The Renault Captur has been redesigned and closely upgraded for 2024 in a bid to propel it up the ranks of Europe’s hotly contested small SUV section.
Renault calls it “the B-segment car for living”, touting its small footprint however spacious (and ‘modular’) inside as attributes that make it “at home in the city or off the grid”.
Sporting a brand new entrance finish, which brings it into line with the newer Clio and Scenic, and now obtainable in performance-inspired Esprit Alpine trim, the brand new Captur will tackle the revised Ford Puma and Nissan Juke when it lands in dealerships in autumn.
Aside from the styling adjustments on the entrance, the tweaked back lights and a spread of recent paint and trim choices, the Captur has been most clearly revamped inside, the place plusher supplies, additional equipment and new-generation infotainment mix to offer a extra “modern” and “upmarket” atmosphere, Renault says.
The centrepiece of the overhauled cabin is a brand new 10.4in vertical touchscreen, which includes Renault’s newest OpenR Link infotainment platform, bringing a raft of recent connectivity capabilities and wi-fi smartphone mirroring as customary. “It is as intuitive to use as a smartphone,” the model says.
The upholstery differs in keeping with trim stage – Techno brings yellow stitching whereas Esprit Alpine provides blue inserts and French flag motifs, for instance – however there isn’t a chrome or leather-based on provide, in keeping with Renault’s sustainability ambitions. Instead, the agency says, “all the upholstery includes recycled fabrics selected for their low-carbon footprint, without compromising on perceived quality, feel or comfort.”
Practicality stays the prevailing focus for Renault’s smallest SUV: the rear seat nonetheless slides again as much as 160mm, there may be 24.7 litres of cupboard space dotted across the cabin and the boot capability is 536 litres with the seats up.
The Captur is actually the Clio’s taller sibling and, as such, continues to share the supermini’s CMF-B platform and selection of two petrol-electric hybrid powertrains.
The entry-level set-up – anticipated to be priced from round £22,000 – is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder sending 90bhp by means of a six-speed handbook gearbox and able to round 48.3mpg on the WLTP cycle.
The full-hybrid E-Tech variant, which is able to value roughly £29,000, combines a 94bhp 1.6-litre engine with a 48bhp electrical motor, an 18kW starter-generator and a 1.2kWh traction battery for 143bhp, 60.1mpg and engine-off driving at as much as 27mph for brief durations.
The chassis, as with the body-in-white, is basically carried over from the earlier automotive, however the suspension geometry and shocks have been modified for “a more dynamic ride” whereas the steering has been recalibrated for improved response and management.