Sector: Compact SUV Price: €13,860-€21,350 Fuel: 4.2-6.0l/100km CO2: 96-125g/km 

It doesn’t take much to work out that the Renault Captur – compact SUV, crossover, or however you want to categorise it – is related to the new Clio. Not that this is in any way a bad thing. The latest Clio is a neat little car and a fair bit of that neatness rubs off on the Captur, which then adds some style of its own.

There’s the two-tone colour scheme for instance – you don’t have to have it, but it lends the Captur a cheeky air – with the same colour picked out in the roof, door mirrors and alloy wheels. This can be matched in the seat covers, which can also be removed and cleaned in a washing machine – useful if you have small children.

That practicality is continued elsewhere inside. The Captur borrows from its Nissan Note cousin and has adopted a sliding rear seat, offering variable legroom or boot space as needed. With all seats in use, there is up to 455 litres of boot space, which opens up to 1,235 litres with the back seats folded away. There are a number of other storage spaces around the car, including an 11-litre drawer-type glove box on left-hand drive versions.

The taller body benefits interior space. There is reasonable room in the back, helped by that sliding seat and the gently tapering roof line. Three seats, split 60/40 are fitted in the rear, although they would be a tight fit for three adults. Renault says that the SUV equipment does not mean extra weight either, stating that the Captur weighs about as much as a Clio III.

Safety equipment is comprehensive, with front and side airbags and a driver lateral head-thorax airbag and ESC (electronic stability control), among other items.

Power comes from an all-turbocharged engine line-up starting with Renault’s uncannily smooth 90hp TCe 90 898cc triple cylinder petrol engine. Above that is the four-cylinder version with 120hp from 1,197cc, driving only through a dual-clutch automated six-speed gearbox. Alternatively there is the 90hp dCi 90 1.5-litre diesel, used extensively in the Renault and Nissan European ranges. This is available with a five-speed manual gearbox at present but will soon be followed by a variant coupled to the six-speed automated transmission. Not surprisingly it’s the diesel that offers the lowest CO2 emissions at 96g/km, with 115g/km for the TCe 90 and 125g/km for the TCe 120.

Part of the Captur’s low weight is due to the lack of four-wheel drive. It’s not an option. Neither is Renault’s Grip Extend system, similar to the Grip Control system available with the Peugeot 2008, which uses the ESC control electronics to optimise traction and could give the Captur useful off-road capability.

But it is available with Renault’s R-Link, integrating satellite navigation and online connectivity with 50 apps already available.

Don’t write off the tiny 898cc engine on the grounds of size. Turbocharging gives it an unexpected level of performance and it is uncannily smooth for a three-cylinder engine, arguably better than Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost. It is the entry-level engine, but far from being the least desirable.

Fleets will probably be drawn to the 1.5-litre diesel with its lower emissions and good torque. Its characteristics are well suited to the car and it is probably the most refined version of the engine when driven. The dual-clutch transmission will bring even greater versatility when it arrives.

It feels well assembled although the bright upholstery won’t be to everyone’s taste. But beware of the bulky A-pillars, which are quite capable of concealing an individual crossing the road, especially in town driving.

Verdict:

The Captur has stylish appeal but in some ways, the Peugeot 2008 does it better. Low-emission engines mean it’s worth a look if a compact SUV/crossover appeals.