RENAULT CAPTUR
Big-selling small crossover finally gets its first facelift
How quickly the wheel turns. Barely four years ago it was necessary to preface our first drive of the new Captur with a brief description of the fledging class it was helping to institute; now the B-segment crossover is such a prominent feature of the global marketplace that the Captur is Renault’s best-selling car in Europe.
While being revolutionary in no notable way (the Captur is essentially a tall Clio), Laurens van den Acker’s harmonious design and an uncorrupted drive made it perhaps the pick of the industry’s litter. It is probably indicative of the car’s broader success that the manufacturer has hardly returned to the drawing board with this, the model’s first lifecycle refresh.
Mechanical changes? None. There’s the same choice of familiar engines – the stalwart 1.5-litre dci with 89bhp or 108bhp, and two TCE petrol turbos: the 89bhp triple or the 118bhp four-pot driven here. Instead, the bulk of the facelift is made up of styling tweaks and a slightly f leshed-out equipment list.
The latter development congeals in the Signature S Nav range-topper in the five-trim line-up. Blind spot warning and hands-free parking – novelties on the option list elsewhere – are included, as are top-tier features such as heated part-leather seats and a Bose six-speaker stereo for crossover customers untroubled by the £21,405 starting price.
The car is treated to some extra exterior brightwork, too, although even buyers of the entry-level version get the updated radiator grille that better emphasises the fraternal relationship with the larger Kadjar. There are also new skidplates (naturally as faux as unicorn’s horn) and the addition of the C-shaped LED running lights that have become Renault’s hallmark.
While this amounts to tinkering, it is to the Captur’s general benefit. Ditto the dusting of alterations made to the cabin, where the Renault has focused its enhancements at eye-level in an attempt to raise perceived quality. In the high-spec trim sampled, the higher-grade plastics and a slightly more sensitive approach to chrome detailing make for more welcoming surroundings.
The refresh doesn’t include the huge glovebox standard on lefthand-drive cars (the fuse box negates its inclusion on right-hookers), or a rethink of the slightly muddled R-link infotainment. The latter does gain Android Auto connectivity, although not Apple Carplay. The absence feels like an oversight despite Renault’s protestations of the former system’s broader popularity.
None of this makes the slightest difference to the way the Captur drives, of course, with a change of gear lever being as close as the car gets to altering the on-road experience. For the most part, that’s fine. Captivating it most certainly isn’t, but the model diligently fits the approved crossover mould. It moves about with marginally less elan than its lower sibling, yet not to the extent that its agility or comfort have been unreasonably compromised.
With the larger petrol engine it does all this with an acceptable turn of pace, too, feeling amenably purposeful at middling engine speeds and without the distant drone of the oil burner. That said, previous experience suggests that Renault’s livelier three-pot is a better compromise, not least because it offers 55.4mpg combined in the more affordable Dynamique S Nav trim and can be had for a shade over £18k.
Four years ago we might have suggested you save an additional £1500 and buy a Clio. The advice is no less pertinent now, yet it’s made to seem obsolete by the Captur’s likely prolonged best-seller billing.