Limited edition funky Captur

The new Sunset is powered by Renault’s dynamic 1.5 dCi 66kW Turbo Diesel, the brand’s most-sold engine which is renowned worldwide for its cheeky performance, frugal fuel consumption, and low emissions. Although only 100 Sunset versions will be sold locally the diesel engine will become a permanent feature of the range and a diesel-powered Dynamique model joins its three petrol-powered siblings, the 1.2 88kW Dynamique EDC, the Dynamique 66kW Turbo and the Expression 66kW Turbo.

The funky, easy-to-drive and practical crossover range already has a strong grip on the local market as the second biggest seller in the tightly-contested B-segment SUV crossover category. Locally this market segment has been dominated by petrol models with diesel engines only making up about 28% of sales, but with the Captur joining the ranks of those who already have diesel power, including the Kia Soul, VW Cross Polo, Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke, the popularity of diesel is set to grow.

The 1.5dCi turbo diesel that now also powers the Captur is already doing duty in Renault’s Duster SUV so it certainly is no stranger to these shores. I drove the oil-burning Captur at the local media introduction and enjoyed its pairing of a slick 5-speed manual transmission and chirpy engine, which is happily free of turbo lag. With 220Nm of torque on call from as low as 1,750r/min, the Captur feels keen to trot from the start and jogs on quickly through the gears.

Another impressive feature of the newcomer is its sip fuel consumption of just 3.6litres/100km in the combined cycle. For once, this consumption is not for an artificial laboratory-like achievement because the cars on our media drive were being monitored (unbeknown to us) where the best consumption figure was just 3.3 litres.

Stand-out, off-beat looks

Captur has captured the local market with its rather charming passenger car ride while also offering much of the practicality of a larger SUV and even traces of the nippy spirit of a hatch. Its stand-out, off-beat looks also have a lot to do with its popularity and the Sunset version is going to attract even more attention with its striking black body paint and distinctive Sunset Orange trim.

Inside the cabin splashes of bright orange also brighten the vent, the MediaNav console, door speaker surrounds and parts of the steering wheel. Carbon black and Sunset Orange even decorate the seat covers. As if the bright colour combinations are not already strong enough eye-magnets, the Sunset also has LED daytime running lights and fancy alloy rims.

Feathers in Captur's cap

Other crowd-pleasers include Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free telephony, and music streaming from external devices, as well as the integrated onboard multimedia system with 7” touchscreen. Satellite navigation and radio control are on tap via steering wheel controls.

The diesel powered Captur has an ECO mode setting which reduces fuel usage to the minimum plus electric side mirrors and electric windows, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors with rear camera, automatic headlights and rain sensitive front wipers.

The final feather in the Frenchie’s cap is a 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating thanks to features such as ABS with EBA and ESP, front airbags, head/chest side bags, seat belts with pre-tensioners and force limiters (front seats), anti-submarining front seats, anti-whiplash headrests and force limiter function (rear side seats). Three ISOFIX 3-point child seat anchor seat attachments are fitted to the front passenger and rear side seats.

The Captur Sunset is on the pricey side but for the price, buyers get a generous French serving of eye-catching design, practicality, driving fun, excellent occupant protection, quirky looks and the bragging rights that go with a limited edition vehicle. The entire Captur range comes with a price-inclusive five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty and a three-year/45,000km service plan.

The models and prices are:

Renault Captur 1.5 dCi SUNSET Ltd Edition - R292,400
Renault Captur 1.5 dCi Dynamique - R 289,900
Renault Captur Turbo Dynamique EDC - R 243,900
Renault Captur Turbo Dynamique - R 264,900
Renault Captur Turbo Expression - R 304,900