Approaching the end of its time with the team, Siya Mbaduli was reminded why the Renault Captur is such an inviting option in the competitive SUV segment.
Time spent: 2 of 3 months
Distance covered: 2 100 km
Average fuel consumption: 7,1 L/100 km
Driver: Siyavuya Mbaduli
We like: Overall refinement; keen drivetrain
We don’t like: Delay for South African arrival and sale
Two months later and I’m still not weary of the Renault Captur. I might be guilty for not spending as much time as I should behind the wheel, however, slipping back into the driver’s seat after some time apart was a gentle nudge, reminding me of why I should savour its charm before it bids adieu.
Splitting my time equally between the test cars in the CAR garage; some fast and others costing an arm and a leg, it feels like ages since a well-balanced all-rounder vehicle has been in our midst. It seems that it is all about how much power the car has, or what extra features it boasts. What can it do? Can it take me from point A to the moon and back?
The Renault Captur offers everything an everyday commuter would need without the fancy bells and whistles. Getting behind the wheel after some time away and I am immediately reminded how eager this 1,3-litre turbo engine is. Describing how impressed I am by such a small displacement to my peers sounds crazy but they just don’t get it. Engine talk always gravitates to brutal V8s and V12s but in this day and age, do you really need it? Is it practical to own a guzzling behemoth in Cyril’s economy? I don’t think so.
In case you missed it: Living with it – Renault Captur 1,3T EDC Intens introduction
Let’s be realistic and circle back to that 1,3-litre turbocharged gem shall we, here’s a fun fact, Below the Captur’s bonnet is a powertrain you’ll find in the 2020 Mercedes-Benz A200, B-Class, CLA and older models of the GLA and GLB, as well as the all-new Nissan Qashqai.
Currently, consumption is hovering around 7,1 L/100 km. Not too bad for a car that is constantly being passed around by drivers with different driving styles and almost exclusively all with a heavy right foot. The claimed fuel consumption figure is 6,6 L/100 km, a number we can easily reach. The Captur has a 48L fuel tank, meaning it should be able to travel around 680 km per full tank, but we are yet to do a long-distance test to see how far it can really go in one tank – stay tuned for our next update!
Handling day-to-day duties, the Captur proved to be reliable around the buzzing city of Cape Town, the size of the vehicle made it easy to manoeuvre, and parking was not a hassle at all. On the freeway? That’s where it truly excels, power is directly sent to the front wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which actually sounds surprisingly good when the car is down-shifting. Peak power is 113 kW at 6 000 r/min, with the Peak torque sitting at 270 N.m at 1 700 r/min – more than enough and rather impressive if we consider what SUVs were delivering a few years ago with larger motors.
In its league the Renault Captur could very well be one of the best crossovers you can currently buy, offering a strong combination of on-board technology, safety equipment, comfort and value for money. There are different strokes for different folks of course, but which one would you rather go for – the Renault Captur Intens or its competitor, the Volkswagen T-Cross?
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