Renault Captur

The all-black cabin of the Renault Captur has also remained unchanged in the last seven years, and while the cabin layout has started to show its age, it is the quirky and unconventional layout of the elements which is still keeping the enthusiasm alive.

The Renault Captur gets a round-themed steering wheel with a large centre boss and minimalist buttons on the side spokes. The instrument console behind the steering wheel has butterfly wings-themed traditional analogue gauges with a small LCD in the middle for the vehicle speed display. The broad trapezoidal, round-edged centre console has a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the middle while having unique buttons for the automatic climate control setup below it.

The centre console, which gets chrome surrounds, also gets AC vents on either side, while the corners of the dashboard have rounded AC vents. The inner door handles and the surrounds for the speakers and transmission lever also get silver accents for an enhanced premium feel. The cabin is decently equipped with additional features like leather upholstery, a handsfree tailgate, a front centre armrest, a digital video recorder and a boot space of 455 litres.

Launched first in 2017, this facelifted version of the first-generation Renault Captur debuted the brand’s global crossover design. This appearance of the Renault Captur was smart in its appeal when it was launched back then, but over the years, the absence of even a single change in its exterior design is gradually making this version too long in the tooth. Nevertheless, the Malaysian-spec Renault Captur has a very nice European vibe, accentuated by a few of its design elements.

The Renault Captur ditches the upright stance of conventional midsize SUVs for a more aerodynamic and slanted design for the bonnet and front fascia. The Captur gets a stretched Y-shaped grille, with chrome touches on its lower edges and a large Renault logo in the middle. The curved trapezoidal headlamps on the sides of this grille are all LED units, while also featuring sequential LED turn indicator strips. Meanwhile, the daytime running LEDs are placed around the rounded fog lamps in a C-shaped pattern on the front bumper.

The Renault Captur carries forward its new-age crossover stance for the side profile as well, with it having 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and slim wheel arch mouldings and side body claddings as standard. Renault has given slim chrome garnish strips over the side body claddings at the bottom of the door panels. The muscular haunches over the rounded wheel arches and door-mounted rearview mirrors further make the Captur look trendy and youthful.

The rear profile of the Renault Captur is the simplest looking angle for the crossover, with it having sweptback curvaceous tail lamps with floating LED inserts within them. The boot lid has a nice-looking chrome garnish over the license plate housing, while the rear bumper has thick cladding with a silver skid plate over it.

The Renault Captur is based on the B platform of Renault Clio and comes with a suspension setup of Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear. With a high ground clearance of 210mm and a sturdy setup, the Renault Captur takes both soft tarmacs and rough roads with ease. The 17-inch wheels and finely tuned steering add to the drive experience.

The Renault Captur sold in Malaysia has a combination of a 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. With a maximum power output of 120 PS and a peak torque output of 205 Nm, this engine claims a maximum fuel efficiency of 16.9 kmpl.

The Renault Captur is not heavily equipped in terms of features but gets all the essentials like front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist, brake assist and ISOFIX mounts for child seats.

The Renault Captur might have begun to show its age while also having a restricted number of features, but it shines through all the obstacles with supple ride quality and agile performance.