Renault Captur 2015 Review

The Renault Captur is a tiny tot among SUVs.

Less an SUV than a slightly pumped-up, stretched-out version of the Clio on which it based, the French company's first crossover doesn't have the lofty angularity common in the burgeoning light SUV segment that is populated by the likes of Mazda's CX-3 and Honda's HR-V.

Renault says the Captur is a combination of hatchback, SUV and even MPV, although there's a tendency to identify it more as a higher-riding hatchback.

In fact by comparison with the Mazda or Honda, the Captur is low-slung and quite svelte, more in the vein of its also-Gallic competitor, the fractionally smaller Peugeot 2008.

Its relationship with the Renault Clio, although it's proportioned differently, is pretty evident, from the styling cues to a direct dimensional comparison. The biggest real differences are that the Captur is taller (by 121mm) and slightly wider (46mm) than the Clio.

These are the measurements that create the differences between the two Renaults: The Captur's extra height (contributed to by lifting ground clearance to 163mm) enables the slightly elevated seating position that attracts many people to SUVs, while the dimensional juggling also means considerably more boot space.

The Captur's (split-floor) 455 litres is well up on the Clio's 300 – although there's not a huge difference when both Renaults have their seats folded. Here, the Captur manages 1235 litres while the Clio is still pretty reasonable at 1146.

So what we have with Renault's latest is a front-drive-only five-door hatch that tends to be priced similarly to its donor car, but is a bit more spacious and a bit more versatile. Like most of its contemporaries, it's no SUV in the strictest sense.

Clearly Renault is aiming at a more youthful demographic here, although the Captur is more than just a cool-looking plaything.

The interior is awash with styling statements and electronic gadgetry, as well as some funky but genuinely appealing features like the removable, washable seat covers that are standard in top-spec Dynamique form, and optional on the Expression model. There's also standard sat-nav, a reversing camera, climate-control, auto headlights and windscreen wipers, and "smart card" hands-free entry and exit.

A MINI-esque range of cosmetic options includes the colour treatment of various trim highlights around the cabin, as well as two-tone paint themes on the exterior, including not just the bodywork, but various trim elements as well. The premium Dynamique model also offers three colour choices for the two-tone 17-inch alloy wheels, where the Expression version comes only with (two-tone) 16-inch alloys. Both versions get a space-saver spare wheel.

In the Captur's refreshingly styled cabin, there's a super-generous range of adjustment for the front seats, although the inboard-mounted recline adjustment knobs are impossibly awkward to adjust, especially when the removable centre oddments tray is attached.

The back-seat is not flash if all the front-seat fore/aft travel is being used up, and though it's comfortable, it isn't all that conducive to holding passengers laterally in place either. Rear headroom can be described as adequate rather than brilliant.

The jazzy interior treatment with its generally intuitive dashboard ergonomics is compromised by the blatantly-plastic coloured inserts on the steering wheel and a preponderance of hard-touch surfaces. And the maliciously tucked-away phone-answer controls on the right-hand steering-column stalk prove to be an unnecessary and constant annoyance.

On the road, the Captur is pretty absorbent and controlled (the 2606mm wheelbase is fractionally longer than the Clio) and steering response is certainly more car-like than SUV-like. The variable-rate electric steering errs towards lightness but is well-weighted nonetheless. It swings the wheel from lock-to-lock in a neat 2.7 turns while giving a handy and urban-friendly 10.4m turning circle.

Despite its high-tech drivetrain and its use of the latest-generation B platform also used on the Clio, the Captur is far from being a deathly quiet cruiser. There's noticeable ingress from the wheels and suspension that makes it necessary to crank up audio volume on the freeway.

The miniscule 1.2-litre direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine – standard in the Dynamique version – doesn't feel that small as far as throttle response and mid-range acceleration are concerned.

It's paired with Renault's Getrag-sourced six-speed dual-clutch transmission which generally works smoothly, but can be a bit of a laggard at times when a bit of response is required on the move.

88 kilowatts may not sound much, but the 190Nm of torque comes in at a lowish 2000rpm to help with mid-range response, making the 1.2-litre turbo feel a lot bigger than it is and dealing effectively with the Captur's 1215kg kerb weight. With the caveat that it's compromised at times by the transmission, it's quite revvy and pretty responsive all the way through to the 6500rpm redline.

Fuel economy was disappointing. Despite Renault's focus on fuel efficiency when talking-up the Captur, and despite the use of various driver aids such as the gear-shift indicator and consumption-reducing ECO mode, we found the 1.2-litre Captur didn't come anywhere near the 5.4L/100km combined fuel consumption claim. Our on-test figure came in at 7.3. And the relatively small, 45-litre fuel tank, plus Renault's requirement of a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded fuel diet didn't help either.

That's all a bit of a let-down in a car that represents the very best Renault is able to do with fuel efficiency at the moment, and even though 7.3L/100km is hardly dipping deeply into the planet's oil reserves, it isn't quite what you'd expect of a modern, small-capacity turbo powerplant.

Otherwise the Renault Captur comes across as a striking alternative in this still-fresh sub-segment of the SUV market. It does just about everything well, and is well-priced into the bargain. It certainly represents an alternative to Renault's Clio and arguably could become responsible for a bit of cannibalisation within the brand.

Will hatchbacks evolve to become more akin to Captur-style crossovers, or will micro SUVs gradually become more like regular hatchbacks?

The possibility is that both will morph to create a new genre in which family shopping excursions take precedence over off-the-beaten-track adventures, but with just a teeny bit of "lifestyle" attraction thrown in.