I’ve expressed my deprecating opinion on front-wheel drive crossovers, seeing them as pointless and mere marketing tricks specifically designed to sell more hatchbacks, but I can’t not like the new Renault Captur, simply because it is handsome to behold – it is one of the prettier rhombus-badged cars of recent years.
Now, being very new, there aren’t that many unofficial videos about it on the web, but the UK testers at HonestJohn were quick to try it out, equipped with the familiar 1.5-liter DCi engine, which is identical to the unit found in the Clio, and makes 89 hp (90 PS). Performance is marginally slower than that of the hatch, and since it is quite a bit higher, the driving dynamics aren’t as sharp.
Overall, the review is positive, and one is left with the impression that the Captur is a bit of a girly vehicle, which should exude strong appeal towards women. It looks like an SUV, and according to this review it drives more like one than you would expect, ensuring a surefooted drive free of fuss (and all-wheel drive).
The Captur will likely sell well, as it gets all of the class requirements right: it’s front-wheel driven, it’s quite green, it’s very spacious, it looks very good (especially finished in blue with white accents like the test car), it drives decently and uses little fuel in doing so. Still, I for one would still not buy one of these with money, but it’s made me less ignorant as to why other people would find it enticing.
By Andrei Nedelea
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