | from 32 euros |
Exterior
Facelift brought Captur many benefits. New chief designer Gilles Vidal has also given the Captur a fresh brand look. In particular, the front end, which previously seemed quite rounded and stable, now has a lot more visual impact than before, thanks to a narrow black grille, new LED headlights and much sharper air intakes. Above all, the even more dominant daytime running lights with lightning-shaped graphics give the Captur a new touch.
There wasn't much that could be done on the sides, though, because the high beltline that rises to the rear along with the sloping roof still looks very massive, even though it allows for a two-tone paint job.
The rear end was also only slightly modified. The curved all-LED taillights are now black, and there's no chrome anywhere on the car at all.
Large 19-inch wheels fit the Captur very well, but are offered for the top-spec Esprit Alpine.
| Dimensions | Renault Captur Mild Hybrid 160 EDC |
| Length x width x height | X x 4239 1797 1575 мм |
| Wheel base | 2639 mm |
| Equipped mass | 1298 kg with the driver |
| Trunk volume | 422-1,596 |
| Total weight | 1830 kg |
| Towing capacity | 1200 kg |
Interior
The interior of the Captur welcomes you with a sporty look thanks to many details, such as the elegant anodized panel on the passenger side or the refined decorative strip. There are also plenty of foam surfaces and elegant materials, even on the instrument panel.
By the way, you won't find leather in any new Renault. Instead of leather, Renault uses TEP material with a high quality to the touch.
The sports seats in the first row remain very comfortable even after many hours and can be adjusted in various ways. The same goes for the multifunction steering wheel.
A central console with a gear lever and a storage compartment "hangs" between the seats. Another French invention. On the floor below is a compartment where you can charge your smartphone wirelessly. There is also plenty of space in the "glove drawer", which now opens in the usual way.
Given the external length of only 4,24 meters, it is not surprising that the back seat quickly becomes cramped for the knees. Still, space is perfectly acceptable for this class when the sliding rear seat is locked in its rearmost position. Then there is still 484 liters of luggage space.
When fully moving forward, you can slightly increase the volume of the trunk, which with its 422 liters and adjustable height of the luggage floor meets all the requirements of this class. A maximum of 1596 liters is available when the back of the rear seat is folded down.
After restyling, Captur also got the opportunity to use a modern infotainment system based on Android. This is a big improvement over its predecessor, as the navigation system now navigates using Google Maps.
In addition, a large vertical screen is now standard, and a 10-inch instrument display is included in the base. Many different graphics can be configured here; the color can be freely chosen depending on the theme of the interior or the driving mode.
There are also about 50 popular apps from the Google Play Store. With this setup, the Captur clearly outperforms most of its direct competitors digitally. It is easy to control, also because some important functions have been transferred to physical buttons.
By the way, Renault still sticks to the specific sound system control lever on the right behind the steering wheel. If you don't know this, you can start by helplessly pressing various assigned buttons on the steering wheel...
Engines
The range of engines for Captur is quite wide. In addition to the entry-level option - a three-cylinder gasoline engine with a capacity of 90 hp. - there is also one of the few factory natural gas engines with a capacity of 100 hp, two mild hybrids with a capacity of 140 or 158 hp. and, last but not least, a 145 hp full hybrid. The test Captur was equipped with the most powerful E-Tech Mild Hybrid 160 engine, which delivers 158 hp. on a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Along with supercharging, the 1,3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides quite respectable performance. During the sprint, 0 to 100 km/h takes just 8,5 seconds. Unfortunately, after restyling, Renault limited the maximum speed to 180 km/h. Previously, Captur with the same engine was allowed to move at a speed of 204 km/h.
However, there is no real pleasure from driving. First of all, this is due to a weak double clutch, which often does not know what it wants, and even reacts to a kick-down quite cautiously. In addition, despite moderate hybridization, the drive surprises with pronounced turbo lag, and then starts even more rapidly. Then the big front wheels pull sharply.
| Running characteristics | Renault Capture Mild Hybrid 160 EDC |
| 0 – 100 km/god | 8,5 with |
| Maximum speed | 180 km / year |
| consumption | 6 liters/100 km (WLTP) |
Fuel consumption is highly dependent on driving style. With a gentle push on the accelerator, consumption is definitely possible in 5 liters with a small. If you hurry and bother the turbine, you can get about 10. In general, the test drive set the result at an average of 7 l/100 km. Not bad, but not sensational.
Spirit Alpine
The top version for the European market is the Esprit Alpine configuration, which is unlikely to appear in Ukraine.
By the way, Renault recently presented the Alpine A390_β crossover concept, and even earlier the electric version of the Alpine A290. All this speaks of the parallel development of the Alpine brand, under which the Formula 1 team also competes.
The Captur "Esprit Alpine" package offers an excellent combination of behavior on hard turns and a comfortable ride, even without an adaptive shock absorber.
The 19-inch sports tires, in particular, give the rather tall body good grip. Combined with the direct but somewhat blunt steering, the Captur can be smoothly tossed from turn to turn.
On the other hand, the Captur works quite confidently for this class on any bumps. Here, Renault (finally) remembered its French traditions and responsibility for comfort. Chassis noises are not audible at all; wind and engine noises are much louder.
The driver gets up to 28 assistance systems and they all work very discreetly, with the exception of the annoying but mandatory speed warning system.
Prices and competitors
In the case of the Captur, the price for the configuration in Germany starts at 23 euros. But in the base you can get only a small 250 hp. At the other end of the price scale is the Esprit Alpine, which costs at least €90 for the 32 EDC engine. You will have to pay another 050 euros more for the innovative Full Hybrid 160.
Currently, a restyled version is offered in Ukraine, which costs UAH 1 (approximately EUR 045). The top Intense configuration will cost UAH 800 (EUR 23). In the case of the restyled version, the prices will definitely increase.
The competition in this niche is huge now. More than 30 competitors flood the market, including leading players such as the VW T-Cross, Ford Puma and Opel Mokka. For the basic version of the T-Cross in Europe, you need to pay at least 24 euros, for the top version with 355 hp. — 150 euros. The price of the Opel Mokka starts at 36 euros and ends with a hybrid with a capacity of 530 hp. after 26 euros. The Ford Puma costs at least €740 with comparable equipment and engine.
The traditional direct competitor Peugeot 2008 starts from 27 euros. The top model costs around 050 euros. Kia Stonic (from 36 euros) or Hyundai Bayron (from 350 euros) will cost less. For the stylish Nissan Juke, you need to pay from 22 euros, and the top version will require 490 euros from the bill.
Visnovok
Renault sharpened the profile of the Captur in the right places thanks to the restyling. A high-quality interior, excellent appearance and a very good chassis make the compact crossover a worthy competitor. Thanks to the new Google-based infotainment system, it is completely digitally updated.
Only the transmission prevents the small crossover from achieving an even better result due to its not always successful coordination. In terms of price, the Captur is a very interesting alternative because, like the 'Esprit Alpine', it almost meets premium standards, but still remains affordable.
