Renault Captur 2021: little SUV packs big space from $28,190

After achieving quite limited success with the previous generation the Renault Captur is back with a slew of equipment to take on the rapidly growing small SUV market.

Renault has announced its 2021 Captur small SUV has gone on sale in Australia promising extensive upgrades over its predecessor and a starting price of $28,190, before on-road costs.

Available in three grades, the second generation Captur has been modernised with new tech features and enhanced practicality to take on a slew of new rivals and the seemingly unbeatable Mazda CX-3.

Renault Captur 2021 rear — The Renault Captur had landed in Australia with an entry price of $28,190, before on-road costs

Although cutting a familiar figure, the Captur has been given a bit of a spruce up on the outside with a wider grille and distinctive ‘C’ shaped LED headlights and daytime running lights with slim tail lights at the rear.

The Captur now sits on the CMF-B platform which is said to enhance the dynamic capability and refinement, while an additional 110mm in length opens up more space on the inside.

Renault has also been smart with this space, giving rear passengers the ability to move their seat 160mm fore vs aft to create up to 536-litres of boot space, which is larger than some midsize SUVs such as the Mazda CX-5.

Renault Captur 2021 front street — The Captur is now a little bit bigger with a new platform enhancing its dynamic capability

The French manufacturer has cleverly packaged the Captur with slimmer front seats that help open up 17mm more legroom in the second row, which can also fold down to create a completely flat loading area if you need even more room in the boot.

With a large take up of younger buyers in the small SUV segment, technology is of critical importance and Renault has kitted out the Captur accordingly.

Standard on the entry-level Captur Life and mid-tier is a seven-inch touchscreen or a unique 9.3-inch portrait display on the top-spec Captur Intens grade.

Renault Captur 2021 interior — Buyers can option the Captur with a 10-inch digital driver’s display and 9.3-inch touchscreen

Both are equipped with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with buyers able to option the 10-inch digital instrument cluster in the top-spec Captur Intens.

Somewhat unusual for this class is the addition of rear air vents and dual USB ports. Other handy features such as a wireless charger auto-folding mirrors and rain-sensing wipers are available in the Captur Zen and Intens.

Buyers who opt for the top-spec Captur will also receive what Renault calls the ‘flying centre console’ which adds additional storage in the centre along with a 360-degree camera, satellite navigation and a Bose sound system.

Renault Captur 2021 boot — The Captur boasts a boot that can expand up to 536-litres with the rear seats moved forward

Powering the Captur is a small but mighty turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine developing 113kW of power and 270Nm of torque which harnesses a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox to send power straight to the front wheels.

It’s enough power to give the small SUV a respectable 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds and if the hype around the new platform is to be believed it should be fun around the bends as well.

But just in case that punchy little engine gets you into some trouble, fear not as the Captur is a safe car and was recently awarded a five-star rating by ANCAP under its more stringent testing regulations.

Renault Captur 2021 front driving 2 — The Captur sits on a new platform that is said to have enhanced its dynamic ability

In addition, driver aids such as lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, a rearview camera along with front and rear sensors have been fitted as standard.

Buyers can add more safety features by selecting the Captur Zen which adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert while the top-spec Intens adds a 360-degree camera which could save you a few curbed rims.

Renault says the Captur is available to order now with a delivery date of sometime in April but the chances are you’ll be able to find them in showrooms very soon.