What is it?

With the compact crossover sector growing massively in sales and to keep the Captur current, Renault has given the Nissan Juke rival a mild mid-life facelift and we try the Renault Captur 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique S.

Previous winner at our SME Company Car of the Year awards, the Captur, believe it or not, has been on sale since 2013.

What hasn’t changed is the choice of engines, with two petrol TCe petrols with 89bhp and 118bhp and two dCi diesels, one with 89bhp and the expected best-selling diesel we have here, with 108bhp.

Have Renault done enough to keep the rivals at bay? We took this Dynamique S for a drive to find out.

Why would you want to drive the Renault Captur?

•  No wonder Renault thinks this is going to be the best-selling diesel engine, as on top of the 76.3mpg combined consumption figure, this crossover is still refined, torquey (260Nm) and feels reasonably quick with a 0-60mph acceleration in 11 seconds and a top speed of 109mph. It is well-mated to the slick-feeling six-speed manual transmission too.
• The Captur is one of the better-looking compact crossovers and thankfully, the Renault designers have mostly left it alone. Look closely and you’ll spot the optional LED-lit headlights, there’s also a chrome strip on the grille and kick plates on both the front and rear bumpers to bring them into line with its bigger brother, the Kadjar.
• Inside, like the outside, the changes to the Captur are subtle. Look closely and you’ll see the plastics are better quality on the dashboard and doors. There’s also a more premium feel to the three-spoke steering wheel. Elsewhere, there are more supportive front seats and Android auto compatibility for the infotainment system. Finally, like its sister car, the Clio supermini, there are lots of options or personalisation, so Renault is offering more ‘Interior Touch’ option packs.
• Despite the SUV-like ride height and 17-inch alloys fitted to the test car, the Captur impresses by what a comfortable drive it is. The handling is tidy and the roadholding is good. In fact, it feels much like a taller current model Clio which it effectively is.
• Modern Renaults major on their crash performance and the latest Captur is no different with its five-star result. At the front, there’s the expected front and side airbags, with ISOFIX fixings for the rear seats.
• Even in mid-range Dynamique S trim, this Captur costs just over £21,000. However, it is well-equipped with plenty of standard kit including rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels and the full LED headlights.

What might put you off the Captur?

• This dCi 110 diesel engine isn’t the most powerful and is quite noisy from start up and when extended.
• The cabin plastics although better than before, still lag behind more modern rivals.
• The Captur might have five-doors, but rear space is still a bit tight.

Verdict on Renault Captur 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique S

The Renault Captur is a popular compact crossover and with these minor face-lift changes, there’s no reason to think its popularity won’t change.

So how does it compare to its key rival — the Nissan Juke? Closest model is the 1.5-litre dCi Tekna. The Renault scores the first blow, as it is cheaper, although by just £65 and looks more modern.

Although for an SME, the emissions and tax band are going to be key and this is where the Renault continues its winning streak, with lower 98g/km emissions versus 104g/km of the Nissan. The Renault also has a lower tax band of 21% versus 22% of the Nissan – just!