Renault Captur (2013-2017) Review and Prices

Launched in 2013, the Captur was updated in 2017 with new front and rear bumpers, standard-fit C-shaped LED daytime running lights, optional LED headlights, updated infotainment systems, a posher-feeling interior with more soft-touch plastics and the option to have a fixed sunroof.

The Captur’s cute looks didn’t need updating, but it now has front and rear skid plates to give more of an off-road look – though you can’t get it with four-wheel drive, so don’t expect it to be great off-road. You can get the Captur in two-tone paint schemes, so it’ll stand out next to similar small SUVs such as the Vauxhall Mokka X, yet isn’t as divisive as the weird-looking Nissan Juke.

The Captur looks like the results of a mating programme between a Renault Clio and a jacked-up SUV

You won’t find the interior quite so funky, but the dashboard and door armrests are covered in squidgy plastics that give the cabin a decent feel. You can brighten things up with a choice of seven interior colours ranging from Ivory to Blue and Smoked Chrome, each adds colourful plastics to the centre console, air vents and steering wheel.

The Captur excels in terms of interior space. For a small car there’s plenty of room in the front and the back, and your rear-seat passengers won’t feel cramped, although the middle seat is narrow – a Suzuki Vitara is a better small SUV for seating three in the back.
There is a reasonable number of storage spaces in the cabin, including a useful lidded bin on the dashboard. The door pockets in the front and back are small however, and will only fit small drinks bottles.

The 377-litre boot is easy to load thanks to no lip between the boot floor and the opening. You can drop the boot floor down to give you an impressive 455 litres of space, but this introduces a huge load lip to heave things over. Flip the seats down and there’s a 1,235-litre space. It’s a shame there aren’t any hooks or tethering points though.

As standard the Captur gets a phone cradle and a smartphone app that effectively turns your mobile into the car’s infotainment system. It’s alright, but you’re better off upgrading to the Media Nav or faster R-Link system – the latter of which gives you live traffic updates and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, but no Apple CarPlay.

If you do lots of town driving then go for the 110hp 1.2-litre – petrol it is smooth and relatively quiet, and gets a claimed 51mpg. The 110hp 1.5-litre diesel is the best bet if you do lots of motorway miles thanks to its impressive claimed fuel economy of 76mpg, but it’s noisier than the petrol engines, and doesn’t feel quite as quick.

Another reason the Captur makes good sense around town is because of the way it smooths out bumps – and the decent view all-round means it’s a stress-free city car. The comfortable suspension means it leans over when you’re cornering quickly, but in normal day-to-day driving it’s a quiet and comfy companion, and agile enough to dart through city traffic.

The Captur is a decent small SUV. It’s ideal if you want the security of a tall car but without the tricky-to-park size of a bigger SUV, such as a Nissan Qashqai. So long as you can cope with the fact it doesn’t feel sporty to drive, has some cheap plastics inside and the fact that top-spec models are quite expensive, it’s a good small family car.

For more detailed and in-depth analysis of the Renault Captur read our following interior, driving and specifications review sections.