By Otsile Kadiege

Renault unveiled the mid-life refreshed Captur which boasts a bold new look, a leather- and chrome-free interior with a bunch of new technologies and a variety of electrified powertrains.

Exterior

The new Captur adopts the brand’s new design language initiated by Gilles Vidal, Renault’s Head of Design. This new design philosophy gives the Captur a stylish, premium and dynamic look. Up front, the updated Captur sports a multi-faced grille with the Nouvel’R one-piece logo built into it, aggressive-looking headlights which come as standard with full LED technology and horizontal air intakes on the front bumper.

Depending on the grade you chose, the new Captur is either shod with 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels. The contemporary theme is carried over to the rear where the Captur boasts Renault’s signature taillight design with transparent light housings, the brand’s new logo on the centre of the tailgate and a redesigned rear diffuser.

The new Captur is available with a choice of six body colours, namely Pearl White, Oyster Grey, Starry Black, Gunmetal Grey, Iron Blue and Flame red. Customers who want a more unique look can opt for two-tone colour schemes or take personalisation even further with a choice of 14 colourful configurations.

Interior and technology

Inside, the updated Captur sports the same design but ushers in new, leather- and chrome-free upholstery and trimmings. A new optional Esprit Alpine trim gets grade-specific materials and styling. Other new features include a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Safety and driver assistance systems

The Captur has 28 new-generation driving aids divided into three categories, namely safety, driving and parking. Some of these include Active Driver Assist, Predictive Eco Driving Advice, Intelligent Speed Assistance, Hybrid Predictive Driving, Automatic Emergency Braking System, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, 360-degree view camera and front, rear and side parking sensors to name a few.

Powertrains

The updated Captur has two 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engines with power and torque outputs ranging between 90/100bhp (67kW/74kW) and 160/170Nm. There are also three 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engines and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Three of the four-cylinder engines have mild hybrid or hybrid technologies for improved fuel efficiency and performance. Their power and torque outputs range between 140bhp/160bhp (104kW/119kW) and 250Nm/270Nm.

Availability

Renault South Africa is yet to confirm local availability.