Living with a... Renault Captur (Month 3)

The Renault Captur has been around for a while now. Initially it was a Clio with a slightly higher ride height but following its latest update it now feels like a grown-up small SUV in its own right. Is the Captur a worthy rival to the Ford Puma – the UKs best-selling car – and how does it shape up against other rivals such as the Vauxhall Mokka and Volkswagen T-Cross? We’re living with one for six months to find out.
Skip to: Month 1 – A little more action please Month 2 – A grand tour Month 3 – Renaults on rotation

I’m a 31-year-old living in the suburbs with my fiancé (Ed). We don’t have any pets or children, but I am “car mum” to a Mazda MX-5 and we recently bought a pre-loved electric Renault Megane E-Tech. We know Renault well – Ed previously owned a diesel Megane, and I used to have a Zoe. I rarely use the car for commuting but still rack up a hefty number of miles with long-distance work trips and visiting family at the opposite end of the country.

Catherine says: “There’s nothing more disconcerting than accelerating to join a busy motorway only for your speed to plateau just when you need some extra power”

How much has it cost you?

Nothing so far. The Captur claims it can do nearly 500 miles on a single tank and I haven’t had to refill it yet.

Where have you been?

The Captur arrived just before Christmas and although we were out and about visiting family over the holiday, we were keen to try out the electric range of our Megane E-Tech. As a result I’ve not had much chance to venture very far in the Captur, but living with a full EV and a self-charging hybrid provides an interesting comparison. I have mainly used the Captur on local trips into town and the occasional commute, plus there was a longer trip over to Warrington which was not the straightforward drive I expected.

What have you been carrying?

Some friends were going Christmas carolling, so we went to join in. Ed brought his trombone along and the case filled the width of the boot entirely, but it did just about fit. The boot’s a decent size and the flexibility to change the height of the floor or the position of the rear seats is useful, although a large box recently had to go on the back seats as it didn't quite fit in.

Delights?

First impressions, then, and the Captur is a good-looking car. Renault is on a roll at the moment and all its latest models look fab! They are much more stylish and interesting than the previous generations. The Captur is bigger than the long-term Suzuki Swift I’ve just given back. I don’t strictly need the space, but I am sure it will come in useful and the Captur is still compact enough to be easy to park. It's a good runabout with its electric motor doing most of the work around town and I particularly like ‘B-mode’ which means you don’t need to use the brake as much because the car slows itself down to a crawl when you take your foot off the accelerator.

Frustrations?

I was going to write a long spiel about how much I dislike Renault car keys, but I will save it for another time. Instead, I’ll tell you about my first drive in the Captur. There’s nothing more disconcerting than accelerating to join a busy motorway only for your speed to plateau just when you need some extra power. This is exactly what happened as I braced myself to do battle with the M60. I put my foot down as I joined the slip road only to be met with a lack of action and a burning clutch smell – I initially gave the accelerator a gentle squeeze, but had to resort to flooring it. I did eventually manage to slot into a gap in traffic, but it left me feeling rather unnerved. For the rest of the journey, I only pulled out when the space was twice the length I needed. Weirdly, on some occasions the Captur smoothly glided up to the speed limit, but at other times it made lots of noise and barely seemed capable of going over 50mph. I wondered whether this was to do with the state of charge in the hybrid system but looking at the energy flow diagram left me drawing a blank. On my return journey, the Captur behaved itself a little bit better, but was still inconsistent. Most of my trips involve several motorways, so I am hoping this was just a blip and I’ll get better at anticipating its power delivery (or lack thereof) as time goes on.

This month in a nutshell

I’m a bit baffled by the Captur so far. It looks great, works well around town and it’s reasonably well equipped, but the lack of acceleration when I needed it on the motorway has spooked me.

Catherine says: “I do like the red, white, and blue touches in the interior, particularly the stitching around the steering wheel. It looks very smart, and the Google-powered infotainment works well”

How much has it cost you?

I have done about 1,000 miles in the Renault since it arrived. This month I’ve spent just over £100 on fuel, and it’s been consistently showing mid-50mpg. Doing some of my own maths I reckon I averaged 51.6mpg over a recent 400-mile journey. So, not bad then. However, my consumption falls considerably short of the official combined figure of 60.1mpg which is not helped by the amount of time I spend on the motorway.

Where have you been?

It’s been a busy month. I’ve done local errands, trips over to Leeds and I ended the month by covering over 700 miles in the space of a few days. My grand tour started with a five-hour slog from Manchester down to Gatwick for a work trip. To break up the return journey I popped in on my parents in Suffolk which felt comparatively local. Then, an unplanned trip to the orthodontist had me driving up and down the A12 to Colchester before I eventually headed home via York for a bridal makeup trial – I’ve had a lot going on.

What have you been carrying?

It’s just been me, an overnight bag, rations of cereal bars, and several takeaway coffees I’ve managed to spill everywhere. I’ve started to distrust the Captur’s wireless phone charger which often doesn’t add much power – this could be to do with my phone case, though I’ve not had a problem with other chargers – so I’ve also had to fish out a USB-C cable from the household box of wires. Yes, the very same box I keep insisting we clear out!

Delights?

I do like the red, white, and blue touches in the interior, particularly the stitching around the steering wheel. It looks very smart, and the Google-powered infotainment works well. I also appreciate the physical toggles for the temperature and main fan speed. While you do have to use the screen for the heated steering wheel and seats, it’s worth the effort and I am particularly enjoying the luxury of having warm hands. The Captur feels much plusher than rivals such as the Fiat 600, even though top of the range versions of both cars have similar amounts of kit.

Frustrations?

While I can’t explain the mysterious smell from my previous report – perhaps it came from another car because it transpires my Renault doesn’t even have a clutch – I suspect the power delivery is a characteristic of the Captur’s complicated gearbox which is the same as the one used in the Clio. If you give the Captur fair warning and gently coax it into action, it will gradually reach a comfortable cruise without too much sweat. However, if you need a quick burst of power for overtaking or joining fast moving traffic, it takes eons to gather its skirts, tie its shoelaces and take a deep breath, before eventually picking up speed. This is what caught me out on my first drive and although I still don’t love the lack of instant power, I am learning to anticipate it better. In response to my last report, Renault is going to take my car in to check it over, though I suspect this is a feature rather than a fault.

This month in a nutshell

There is a lot to like about the Captur with its smart looks and Google-powered tech. However, it’s a car with dual personalities – around town it’s nippy and smooth, but out on the motorway can be slow and noisy when you put your foot down.

Catherine says: “Living with the Captur and Symbioz back-to-back has provided an interesting comparison”

How much has it cost you?

This month my Captur was swapped for a Symbioz while Renault assessed my car following my initial report. The Symbioz is larger than the Captur but uses the same hybrid system. According to official figures, mpg should be identical – in fact, Renault claims all its hybrid SUVs do 60.1mpg, which seems rather optimistic. I’ve been getting mpg in the mid-40s from the Symbioz, so unsurprisingly the smaller Captur is more efficient.

Where have you been?

Things have been quieter this month. I’ve been out and about, spending more time stuck in suburban traffic than I care to mention. Generally, we’ve been keeping things local, but I did drive over to Leeds from Manchester and back to visit family.

What have you been carrying?

The Symboiz has slipped neatly into the routine of carrying the weekly shop and an occasional passenger with ease. We even managed to slot a large A1 foam board from Hobbycraft nicely out of the way in the extra storage under the boot floor.

Delights?

Though both cars are very similar, I slightly prefer the Symbioz to the Captur. It has the same lacklustre motorway acceleration, but I’ve been seduced by the Solarbay sunroof which changes from frosted to clear at the touch of a button. The Symbioz is more practical than the Captur due to its slightly larger size, but it doesn’t feel noticeably bigger on the road, so it remains easy to drive and park. I have also enjoyed the fancier adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and blind spot monitoring which is my all-time favourite safety feature.

Frustrations?

I found it a struggle to get comfortable in Captur and the Symbioz has an equally awkward driving position. It’s designed to sit high up, but if I raise the seat and align myself for the pedals and steering wheel, I find myself stooping so my eyeline is central to the windscreen. If I sit lower, then I can’t see the corners of the bonnet. I’m grateful for the electric seats which make it easier to tweak the position as I drive along, but I still can’t find a comfy compromise and I get aches in my lower back and neck after only an hour of driving. I know crossovers are popular, but I personally much prefer to sit lower down and to have more of a feel for what the car’s wheels are doing.

This month in a nutshell

And, just like that, my Captur is back. It’s been given a clean bill of health and a new pollen filter. Living with the Captur and Symbioz back-to-back has provided an interesting comparison but now my blue Captur is back on the driveway it’s time to say goodbye to the red Renault.