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What’s it like?
The original Renault Captur, built from 2013 until 2019, was a compact crossover based on the contemporary Clio supermini of the time. With its taller body and higher driving position, it competed in a class against the likes of the Nissan Juke – to which it is distantly related – the Peugeot 2008, the Ford Puma and the Opel Mokka, among more. Offered with an array of drivetrain combinations and in various trim-level specifications, there should be a Captur to suit most people’s needs, so here’s a look at how to find a good example.
Which model to go for?
Boiled down, there were essentially three engines for the Captur, although a combination of manual and automatic gearboxes and differing power outputs made for a greater amount of choice than at first it might seem.
Petrol models go under the name ‘TCe’ and come in two main flavours. There was a charismatic 0.9-litre three-cylinder entry-level unit which delivered 90hp for adequate performance, but if you need a little more punch then the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder engine with 120hp is going to be more suitable.
Late in its life, the original Captur did end up with a 1.33-litre engine, but that was never sold here so if you see an example on the used market it’s going to be a UK import.
Turbodiesels were all 1.5-litre four-cylinder engines and were badged ‘dCi’. It was a straightforward choice of either a 90- or a 110hp engine if you fancy a diesel, so overall we’d say either the 120 TCe or the 110 dCi will make the best second-hand buys if you’re after a Renault Captur.
Does anything go wrong?
The main faults with the original Renault Captur were electrical, such as glitches with the trip computer, the DAB radio, the auto stop-start feature and the remote boot release. Mechanically, though, the Captur is fairly solid, so simply check the bodywork and interior out thoroughly for signs of excessive wear as most examples will have been used for rough-and-tumble urban and semi-urban lives so far.
This generation of the Renault Captur has been subject to seven different recalls, which were for a possible electric short-circuit between the battery terminal and the alternator, as well as potential issues with the front-seat belt retractor; incorrect welding on the catalytic converter; cracks in the front wheel hub; the dipped-beam headlight bulbs; the NOx exhaust after-treatment; and a leak in the flexible front brake hose.