Renault Captur Review 2021

Competent powertrain and state-of-the-art electronics have become signature elements for Renault and the Captur lives up to that. The infotainment center has become more user-friendly while the engine is powerful enough to give it a competitive edge in a market category that has become one of the toughest.

On the other hand, the engine’s potential is harmed by the harsh ride while people will have to struggle to find a comfortable spot from which to browse through the beautiful interface of that infotainment system. The 2021 Captur is much better than its predecessor but still does not deny its mainstream.

Average city performance for a city-focused model means subpar results. The engine delivers plenty of power and torque, but the car could use it better: the suspension is too smooth, stability offers no highlights, and ride quality simply plummets once you hit a bump.

Engine and transmission

In Australia, this model only uses a turbocharged, 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine – the European model has two others to offer. That unit is good for 151 hp of power and 199 lb-ft of torque. The engine is always paired to front-wheel drive and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Suspension & Handling

Even though the Captur offers three driving modes, all of them feel light. If that tendency is handy when parking, it makes highway driving less enjoyable. Besides, the SUV proportions do not help make you confident to make high-speed turns.

Vibration

The Captur is one of the most powerful competitors in its market segment and, at the same time, features similar size and weight. That makes its engine run smoothly, without excessive demand. It runs comfortably on all types of roads, without excessive vibration.

Ride

In regular driving, it offers a quite standard performance. The notable issue is how the Captur deals with bigger bumps: it does not make much effort to reduce the impact’s noise or filter it out of the cabin. While none of that is alarming, it definitely harms the model’s city-cruiser flair.

Plenty of features focused on city driving and on giving the best first impressions, and average or little above-average performance at everything else. Since Renault has so many other models to offer, the Captur is free to truly live up to its market purpose: it is a compact, urban SUV and will never intend to look otherwise.

Brakes

In this topic, highlights are favorable and provided by electronics. The base trim level features an autonomous emergency braking system with detection of cyclists and pedestrians while the top trim adds adaptive cruise control with the stop-and-go function.

Airbags

Even at the base trim level, named Life, the 2021 Captur comes with six airbags as standard equipment.

Electronics

Remember how much this car likes to impress? At the high-end Intens trim, the Captur greets you with two huge screens in the cabin, all types of connectivity, and dozens of electronic aid systems for comfort and safety underneath it. Fortunately, the infotainment system became simpler and easier to use compared to that of its previous generation.

Lights

The 2021 Captur offers LED headlights and tail lights as standard, starting from the base trim level. You may opt for the Easy Life item package in order to add the automatic high beam function. At the Intens trim level, the Captur adds “Eco LED” headlights and three-dimensional startup animations for those and the taillights. All options are equipped with dusk-sensing activation.

Traction control

This is a compact mainstream car with no sporty or off-road pretensions, so there isn’t much to see here. The best features the 2021 Captur offers in this regard are adaptive cruise control and emergency braking.

Engine size

All available engines follow the downsizing trend; the only one available in Australia, for example, is a 1.3-liter unit with four cylinders and is one of the largest available. As you can imagine, they all use many of the latest technologies, such as direct injection and turbocharger, to deliver satisfactory performance.

Gas per mileage consumption

The Captur only accepts premium fuel, that is, unleaded and with 95 RON. Once you meet that condition, it returns an official combined mileage of approximately 35.6 mpg. While it is not surprising for today’s standards, it is still a strong suit.

​Perfect if first impressions are important to you: handsome design, elegant trim and trendy touchscreens are all present. On the other hand, the internal room satisfies only in parts, and many of those nice items are only available at the upscale trim levels.

Driving seat

This is a driver-oriented car, so there is plenty of comfort for the driver. The car’s wheelbase was stretched by 33 mm compared to the previous generation. The seating position is tall and upright, just the way SUV fans like to have it.

Dashboard

Having two large screens take all the attention makes it clear that the Captur’s priority is to impress. Upscale trims feature a 7-inch unit for the instrument cluster, a 9.3-inch screen taking center-console functions, Arkamys audio system, and ambient lighting with eight options of color.

Passenger seats and extras

Unfortunately, this is where the Captur reminds you that it is still a compact SUV. Door sills are high and the floor is elevated, so legs and knees end up with limited space. At least there is plenty of headroom to make people comfortable to look around: that will show them the car’s soft-touch surfaces and metal-like accents.

Overall height and space

Since the coupé body was left to the Arkana cousin, the Captur offers a rather practical cabin. Not only there are many storage areas of all types and sizes, but they all also do well at ergonomics. An interesting collaboration to that comes from the rear seat, whose longitudinal adjustment allows you to focus on people or trunk cargo.

Trunk space

When helped by that seat adjustment, the trunk reaches a maximum volume of 536L. Nevertheless, the 422L obtained with the seat at its regular position still places the Captur among the best competitors of its class. You can use a divider to load the trunk in two separate parts or remove it to transport larger objects.

The Captur fits well into Renault’s current phase: mainstream car models which stand out among their numerous competitors by applying bold styling and a touch of overall elegance.

The Captur is available in Australia with the following options of trim levels. The prices were taken from Renault’s official website.

All these trim levels offer optional packages, most of them coming at extra cost. The exception is the Orange Signature, which abandons leather upholstery, heating, and power adjustments in exchange for applying orange trim to several internal parts. Front wheel drive is standard across all trims. 

Warranty

In Australia, Renault offers the “5-year Easy Life Ownership” plan. It includes a factory warranty with unlimited mileage for five years, five maintenance services with fixed prices, and up to five years of additional roadside assistance available 24/7. Renault may offer different warranty and assistance plans in other regions.