First Look: 2015 Renault Captur

Things are heating up in the crossover B-segment sphere. Renault recently joined the fray with the new Captur. It certainly looks the part – with a taller stance, rugged cladding and a chunky persona overall. As is typical with products in this end of the market, it promises the best virtues from SUV and MPV body formats. While it is based on the Clio, this should not be thought of as a “Clio Stepway” said Renault’s marketing representatives. The car offers more room than its compact counterpart, as well as a larger boot with a handy two-compartment system. Although the interior is quite similar in design to the Clio’s.

What does it perform like? They’re going all out to make a statement to their peers – offering segment firsts like a six-speed, twin-clutch automatic transmission, which works pretty well as we learned on the launch this week. On offer is the 900cc, three-cylinder mill we first saw in the Clio, which serves 66kW – and an extra 4kW with the overboost function.

This is followed by a 1.2-litre mill with 88kW and 190Nm, mated to the twin-clutch EDC gearbox. Of course, economy is a big selling point. Naturally, Renault went to great lengths to remind us of the F1 inspired technology boasted by these engines – which purport a big boost in efficiency. There is an Eco mode too, which optimises acceleration, power management and even the air-conditioner performance, to saving fuel.

Standard kit is plentiful and even the base model gets Renault’s colour screen interface with navigation, alloy wheels, climate control and rear park distance control. Interestingly, entry-level Captur pricing undercuts that of another French alternative launched a week ago – the Citroën C4 Cactus. Things kick off at R219 900 for the Expression, while the Dynamique costs R239 900. The Dynamique derivative with the 1.2-litre mill and the EDC gearbox costs R279 900. Look out for our assessment of the Renault Captur in the print edition of IgnitionLIVE on Thursday, 14 May, free in The Times and Sowetan newspapers.

-IgnitionLIVE Reporter

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