2022 Renault Captur

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Review

As a brand in Malaysia, Renault has had a bit of an up and down over the years. At one point they were down to pretty much their Renault Sport models – performance hot hatchbacks that proved surprisingly popular and served a burgeoning enthusiast market, but ultimately not translating to sales of their more pedestrian models.

But come 2015, Renault decided to develop and produce something that would come at just the right time: the Captur. The Renault Captur is a compact crossover SUV, and it has been offered locally with a singular powertrain and in a few different trim levels.

Over the years, the move from fully imported to locally assembled was made, and the trim levels were adjusted as was the equipment list. At this point, however, only pre-registered units are available for sale as towards the end of 2020, the second-generation Renault Captur was brought forth in Europe being a rather significant upgrade.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Specifications

Historically there has been a singular powertrain on offer for the Renault Captur, and this continues until today for the Malaysian market. It packs a compact turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine, pushing 118 hp and 190 Nm of torque. This is one of the first mass market Renault models in Malaysia to feature a downsized turbocharged engine instead of a larger naturally aspirated package.

This form of powertrain has its advantages, as Malaysians have learned over the years. Looking beyond displacement, these compact engines have the added benefit of making a lot of torque from low engine speeds. That 190 Nm is available from just 2,000 rpm, meaning that it’s easy to overtake and get off the line quickly from a stop. The power figure is comparable to a 1.5 or 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, but with much better drivability thanks to the turbocharged nature.

Also something that hasn’t changed is the fact that the Renault Captur only delivers its power to the front wheels, though it isn’t alone in this as pretty much every rival and product in this class does the same. This is even something that’s present at more expensive market segments as customers value features and functionality over an outright all-wheel drive system.

The transmission in question is Renault’s EDC – or efficient dual clutch – unit. We first saw this with the Renault Clio RS 200 EDC, and it’s essentially a dry-clutch dual-clutch type automatic transmission. In this guise it packs six forward ratios, driving power exclusively to the front wheels as mentioned earlier.

Dimensionally, the Renault Captur is solid in its position with a wheelbase of 2,606 mm, a length of 4,122 mm, and a width of 1,778 mm. It does also have a marginal ride height advantage over something like a Renault Clio hatchback, which lets it take bumps and undulations a little more readily as well as having a higher hip point for easier entry and egress.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Exterior

While there are three “variants” of the Renault Captur of sorts, they are fairly flat in terms of their exterior styling. All variants get the C-shaped signatured LED daytime running lights, as well as LED front fog lights. There’s also the same 17-inch two-tone alloy wheel for all variants. Where the top-of-the-range Captur Trophy stands out is with elements like the exclusive Trophy Orange body colour, as well as some styling elements like a front and rear bumper spoiler and a chequered flag decal.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Interior

The inside of the Renault Captur is a blend between simplicity and style. It’s a very interesting combination, and really the first taste Malaysians would get of French mass market product styling. It’s unfortunate that hard black plastics feature so heavily, but the seat materials and the touch points are comfortable and tactile, with functionality coming in strong. Build quality is reasonable, as is headroom and legroom.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Safety Features

Regardless of which variant of the Renault Captur you choose from, you get the same safety features and kit. This turns out to be relatively light as the Captur was a model developed and launched in the mid 2010s, meaning that advanced safety features and functionality were still a far cry from this end of the market. You get your usual electronic aids like stability control and traction control, as well as ABS with EBD and brake assist – but beyond this there really isn’t much to shout about.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

When the Renault Captur was first launched, it had a lot of things going for it. It was coming into a segment that was incredibly fresh, with rivals being pretty much unknown to Malaysians and that in turn gave it a bit of an even playing field to fight against what would usually be the default options. What was surprising is the fact that even as a fresh product, the Renault Captur actually was a competitive proposition.

The standout elements that it had working for it was its quirky stylings – a bit of a more mass market MINI product in a sense – and that translated to a look and feel that was unique and perhaps a little more inspiring than the sombre choices it would be going up against. The turbocharged engine was also a strong point, though perhaps a little ahead of its time.

Ultimately what hurt the Renault Captur’s chances was Renault’s less than stellar presence in Malaysia, as well as the fears surrounding dual clutch transmissions. Even until today, there is a bit of hesitancy when it comes to adopting a dual clutch product as there have been nightmares in the past and no owner really wants to deal with a car that’s constantly in the workshop.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Price

Bearing in mind that all variants are pre-registered, pricing has changed a little over time. Entry to the Renault Captur range starts at RM 87,300.00 for the base model variant, going up to RM 92,700 for the Captur+. The Captur Trophy takes the price up to RM 93,400.00. These prices are inclusive of current exemptions and everything you need to get the car on the road short of insurance.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Features

Features are solid through the range of Renault Capturs available to Malaysians. You get keyless entry and start, automatic single-zone climate control, a seven-inch touchscreen head unit with internet connectivity, a four-speaker and two-tweeter sound system, and automatic windscreen wipers. There are some additional items for the Captur+ variant: an additional hands-free power tailgate, a driving video recorder, an armrest, and a trunk entry guard. The hands-free power tailgate is also included for the Captur Trophy, but not the other items. Additional optional items you can add on are limited to mostly solar or security tint films.

Renault Captur 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption figure for the Renault Captur across all its variants is 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres, which translates to 16.9 kilometres per litre. It is important to note that this is a turbocharged car, meaning that figures can change relatively sharply depending on the way in which you drive. If you accelerate aggressively or maintain higher cruising speeds, you can expect fuel consumption to worsen significantly.