A Captur for all occasions

I’ve been a licensed motorist since the late ’60s, both on two and four wheels, and have witnessed a lot of changes in the world of transport – particularly the incredible development of technology in today’s vehicles.

That is one area that never fails to amaze me and it demonstrates the enormous strides made in the efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

I have been driving several of these new small capacity engines and the performance and economy is just amazing. Gone are those large capacity engines that were required to move the family around.

A case in point is the Renault Captur, a B segment crossover in the small SUV category. Originally shown as a concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the Captur was launched two years later. In the following nine months sales topped 94 000 units and by the end of 2014 a further 161 000 had found homes in Europe.

My test vehicle was the 88kW Turbo EDC Dynamique, with its high-set grille and the deeply sculptured sides with the lower sills and wheel arches trimmed in black complemented the 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.

The interior is equally impressive and uses chrome and gloss finishes. It features many of the Clio, its sibling’s, design cues with a clean futuristic look, particularly the dashboard.

A centrally mounted seven inch MediaNav touchscreen provides control and display of the standard satellite navigation and audio system.

The Arkamys radio plus USB port touchscreen controls are augmented by fingertip controls, mounted on the steering column.

Standard features include Bluetooth connectivity, electric door mirrors, power windows all round, a hands-free key card, rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitor, and cruise control with speed limiter.

It also features a leather-covered steering wheel and gear knob, auto headlights and wipers, plus automatic climate control, which has a quick demist function with an air quality management facility.

Luggage space is 377l and by sliding the rear seat forward up to 160mm, luggage capacity increases to 455l. Fold it flat and you have an impressive 1 235l.

As you would expect with a European-built car a high level of safety is almost mandatory – and the Captur has earned a 5-Star Euro NCAP rating. Safety features include ABS with EBA, ESP, front airbags, side, head and chest airbags and hill start assist.

The 1 197cc four cylinder turbocharged engine is a real joy, delivering 88kW of power @ 4 900r/ min and a respectable 190Nm of torque at 2 000r/min. Coupled with a smooth and efficient dual clutch 6-speed automatic transmission, the Captur claims 0 to 100km/h acceleration in 10.9 seconds and a top end of 192km/h.

Neither of those figures are that relevant to a vehicle that is designed as family transport: more important is fuel consumption and emissions.

The claimed figure of 5.4/100km certainly did not occur during the test and floated around the 7l mark. CO2 emissions are claimed at 125g/km. There is a button marked ECO which, when operated, apparently electronically modifies the engine performance to optimise fuel consumption.

It claims up to a 10% improvement – but perhaps a longer journey would demonstrate a saving. Ride quality is good and a smooth, comfortable experience for all on board – surprising when you consider that those 17 inch alloys carry 205/55 rubber.

The Renault Captur 88kW EDC Dynamique is a good alternative in this segment and offers a lot of bang for your bucks. It’s worth a very serious look.