Renault Captur E-Tech plug-in hybrid 2020 UK first drive

The Renault electrification programme is gathering a head of steam, and has reached the Renault Captur. On the passenger car front, the all-electric Renault Renault Zoe supermini has been the competent and really quite pretty face of this campaign for the past decade or so; while the Renault Kangoo ZE went on to become the best-selling commercial EV in Europe by the end of 2019. The dinky Renault Twizy made for a fascinating support act, too.

Now, though, Renault has broadened its portfolio of electrified vehicles to include powertrains that the man on the street might deem to be more accessible. So there’s a hybrid version of the RenaultClio supermini; a new plug-in hybrid Renault Mégane Sport Tourer estate; and this, the new Captur E-Tech PHEV.

Based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-B platform, it makes use of a normally aspirated 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is paired with a 49kW electric motor and a smaller integrated starter-generator. These draw their energy from a smallish battery that’s housed beneath the rear passenger bench, and which has a usable capacity of 7.5kWh for a WLTP-certified electric-only range of 30 miles.

Plugged into a dedicated home wallbox (which Renault currently provides free of charge via BP Chargemaster), its battery can be topped up from 0-100% capacity in around three hours. Drive is directed to the front wheels via a specially developed multi-mode dog-clutch gearbox that has six forward speeds.

The system has a fairly modest combined output of 158bhp. Renault doesn’t specify a system output for torque, but individually the petrol engine develops 103lb ft at 3200rpm, while the electric motor produces 184lb ft. On paper, performance isn’t particularly electric, then; the Captur PHEV can accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.1sec, which is three-tenths of a second slower than the plug-in Renault Mégane with which it shares its powertrain.

Our test car was a European-spec left-hooker but was nevertheless representative of what we’ll get here in UK when deliveries begin in October. Like the Renault Clio supermini, the Captur’s cabin packs plenty of chic design appeal, and a fairly liberal application of soft-touch moulded plastics on the dash and doors helps to improve tactile appeal. A few of the switches feel a bit flimsy, and the gear selector is as rattly in its housing as ever, but on the whole the Captur impresses.

A sliding rear bench helps out with second-row leg room, so while the back of the Captur doesn’t exactly feel cavernous, there’s decent enough space for an average-sized adult to sit comfortably. Head room is a bit tight, however, and boot space takes a slight hit compared with its non-plug-in range-mates. Where the ICE cars have up to 422 litres of seats-up luggage capacity, the PHEV makes do with 379 litres.