Renault Captur was the first of the very popular SUV cars from the manufacturer. It arrived in 2013 and has enjoyed success over the years. In the UK, it is more popular than the Megane and Clio, while in 2016, it was the best-selling model in its class in Europe. Now, it receives a makeover, as the French carmaker gave it sharper lights, rugged bumpers, and faux metal plates.
Although minor, the upgrades give it the personality of an SUV, instead of that of a bloated Clio. There is also a new front grille with some added chrome. Daytime running lights are new, and are C-shaped and LED.
Table of Contents
Dimensions
There are more options for the color schemes, a total of 36. The dimensions are the same, 4,122mm length and 1,778mm width. On the inside, new materials are the biggest change, which makes it look modern.
Engine
Regarding the engines, there are two petrol options, and two diesel options, both with either manual or automatic transmission. All come with the front-wheel drive. The most popular choice is the 0.9-liter TCe petrol engine. For around town driving, it is the best option. Although small, this three-cylinder engine gives out 890 horsepower and is smooth. It feels faster than its 0 to 61 mph suggests, that being 13.2 seconds.
The second petrol option is a bigger, more powerful 1.2-liter that gives out 118 horsepower. The transmission choice does nothing for the fuel economy, but the manual is a second faster from 0 to 62, with a time of 9.9 seconds. If you prefer the diesel variant, there are two 1.5-liter, four-cylinder options. One delivers 89 horsepower, and the other offers 108 horsepower.
Although Renault Captur has always been competitive and faired well among the competition, it is now going to fight on several sides. Small crossover cars from Seat, Hyundai, Kia, and Citroen all promise lots of options and specs. Therefore, Captur is in more danger when it comes to sales than ever.
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Driving
Despite more competition than ever, the French are confident in the abilities of the mechanics. Anyway, buyers looking for a car like this do not want sharp sporty reflexes with extra comfort. In addition, the Captur was already one of the best in the class.
First of all, it has extra height over the Clio, meaning longer springs and more cushioning. It is smooth, particularly on urban roads and bumps. It also bodes well on rough surfaces, while noise from the road is minimal.
The diesel engine gives 192 lb. of torque, plenty enough for overtaking or keeping up with fast traffic on the motorway. In slower traffic, with lots of gear changes, the newly designed armrest can get in the way, especially for those sitting further back.
Get a petrol engine if you expect many of these situations. The stronger 1.2-liter is one of the best engines among small crossovers. It gives you 151 lb. of torque at 2,000 rpm. However, even during idle, there is vibration through both the seats and the pedals. This can be annoying to some.
Remember that whichever engine you choose, you will not be speeding through the city. It is comfortable, and the engines are better than average, but nothing else about makes it stand out. So be ready to simply enjoy the normal ride behind its wheel.
The Interior of the Renault Capture
As well as the outside, the inside is only slightly changed. The thing most improved is the feel and the quality of the cabin. Upper sections of the dashboard and the door cards have a soft plastic finish, while the wheel straight from the Clio is nicer on the touch, and keeps the usual button pattern.
The storage space has always been one of the things the Captur excels at. It has 455 liters, more than its direct rivals, mainly Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008, and Vauxhall Mokka X. There is also a useful double floor feature, allowing you to lower the load height, or to have a second storage unit. When you put the rear seats down, the total amount of the boot is 1,255 liters.
There is a new storage compartment in the top of the dashboard, which is easy to reach and big enough for the phone, keys, and wallet/purse. To the annoyance of many, those models for the wrong side of the road have a much larger glovebox department, than the model with a wheel on the left side.
Features
Regarding the center console, it is again simple. However, if you opt for some of the Dynamique Nav models or higher, you will get a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, along with sat-nav. However, it is not a great device, as the buttons are very small, and hidden in the corners. In addition, navigating is complicated with tons of submenus. Climate control buttons and knobs feel cheap, but it is easy to navigate while keeping your eyes on the road.
There is Android Auto, but Apple CarPlay still lacks. Signature X Nav and Signature S Nav now have an advanced R-LINK media and navigation system.
In the back, there is tons of legroom for this class, and the whole bench can slide back and forth. Headroom is also generous, always important for taller people.
source: indianautosblog.com
Owning
In total, there are five spec levels available of the new Renault Captur. The entry level is called Expression+, and costs £15,355. It does not have a touchscreen and has R&GO, DAB radio, air-con, and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Dynamique Nav, Dynamique S Nav, and Signature X Nav are the next three types. For off-road or heavy winter driving, go with the last, since it has Grip Xtend traction control, as well as snow and mud tires.
The completely new Signature S Nav model is the top model. It will set you back £21,405, and comes with 17-inch alloy wheels and Blind Spot Warning, the latter also being present with the Signature X Nav.
The final number of engine and transmission variants is six, with the manual dCi 1.5-liter diesel the one with the best fuel economy, a combined 78.5 mpg. Among the patrols, the three-cylinder TCe 90 has a combined fuel economy of 55.5 mpg, which is also okay.
How to unlock a Renault car radio ?
After a battery change or a breakdown on a Renault car, the car radio asks for a Renault authentication key code, which you can obtain by following the advice given on code-autoradio.com. To help you, here are the steps to follow to unlock your car radio :
- First of all, detect the precode of your car radio : it allows you to identify your device. It is either written on a label of your device, or it can be retrieved by using some keys of the car radio.
- Recover the code of your car radio : you can do it in two ways. The first technique is to use an online code generator. You must enter your precode in the indicated place and validate it. However, this generator is only compatible with a precode higher than A100. If yours is less than A100, you must use the precode Calculator Program for Windows. After downloading it, enter your precode and validate it. The code will be given to you afterwards.
- Enter the code that will be given to you on your car radio : to enter the code in your device, you must use the keys 1, 2, 3 or 4 and validate it with the keys 5 or 6. After entering and validating this code in your device, it will be unlocked on the spot. If you still can’t unlock it, it simply means that your car radio is already damaged. You just need to buy another one.
The Conclusion
In the end, it is important to mention that the proven formula of the car makes it one of the most popular options in this class. These small improvements should allow it to keep that status. The fresh exterior styling still makes the car look recognizable. Drivers that are more prominent will probably opt for the stronger engines, but each type is acceptable. In any scenario, there are enough options for the needs of everyone.