Renault Captur 2021 Review

The 2021 Renault Captur makes a very positive first impression, its sleek new design and five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty adding appeal.

It’s also got a punchy turbo-petrol engine hooked up to a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and this range-topping Intens model comes with a seriously impressive level of equipment and technology, too.

But it’s not cheap. Check out our Renault Captur pricing and specs story for full range details, but bottom line is that the starting price is $28,190 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Captur Life – and the Intens model tested here is set at $35,790 plus ORCs.

While the cost of admission has risen steeply, so has the Captur’s sophistication.

The first thing you notice in the cabin is the big and (on-trend) slightly curved 9.3-inch central touch-screen, which features a vastly improved operating system compared to its predecessor. It now responds quicker to touch inputs, the menu system is more intuitive and the visuals are much sharper.

There’s a thoroughly modern, almost upmarket look and feel to the cabin design and material quality, complete with a quirky but useful dual-tier central storage area.

All the buttons and controls are sensibly located and leather-accented seats have a premium look and feel, plus there’s decent amenity with twin cup holders, good door pockets, dual USB ports, plus 12-volt and auxiliary sockets and wireless phone charging.

Our evaluation vehicle comes with a $2000 ‘Easy Life’ option pack and $650 metallic paint, the former adding an impressive three-mode automatic parking function, a classy 10-inch digital instrument panel, side parking sensors, a frameless auto-dimming rear-view mirror and automatic high and low beam headlights.

There are eight exterior colour options, some of them rather bright, along with contrasting roof colour options for a little more visual pizazz.

However, the final price of this vehicle is $38,440 plus ORCs, which means it’s going to set you back more than $40,000 once on-road costs are added.

Compared to its Asian rivals, which have stronger reputations and resale values, it makes this offering seem expensive.

As well as the competitive warranty, it also comes with five years’ roadside assistance and capped-price servicing. Each service is due at 30,000km or every 12 months – whichever comes first – and is capped at $399 a pop for the first three years.

The 2021 Renault Captur is equipped with an impressive array of driver assist safety systems, including traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and tyre pressure monitoring.

This top-spec Renault Captur Intens also comes with blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and electric-folding mirrors, not to mention keyless entry and engine start, and automatic proximity locking after you walk away from the vehicle.

Indeed, it’s an easy vehicle to live with thanks to all the automated features, and it’s safe too, with a top five-star rating from independent safety authority ANCAP. The latter is, however, based on 2019 testing protocols and reflects the fact that the second-generation Captur was first unveiled in Europe two years ago.

There are really only two blotches on the Captur’s otherwise clean safety and technology suit. The first is that adaptive cruise control is not standard on any model and is only offered as a $500 option on mid-spec Zen and top-spec Intens variants.

Also, I experienced some issues with Apple CarPlay. My go-to Music (Spotify) and navigation (Waze) apps locked up now and then, and once the entire operating system rebooted while driving as a result.

I double-checked the USB cable I was using with subsequent evaluation vehicles and didn’t experience the same issues elsewhere. The device used was an iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 14.4.

The French car-maker has done a splendid job with the powertrain on the 2021 Renault Captur, the 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (113kW/270Nm) giving the car a surprising boost of speed when required.

Throttle response is swift and the car accelerates strongly off the line and moderately well at highway speeds, for instance when overtaking.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is a diligent shifter, and although it’s not as slick as some German transmissions it is quiet and generally proactive when left to its devices.

As well as offering brisk acceleration for a light-sized SUV, the Captur also sips fuel relatively sedately. The official figure from Renault is 6.6L/100km on the combined cycle, and our independent testing showed 7.2L/100km which is still pretty decent.

The Captur is strictly a front-wheel-drive vehicle, unlike some rivals.

The 2021 Renault Captur also delivers solid driving dynamics, with its Euro-spec suspension geared towards responsive, sporty handling.

The small steering wheel and sharp steering ratio adds to this sense of sportiness but also ensures an effortless navigation of tighter city streets and laneways.

On open roads it can be fun to drive and doesn’t mind being hurled into tighter corners either, the suspension controlling body roll nicely.

The other side of the coin is that ride comfort isn’t exactly cushy, with bumps and lumps felt in the cabin on rougher roads.

This firm ride quality won’t be a deal breaker though, as this is par for the course in terms of European SUVs and I reckon the Ford Puma is even stiffer, for example.

Whereas the previous generation stood as an uninspiring entrant in a burgeoning market segment, the European brand has redeemed itself with the new 2021 Renault Captur.

It will perhaps be too steep for those buyers looking at a Kia Stonic, Hyundai Venue or Mazda CX-3 – to name just three prominent rivals – which are priced from under $23,000.

But the new Captur delivers a sophisticated, engaging drive and will most definitely give style-focused upscale compact SUVs like the Nissan JUKE and Ford Puma some solid competition, which are priced in the same ballpark.

It’s a more resolved and well-put-together vehicle and clearly a lot of thought has gone into the redesigned interior, making it a charming and pleasant place to spend your driving time.

First impressions are positive, and indeed the Renault Captur is arguably one of the best SUVs the French brand has created.

If this is a sign of things to come then Renault fans should be excited, and should also start saving…

How much does the 2021 Renault Captur Intens cost?
Price: $35,790 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 113kW/270Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 149g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)