There is a lot of action in the compact SUV and sub-SUV space since last couple of years and the urban consumers seem to be aspiring like never before to upgrade their cars with compact SUVs. French auto giant Renault came out with an attractive looking option right in the beginning of 2018 for consumers wanting a larger car with high ground clearance, lots of interior space and very attractive bold look -- it’s the “Renault Captur”.
We took this power machine for a test drive on city roads as well as highways this winter and thought Renault has really come up with a very “value for money” vehicle which captures exactly what the urban motoring buff may be looking for in this large car with the DNA of an SUV!
LOOKS AND EXTERIOR
What perhaps is the USP of the Captur is its bold and distinct stylish look right from the front grill and tough curved bonnet to the beautifully curved rear of the car. When you drive it on the road, you can sense it turns heads and makes you stand out in the crowd of other vehicles. The projector headlamps, the LED daytime running lamps, larger grille with the logo on it and silver skid plate make the car look very different and stylish.
The large and tough looking 17-inch twin-5-spoke alloy wheels really stand out and give the car great ground clearance similar to the Duster. They give you a great grip, especially at high speeds on the highway and larger wheels (lesser number of revolutions for the same distance) make the long ride very comfortable. Add to it the contrast coloured ORVMs with turn indicators, silver roof rails, and bold side-body cladding with chrome accent.
ENGINE, POWER AND BRAKES
Renault Captur is powered by the 1.5-litre H4K petrol engine that has been earlier used in the Duster. The 1498 cc, in-line 4-cylinder motor offers the same amount of power output — 105 bhp at 5600 rpm and develops a peak torque of 142 Nm at 4000 rpm. The engine feels powerful and the power delivery is smooth and linear, offering a good amount of low- and mid-range performance and a decent top-end as well.
The best thing about this petrol engine is that it’s amazingly noiseless and vibration free. It delivers very well at low rpms and on the highways at below 3000 rpm gives you 95 kmph without any vibration or noise. The gearshift perhaps could have been a little smooth. One thing you would immediately notice though is the slightly different performance of the brake. The car uses new technology for braking and it would take some time for you to get used to this. The way it brakes is progressive and that means you really need to get the hang of it by practising it a bit before taking it on highway rides.
INTERIORS
The roomy interiors and the ergonomic design of the Captur seats is really a winner. Especially front seats give you the feel of almost wrapping around your back as well as hips and make long rides really comfortable. The back seats have specious leg room and ample headspace too. The rear A/C vent works very effectively in keeping the car cool all over.
Priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 11.45 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Renault Captur petrol is placed at a price point similar to its key rival, the Hyundai Creta. In fact, while the base model of the Captur might be marginally more expensive than the Creta’s base trim, the top-end RXT variant is over Rs 2 lakh cheaper than the top-end Creta petrol. The Captur petrol is definitely worth considering as the perfect urban SUV in 2019.
