NEW RENAULT CAPTUR 2023 - VISUAL REVIEW #new_car #renault #capture #2023 - #visual _review

NEW RENAULT CAPTUR 2023 - VISUAL REVIEW #new_car #renault #capture #2023 - #visual _review

The global shift from hatchbacks to crossovers has seen the evergreen Clio drop out of favour for models more like the Renault Captur. Renault SA now introduces the all-new, second-generation Captur after a long and protracted struggle to counter global supply chain issues.
This all-new, second-generation Captur picks up where the old one left off, slotting into the B-SUV segment for crossovers that combine the practicality of an SUV with the compact, easy-driving nature of a hatchback. It makes no bones that it's gunning for the likes of the Haval Jolion, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen T-Cross and a slew of other upmarket crossovers that play in this exceptionally hot-contested segment of the market.

The new generation Captur is immediately recognisable as both a Renault and a Captur. It retains the original lines, sporty proportions and attractive styling cues that made the first generation so popular. The upright nature of the shape is broken by a distinct kink in the C-pillar and is now finished off with a larger brushed silver detail.

At the front, the headlights receive the contemporary LED Renault C-shape DRLs with functional air vents situated down low in the corners that create a curtain of air around the wheels to improve efficiency. The rear gets a similar lighting treatment with a set of attractive, C-shaped LED taillights.

Two trim levels are on offer, Zen and Intens, with the latter wearing a set of 17-inch alloy wheels. The former has to make do with wheel covers, although the wheel size remains at 17 inches.

The all-new Captur is larger than before, growing by 107 mm in length, 7 mm in height, and with a wheelbase that is 33 mm longer. This not only increases interior space by 20 mm but improves the high-speed stability of the new Captur.

To be able to compete in this segment, offerings have to be well-equipped. The Chinese brands have shown how well an attractive, well-priced, feature-packed offering can perform in the market and the new Captur follows suit. Zen models get a 7-inch landscape infotainment system while the range-topping Intens version proudly presents a 9.3-inch portrait-orientated infotainment system, replete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as housing a native navigation system. Voice control makes light work of executing tasks.

The Intens model also features additional convenience features such as a heated steering wheel, keyless access with proximity sensing, cruise control and a speed limiter. Wireless charging and a multitude of USB ports keep you charged up and ready to go.

The Captur has a 404-litre boot that expands to 536-litre when you slide the rear seats forward and under the boot floor, you will find an additional 86-litre of storage space for items that you'd like to keep out of sight. Fold the rear seats forward and you get a total of 1 275-litres for a truly cavernous cargo space.

Under the hood, you will find a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine in both derivatives. Both make the same 113 kW and 270 Nm torque and are mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. These power figures are mighty impressive and amongst the highest you will find against its competitors. Despite this, the Captur will return a claimed 6.6 l/100km on the combined cycle and on our test drive we managed to hit these figures without even trying and without making use of the Eco mode (three modes are on offer; My Sense, Sport, and Eco).

The package is more than agreeable and the gearbox programming is well-tuned for most applications. Drivers will have the option of interacting with the gearbox through a set of steering-wheel-mounted paddles.

As a whole, the new Captur presents an attractive and appealing package but it's not without a few concerns. A few areas left us disappointed, particularly with the materials used in some of the trimmings. The glove box is one such area where the plastic feels terribly cheap with a nasty, flimsy catch. A minor qualm but one worth noting. We don't doubt that after spending more time with the model we would discover a few other areas. Another was the finishing of some of the plastics where the flashing from the moulding process hasn't been finished off particularly well, resulting in sharp edges to some areas like the aforementioned paddle shifters.

Then there's the fact that this new Captur is late to the party which means that it will be due for a facelift in the next 24 months. We could see this as soon as early next year in which case the value of this derivative will suddenly take a knock. If you are the sort that holds onto cars for longer than a few years this should be of no concern but for the rest of us, we may want to hold out for the updated version.