Used Renault Captur 2020-present review review
Frugal and reasonably priced, the funky Renault Captur is easy to live with but rather unpolished to drive.
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What's the used Renault Captur like?
Ownership cost
Our recommendations
Alternatives
Reliability
Mark Pearson
Updated: 10 September 2025
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What's the used Renault Captur like?
In the battle for small SUV supremacy, the Renault Captur has been in the fight since 2013.
The original (2013-2019) Renault Captur was so popular that, with this second one, Renault chose evolution over revolution. The car's funky looks were made sharper, its chic interior more premium and its engine line-up more varied.
Overview
The Renault Captur is a frugal and reasonably priced small SUV. With sharper looks, a more premium interior, and a varied engine range, this second-generation model remains competitive as a used buy, though its driving experience is somewhat unrefined. Overall, it offers practicality and affordability in a neat package suited especially to urban drivers.
Pros
- Well equipped for the money
- Affordable to buy and run, especially the hybrid versions
- Sliding rear seats are standard from new
Cons
- Engines are relatively weak
- Rivals have more rear seat space
- E-Tech PHEV is disappointing to drive
Used cars available now
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Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique S MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£1,490
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Expression + Convenience Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,195
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,195
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,199
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique S Nav Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,490
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,490
See all available cars
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The facelifted Captur was revealed in April 2024 and the changes included a restyled front grille, new taillight graphics, the inclusion of the latest logo from Renault, removal of the faux exhaust trim, leather and chrome materials removed in place for recyclable materials, a larger size for the digital instrument cluster and some updated touchscreen information.
As a used buy, it's more competitive than ever.
Engines & Performance: The engine range kicks off with the TCe 90, an 89bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol that comes exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Sadly, the TCe 90 lacks get up and go, so we'd recommend turning instead to the TCe 140 – a 138bhp 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol available with a manual or automatic gearbox. It provides brisk enough acceleration, with 0-60mph in around 10 seconds. A 94bhp 1.5-litre diesel is also available, but it's not as commonplace as the petrols.
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There are also the automatic-only E-Tech Hybrid 145 and more powerful 158bhp E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid 160. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the quickest Captur, officially hitting 0-62mph in a lively 8.6sec, and has an official electric-only range of around 30 miles.
The E-Tech Hybrid 145 is best suited to trundling along in town traffic at low speeds without needing the engine. It's punchy enough in urban environments, and isn’t that much slower from 0-62mph than the TCe 140. Acceleration trails off a bit when the engine is engaged to get you up to motorway speeds, though.
Ride & Handling: The Captur doesn’t deal with pockmarked urban road surfaces particularly gracefully. The heavier E-Tech versions are arguably the worst of the range over potholes, although they're not back-breaking.
The ride improves as you build speed, but never completely settles. It fidgets, even on a smooth-looking section of motorway, and over bigger dips and crests it can get a bit bouncy. Our tip is to try to avoid the bigger 18in wheels, which make matters even worse.
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The Captur’s steering is precise enough and light around town, but doesn't build weight reassuringly at faster speeds. A lack of outright grip works against it too, although body lean is kept relatively in check.
The E-Tech hybrid Captur is a little more weighty, but that’s nothing compared with the PHEV model, which is a fair bit heavier due to its larger battery pack. That makes the car feel less agile than in petrol guise, although the standard car isn't exactly a barrel of laughs anyway.
Interior & Practicality: If the raised driving position promised by a small SUV is what you’re after, the Captur will appeal to you. The seat, steering wheel and pedals line up well, so you're not sitting at an odd angle.
The air-conditioning is operated using physical controls rather than a touchscreen, which is a good thing and keeps distraction to a minimum. You get standard analogue instrument dials on most models, but they're replaced by a 7.0in digital display in S Edition cars or a 10.0in one in the E-Tech hybrid and PHEV models.
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Front passenger space is good, while rear room is adequate rather than amazing. A six-footer will find their head is rather close to the roof, and knee room will be tight if there’s someone of a similar height sitting in front.
Renault says the Captur has one of the biggest boots in the class, but there’s a caveat: that’s only if you slide the rear bench all the way forward, which doesn't leave much rear leg room. With the bench slid all the way back to maximise rear leg room, boot space is 422 litres. That’s more than you get in most family hatchbacks.
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Trims & Equipment: The trims range starts with SE Limited, followed by Iconic, S Edition, sporty R.S. Line and Launch Editions for the E-Tech hybrids. Standard equipment from new includes full LED front and rear headlights, auto folding power-adjustable side mirrors and rear privacy glass. You also get a 7in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth and a DAB radio.
Interested in buying a used Renault Captur? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
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Tips & Advice
How to test drive a car
There’s no substitute for a test drive in a new car. Take it on a variety of roads and surfaces to ensure it measures up.
Will the car fit your needs?
As part of the test drive, fill the car with regularly-carried luggage, and make sure the family can get comfy before you buy
Ownership cost
What used Renault Captur will I get for my budget?
Used Renault Capturs start at around £10,000. That'll get you a 2020 Iconic model. Expect the 1.0-litre petrol or 1.5-litre diesel to be under the bonnet. Hybrid and PHEV examples start at around £11,000. Spend between £10,000 and £12,000 on a 2021 or 2022 car, £12,000 and £15,000 on a 2023 model and for a 2024 or 2025 Captur, have a budget upwards of £17,000.
Check the value of a used Renault Captur with What Car? Valuations
Find used Renault cars for sale
How much does cost to run a Renault Captur?
MPG: The 89bhp 1.0-litre has an official average of 47.8mpg, while the 138bhp 1.3-litre averages 47.9mpg. The hybrid's average is 56.5mpg and the PHEV's is 217.3mpg, although that will be difficult to achieve in real-world driving.
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The PHEV will officially do around 30 miles on electricity alone.
Road tax: All variants will currently cost you £195 per year in road tax. Find out more about current road tax costs here
Insurance and servicing: Insurance groups never exceed 22, so it should be relatively cheap to insure. Renault offers fixed-price service plans from £265 – that includes one A service and one B service.
Reliability
This generation of the Renault Captur has delivered a mixed reliability record, according to real-world owner reviews in our annual What Car? Reliability Survey.
While some owners find it dependable, others have faced electrical issues, particularly with faulty infotainment systems and dashboard warning lights. Problems with the keyless entry system and occasional gearbox faults in automatic models were also reported, though less frequently.
Dealer service experiences were inconsistent, with some praising quick fixes while others faced long delays and poor communication.
Find out more about the used Renault Captur’s reliability on our dedicated page.
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Tips & Advice
Organise your motoring life
Whether you need to keep tabs on your insurance renewal, sort breakdown cover, or book a service, My What Car? has you covered
Never miss a motoring date
Remembering to arrange insurance, book a service or buy breakdown cover can be a pain. Fortunately, My What Car? is here to help
Can I buy a car with cash?
Paying cash isn’t always an easy way to a new car – and you may not be able to get the big discounts you might expect
Protect your investment
GAP insurance allows you to get the full price for your car if it’s stolen or written off, but only a quarter of Brits buy it
Reduce your car finance bills
Refinancing your car effectively means taking out one loan to pay off another, which could help reduce your monthly payments, or reduce your finance term
What is hire purchase?
Hire purchase allows you to make monthly payments to buy your next car – although these will be higher than with a PCP
What is PCP finance?
Low monthly payments are key to the appeal of Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements. But are there downsides?
Our recommendations
Which used Renault Captur should I buy?
Engines
The 89bhp 1.0-litre petrol (TCe 90) is a little lacklustre, so the punchier 138bhp 1.3-litre petrol (TCe 140) is a justifiable upgrade. The hybrids are also worth considering, although they demand considerably more cash.
Trims
Iconic trim is the most common on the used market – it comes with a good level of equipment, too.
Our favourite Renault Captur: TCe 90 Iconic
Tips & Advice
Avoid ULEZ and clean-air zone fines
If you regularly drive into a clean air zone, you’ll want to ensure your next car is compliant to avoid costly fines
Alternatives
What alternatives should I consider to a used Renault Captur?
The Suzuki Vitara is a similar size to the Captur. It’s good to drive, has a practical interior and is well equipped. On the minus side, its CO2 emissions are quite high.
The Suzuki Ignis is slightly smaller overall, but it’s very good value for money, is fun to drive and is well equipped. The ride is rather firm, though, and it’s noisy at speed.
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The Toyota C-HR is not the most practical small SUV, but it does drive rather well and you can find it in hybrid form. It comes with Toyota’s famed reputation for reliability, which should mean years of trouble-free motoring.
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Interested in buying a used Renault Captur? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
How reliable is the Renault Captur ?
Reliability rating: 92%
Renault Captur
Read reliability
Used cars available now
In partnership with
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique S MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£1,490
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Expression + Convenience Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,195
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,195
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,199
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique S Nav Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,295
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,490
Renault Captur
1.5 dCi ENERGY Dynamique MediaNav Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr
£2,490
See all available cars
About the writer
Name: Mark Pearson
Title: Used cars editor
Follow Mark Pearson on
Mark Pearson has been a motoring journalist for more than 15 years and is currently the used cars editor for What Car?.
Mark spent his formative years at the BBC, where, at various times, he scheduled, broadcast and archived television and radio programmes and researched, wrote and produced promotional material.
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