Renault Captur Review & Prices

The market is awash with small SUVs these days, meaning it takes a lot to stand out. If you’re looking for such a car with a bit of Parisian flair, the Renault Captur could be right down your alley.

It’s a slightly more stylish alternative to cars like the Toyota Yaris Cross and Skoda Kamiq. It’s like comparing Nutella on toast to a freshly-baked pain au chocolat - both make for a great breakfast, but the latter looks more attractive and tastes better.

The Captur was given a mid-life update in 2024 which brought a new face inspired by the Scenic E-Tech. It has arrow-shaped LED daytime running lights and redesigned bumpers, as well as a range of new alloy wheel designs.

Step inside and you’re greeted with some interior upgrades as well. The rotary climate controls were ditched in favour of a neat row of toggle switches, and there’s no leather or chrome used inside to make it more eco-friendly.

The biggest change though is the new Google-based infotainment system. All but the entry-level car get this and it’s really easy to use. You get Google Maps built in, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to make it easy to pair your phone. It’s controlled through a 10.4-inch touchscreen, something you also get on the basic car without the Google software.

Everything you regularly touch feels plush and well-screwed together, and there are plenty of squidgy materials throughout the cabin. A Peugeot 2008 does feel slightly more posh, but there’s not much in it.

One area where the Captur impresses is boot space, because it offers more load capacity than a lot of alternatives. There’s also plenty of space up front to get comfortable behind the wheel, and there’s decent legroom in the back. Rear headroom is a bit tight though, a Skoda Kamiq is better for carrying adults.

Another party trick the Captur boasts is the sliding rear seats. You can pull them all the way forward to expand the space from 484 litres to a whopping 616 litres, making it among the largest of any small SUV. You do lose 136 litres of space if you go for the hybrid model, making it slightly smaller than a Toyota Yaris Cross’s boot, but it’s still bigger than a Nissan Juke’s.

As part of the Captur’s 2024 update Renault slimmed down the engine lineup, so there are now just two to choose from. You can either have a 90hp 1.0-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox, or there’s the 1.6-litre petrol hybrid with 145hp. If you can stretch to it, spending the extra for the hybrid is well worth it.

It can run on electric power alone around town to save fuel – at low speeds the engine only cuts in when absolutely necessary and it’s hardly noticeable when it does. What’s not so good in town is the firm suspension, which jiggles and bobs you around over every bump in the road.

The Captur won’t thrill you on a country road, but that’s not why you buy a small SUV. That said, the Ford Puma can put a smile on your face through the bends. More importantly, the Renault has precise steering and minimal body roll, both of which inspire confidence.

Overall, the Renault Captur draws you in with its stylish exterior and it offers a practical interior and great tech. It doesn’t drive quite as nicely as some of the best small SUVs thanks to the firm suspension, but it’ll still serve you well as a great all-rounder.

If this sounds like your next small SUV, then head over to our Renault Captur deals pages to see how much you can save. If you're interested in buying a used Renault Captur then head over to our used deals page, and you can also look at other used Renault models. If you want to change your car altogether, you can sell your car through Carwow, where our trusted dealers will bid on your car to get you the best price.

The Captur represents decent value for money as long as you avoid the entry level model. Mid-spec cars and up get a 10.3-inch digital driver’s display and Renault’s excellent Google-based infotainment system, as well as all-round parking sensors and power-folding mirrors. 

The E-Tech hybrid model is slightly cheaper than the equivalent Toyota Yaris Cross, however that car comes as standard with some kit which is reserved for top-spec Capturs. Go for the 1.0-litre petrol and it undercuts both the Skoda Kamiq and the Volkswagen T-Cross by a couple of thousand pounds. 

The Captur is easy to drive around town and it’s decent on the motorway, however the firm suspension makes it unsettled over harsher bumps and you’ll want to avoid the weedy 1.0-litre engine

In town

Piloting the Captur around town is a doddle thanks to its compact dimensions and light controls. Your view forward is great and the door mirrors are a decent size, but there is a blind spot over your shoulder thanks to the chunky rear pillars. All cars come with a reversing camera and rear parking sensors as standard which go some way to mitigate this, but it’s a shame that there’s no option of a 360-degree camera like you can have on the Toyota Yaris Cross.

If you can spare the extra few thousand pounds then the E-Tech hybrid model is the one to go for. It can waft around town in electric-only mode at low speeds, and it does a great job of keeping engine use to a minimum to save fuel. There’s an E-Save button which will maintain the battery at 40% for you to use around town. The hybrid is also the only model which gets an automatic gearbox.

While the hybrid system is great, the suspension isn't quite as refined over bumps as alternatives such as the Volkswagen T-Cross. The Captur feels a bit jiggly around town, something which is made worse by the 19-inch wheels you get on the range-topping Esprit Alpine model. However, to be fair, it's only really noticeable on poorer road surfaces with lots of potholes.

On the motorway

Things settle down on the motorway, although the body does roll around on especially undulating surfaces which could make your kids feel a bit travel sick. Wind noise is pretty hushed, with just a bit of rustling from the mirrors disturbing the peace.

Joining a faster moving road can be a slight issue in the hybrid model, especially if it's a short slip road because it can be hesitant to give you power when you put your foot down. It’s still better than the 1.0-litre petrol though, because that car just feels underpowered.

The road noise can be a bit intrusive if you have the Esprit Alpine model with its larger wheels, but this is also the only version which has adaptive cruise control, so you’ll have to weigh up which is more important to you.

On a twisty road

Venture out onto a country road and the Captur is best described as adequate. It’s not as much fun as a Ford Puma, but the steering is direct and there’s very little body roll. That lack of lean through the corners is thanks to the firm suspension, which does result in it being pretty uncomfortable on anything other than perfectly smooth roads. A Volkswagen T-Cross handles the bumps much better.

You get a massive boot and decent passenger space in the Captur, although fitting three people in the back is a squeeze.

Getting comfortable behind the wheel of the Captur is easy. There’s plenty of adjustment in the seat and the steering wheel, and you get adjustable lumbar support as standard. The driving position is good as well, offering a commanding view of the road.

The range-topping Esprit Alpine model gets some lovely sports seats and, while they seem a bit out of place in a humble compact SUV, they provide great support on long journeys. The standard chairs are also nice and comfy.

Interior storage is pretty so-so.The fuse box impedes on the glovebox, but it’s really deep so there’s still a decent amount of space. You also get a couple of cup holders and some trays in the centre console for your phone and any other loose bits and bobs you empty out of your pockets. The door bins are a decent size as well, with enough space to fit a big bottle of water.

All cars get a wireless charging pad and two USB-C ports in the front to keep your phone charged up.

Space in the back seats

It’s a tale of two halves in the back of the Captur. Legroom is decent and headroom is okay as long as you’re not especially tall. Getting three across the back will be a struggle though because the middle seat is quite narrow, and it’s raised up so whoever sits there has little headroom. At least there's plenty of space for your feet.

Fitting a child seat is fiddly because you have to unzip the covers for the ISOFIX anchors and then poke about to find the mounting points. However, the door opens nice and wide to make things easier and you have mounting points on the front passenger seat in case you want to keep your baby close by.

It’s a shame that the rear passengers don’t get an armrest or any cup holders, they just have a pair of small door bins for a bottle and some nets on the front seat backs. Still, at least charging everyone’s devices is a breeze - there are two USB-C ports in the back and a 12-volt socket.

Boot space

The boot is where the Captur sets itself apart from other small SUVs, because it’s massive for a car this size. In the 1.0-litre petrol model you have 484 litres of space, 24 litres more than a Toyota Yaris Cross and it’s almost 30 litres bigger than a Volkswagen T-Cross.

And this is before you make use of the Captur’s party piece, because the rear seats can slide forward to expand the boot to a whopping 616 litres. Unfortunately the boot does shrink quite a lot if you go for the hybrid version. You lose around 136 litres because of the electrical gubbins under the boot floor.

This only affects the underfloor storage though, and the main boot area is a nice square shape with no load lip regardless which model you go for. The rear seats also fold completely flat with no step in the floor, so pushing heavy items to the front is a breeze.

It would be nice if there were some clever features in the boot. You get a couple of hooks and that’s your lot, no 12-volt sockets or tie-down point here. The Skoda Kamiq is slightly more versatile in this respect, and if you want maximum boot space for the money then the Citroen C5 Aircross is worth a look.

The Captur has a well-made and high-quality interior with some great tech, although the digital driver’s display could be better

The fit and finish inside the Captur can easily match German alternatives like the Volkswagen T-Cross. Everything feels really nicely screwed together, and all the materials you touch or look at are soft and yielding. A Peugeot 2008’s cabin may look funkier, but the Captur still has a smart interior design.

All versions come with a 10.4-inch touchscreen as standard, however you’ll want to go for the mid-spec version and up because then you get the brilliant Google-based software. The screen is bright and responsive and the graphics are great, and the layout looks pretty much the same as your phone’s so it’s really easy to use.

This system also has things like Google Maps built in, and you can get Spotify as well. You don’t even need to pair your phone all the time, although you do still have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the range.

All but the entry-level car also have a 10.3-inch digital driver’s display, and it’s pretty good. All your vital driver information is clear and easy to read, and there are a few different views you can choose from to display things like your media or sat nav directions. The system you can get on a Volkswagen T-Cross is slightly more configurable, but there’s not much in it.

An update to the Captur in 2024 brought in a streamlined range of engines. There are now just two to choose from - a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol with 90hp or or 145hp E-Tech hybrid. Company car drivers will be disappointed to learn that the plug-in hybrid model is no more, so you may want to look towards a Toyota C-HR if you want a plug-in hybrid car with lower Benefit in Kind rates, or you could get an all-electric MG4 for similar money which will sit in the lowest BIK tax bracket.

The 1.0-litre petrol model is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox, and it’ll return up to 48mpg if you’re careful. The issue with this engine is that it’s a bit underpowered when you venture out onto faster moving roads.

There are no such issues with the E-Tech hybrid, and this will be the engine of choice for most buyers. It can drive on electric power alone when you’re bumbling around town, and the engine cuts in and out smoothly when it needs to. It can be a bit hesitant when you want a sudden burst of acceleration, but other than that it’s pretty unobtrusive and a week spent with the car in various driving conditions saw us return 59mpg on average. Very impressive when the claimed figure is 61mpg.

The Renault Captur underwent Euro NCAP testing and scored four stars - a downgrade from the pre-facelift car's five-star rating. This isn't a bad score, and it's worth noting some of the systems Euro NCAP deducts points for - such as the absence of a warning to avoid 'dooring' cyclists - aren't available on many of the Captur's alternatives.

You get a decent amount of safety kit as standard. All cars come with automatic lights, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, automatic emergency braking and driver attention alert. You do get cruise control as well, but an adaptive system is reserved only for range-topping cars. A Toyota Yaris Cross gets this as standard.

The Renault Captur has received generally positive reviews from owners, and just one recall so far for an incorrectly fastened seatbelt buckle.

The Captur comes with an above average five-year/100,000-mile warranty, hybrid variants getting an additional eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on their hybrid components. Servicing costs are reasonable, with a three-year/30,000-mile plan available as a one-off cost or payable monthly.