Under the hood –
Renault Captur Dynamique
£14,495
Fuel Consumption AVG 56.5 MPG
0-62 MPH 12.6 seconds
Top Speed 107 MPH
1.5 Diesel Engine
The Renault Captur is the latest in a series of SUV-4×4 crossover vehicles which have become increasingly popular in the car market.
Aimed at families in their mid 20s to mid 30s, the Captur is a car shorn of any real thrill-factor, but what it lacks in excitement it more than makes up for in practicality and safety, and it is this which should make it a hit with its target demographic.
The car’s hybrid appearance probably won’t be to everybody’s tastes, its 4×4 SUV hybrid design makes it look like a teenager who has hit a growth spurt but is still wearing his old clothes.
Renault have tried to make the car aesthetically pleasing as possible, and owners can customise the cars colour way – the model we drove came in Arizona, which is currently the most popular.
Yet with the Captur looks are not the main aim, it is a family car and is designed to make journeys as safe as possible, a trend familiar in many Renault cars and highlighted by the company having more five star NCAP ratings than any of their major rivals.
Sat behind the wheel of the car while you do feel slightly claustrophobic you also feel like you are driving a car much bigger than the Captur actually is – you aren’t quite king of the road but it certainly gives the feel of a four wheel drive as opposed to an SUV.
Acceleration is slow, and it seemed like an effort to get up steeper stretches of road, but despite this the handling is good and it’s a smooth ride.
The driver is aided by a number of visual aids on the dashboard, including a guide telling you when to switch gear and an indication of current fuel consumption.
Arguably the cars strongest selling point is it is sold under the government’s ‘Motability’ scheme, which aims to provide cars for the disabled.
The Captur’s high safety rating, comfort and ease of drive make it a perfect candidate for the ‘Motability’ scheme, and it has been this which has seen it sell well.
The Captur is the vehicle equivalent of asking a military medium bowler to tie up an end on a flat wicket – it isn’t particularly exciting, it isn’t going to leave you gobsmacked, but it is going to do its job efficiently and economically.
