Discussing The All-New 2022 Renault Captur
The launch of the 2022 Renault Captur brings about some mixed emotions as it looks mightily impressive but the Captur range has been and is currently discontinued in South Africa. Whether it will be reborn with renewed impetus remains to be seen and one can only hope. For now, let’s marvel at this new, stylish, fully loaded and affordable compact SUV that seems to have attracted a lot of attention on the global stage.
Review Of The New Renault Captur Range
Earlier this year, more than 20 cars were on display at the CarExpert Experience Centre at Sydney’s Warringah Mall, one of which was the new Renault Captur. Known in Australia as the ‘Intens’ model, it features a stylish exterior with Atacama Orange and Diamond Black roof. This particular model stole most of the limelight and had a large number of test drives.
Considering the amount of interest in the new compact SUV, the local Renault dealer sold the display car on the spot. It’s not surprising since many automotive fans will agree that the car not only looks stunning but it also has a full house of features. The new Renault Captur offers class-leading all-round performance, equipment and space in the ‘Light SUV’ sector.
A Well-Refined And Stylish Light SUV
The Renault Captur is the company’s most affordable and smallest vehicle on sale. Now in its second generation, the Renault Captur shares its CMF-B heritage with the Nissan Juke light SUV.
Unlike other carmakers that often try too hard to stand out, the 2022 Renault Captur seems well-proportioned and nicely rounded without any unnecessary frills. It has a young and sporty feel with shapely LED lights, two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels and big windows with privacy glass at the rear.
Any Renault Captur Intens produced from January 2022 receives a few add-ons, including adaptive cruise control with stop/go, wireless phone charging and a shark antenna instead of a screw-in version. Remember, this is added extras on top of an already generous list of standard equipment.
Interior And Technology
If the exterior is anything to go by, the inside is where the Renault Captur Intens comes to life and easily outshines its rivals. It has a luxurious, tech-laden cabin with all-leather upholstery, and a generous list of features you might struggle to find in many luxury, more expensive vehicles.
There is a brilliant blend of stitched leather upholstery, polished metal accents and soft-touch materials and that includes the dashboard. As it is a more affordable car, there is still some hard plastic finishes but they don’t look cheap which is always a good sign.
Since space always seems to be an issue with compact vehicles, the Renault Captur offers the most room and versatility in its class. Boot space is 422 litres with the rear seats in place and 536L including under-floor storage and the rear bench slid forward. When you fold down the rear seats, you will get an impressive 1275 litres of space.
The steering wheel is also perfectly round and wrapped in leather, featuring paddle shifters and appropriately sized dials for climate control. However, they also have digital temperature displays, so it’s almost like having the best of both worlds. Here are some of the interior highlights:
- 9.3-inch iPad-style infotainment display with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Wireless phone charging
- Adaptive cruise control with Stop/Go
- 7.0-inch colour trip computer with built-in SatNav
- Eco LED headlights (claimed to be 1.5x brighter)
- 3D-effect LED tail lights
- Satin grey roof rails
- Automatic brake hold
- LED cabin lighting
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Dual rear USB ports
- Black leather upholstery
- Ambient lighting – 8 colours
- Rear privacy glass
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Remote smart card with push button start
- Auto ‘walk away’ door locking
- Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Rain-sensing wipers
New Renault Captur Safety Features
The 2022 Renault Captur received a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on Euro NCAP testing conducted in 2019. It scored 96% for adult occupant protection, 83% for child occupant protection, 75% for vulnerable road user protection, and 74% for safety assist.
You will find some of the standard safety equipment below:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian and Cyclist detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane departure warning and Lane-keep assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Rear-view camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 6 Airbags
Renault Captur Engine Specs And Performance
All Capture models get a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 113 kW and 270 Nm of torque which is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This particular turbo petrol engine will also soon feature in the next-generation Nissan Qashqai destined for overseas markets.
The steering is responsive which allows you to drive with confidence while the soft suspension makes the Renault Captur substantially more laid-back than many of its competitors. There may be a little body lean but any roll is well damped with the payoff being a pleasant and comfortable ride even on rougher roads.
In terms of performance, the Renault Captur is a class leader in combined power and torque output. Going from 0 – 100km/h takes just 8.6 seconds which outshines all its rivals. It’s also quite economical if you don’t keep your foot down with a claimed combined fuel economy of 6.6l/100km.
Anyone looking to buy a new car in this class will be pleasantly surprised by the styling, flexibility and value for money of the new Renault Captur. With a complete overhaul, it now stands out even more in what appears to be an increasingly competitive market.
While the Renault Captur range has been discontinued in South Africa, you could still find some good quality used Renault Captur models if you act fast.
