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Renault Captur E-Tech: long-term test review


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The Renault Captur The E-Tech is a sleek and efficient small SUV. While it’s possible to find fault with aspects of the infotainment, that ultimately didn’t detract much from our good impressions of this all-rounder.

  • Mileage: 5,410
  • Economy: 47.8mpg

Please listen very carefully, I’ll say zis just once… Renault’s speech recognition system could have acted as a stand-up comedy in a BBC sitcom, but it proved useless for the role. driver assistance.

Perhaps it would be cruel to single out this defect in Captur E-Tech Hybrid, but that’s the problem with long-term tests of cars that score well right out of the box. If you can’t really fault the drive or the realism, a nasty detail will get more column inches than can be guaranteed. But anyways here!

Voice recognition from all sorts of manufacturers has irked owners for a few years now, but that’s okay when it once felt like a futuristic feature that’s making its way. new. Today, thanks to assistants like Apple, Amazon, and Google that work intuitively on smartphones, in-car systems can become increasingly meaningless.

The Captur Struggling to recognize pure English and tell the car where you want to go is sure to end up with a hilarious list of suggested destinations. We just try it for kicks and giggles if we get bored. Android Autoon the other hand, smart enough to give instructions even when you’re using a comedic voice to try and fool it.

My only real problem is using Google’s setup for navigation and entertainment, instead of RenaultIts own system that plugs in a phone that adds a few moments of mischief to every journey. The protruding cable means that my phone also won’t sit properly in the tray indicated under the dash.

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However, thanks to Android Auto, my relationship with Captur is based on audio communication, and that’s great. So why talk about it? Mainly because I dread to think how much companies like Renault have invested in their in-house technology, and I wonder if cars could be a little cheaper if companies took an open-minded approach. more in sharing or buying. It is encouraging to report that the system on the upcoming new Mégane will be powered by Google and Android.

So what’s new with Captur? We, boasted more than 53mpg of economy last time, but the trip computer display average has since dropped to 47.8mpg. That’s not entirely impressive, especially if driving with high annual mileage given the sky-high price of lead-free.

I wonder if the cold weather has any effect, but the truth is that I’m probably driving the Captur a little more aggressively than it did in its first weeks, because of the novel value of revving in the mode. The full EV has dropped a bit. Still, that’s a pretty frugal number, and I still feel proud to do a little bit of clean air on the track.

Renault Captur E-Tech: first report

We launch a hybrid version of the Renault Captur crossover as it joins our fleet

  • Mile: 1.153
  • Economy: 53.4mpg

Passengers have described them as whistling, whistling, or whistling sounds, but whatever you name them, I’ve grown quite fond of the small noise range we’ve developed. Renault Captur E-Tech do while it is in power-only mode.

The crossover just joined our fleet – marking its debut by beat Honda HR-V and SEAT Arona in an Auto Express group test – and the latest generation of a self-charging hybrid model. Even though you won’t get the 30-mile range on pure electrics like more expensive cars dip into the mixture variant offers, you spend more time with just battery power than you can imagine.

It’s not just in the town where Captur It also cuts emissions from the carbon exhaust, because the powertrain spends a large amount of time in EV mode when you’re on the open road.

Progress at such times is marked by the aforementioned soft and gentle whistles. These are intended to warn passersby of what might be an overly stealthy approach, but in fact help give the Captur a bit of personality as well as keep the driver engaged with what it is. do.

They’re the kind of non-intrusive yet reassuring background noise you might expect from a classic futuristic home robot politely doing housework out of a sci-fi movie, though you’ll be relieved when know that I am not tempted. show Renault a pet name, and it doesn’t show any signs of wanting to conspire against me.

You can, of course, talk to the Captur – in theory at least – but early indications are that it prefers to make a soft chirp on its own rather than listen to any instruction messages given to the system. on-board voice recognition.

As a parent, I’m used to that kind of behavior, so I’m taking a patient approach at first. If it continues, I’ll probably feel a little discouraged, but Captur is doing so well in every other respect that picking up bugs at this early stage can seem pretty daunting. Maybe we just need to get to know each other a little better. I will update you.

I’ve driven about 1,000 miles in the Captur since it was delivered, and it’s not just the sound effects that have proven to be endearing. For starters, I think this latest Captur looks a lot better than its predecessor, and the design isn’t as focused as … grandma.

So while I don’t intend to suggest that this kid’s crossover is the epitome of red machismo, the combination of our car’s sharp-cut 18-inch alloy wheels, paint Metallic and black roofs have drawn appreciative comments from at least a few insiders. The person’s comments may be more mocking.

I liked the look of it too, and so did the kids, who were mesmerized by the Captur’s alternate drive modes – especially when that meant using rough fingers to select Mode. Economical driving through the touch screen. They also love the raised ride height, and a recent visit to our local banger track even gave them a chance to try and see the rear end, although the actual boot often serves as the object. owner for a large Munsterlander dog.

Other powertrain options are Sport and a configurable mode called My Sense, both of which haven’t really been explored yet, but it’s really an indication of a Captur powertrain How nicely it works when left to the device itself. It’s smooth, quiet, powerful enough when you need it, and perhaps most of all, it’s impressively efficient. My typical mix of urban, country, and road mile A has seen the trip computer refuse to move in the worst case by 52.5mpg, and it typically lingers around the 54.4mpg mark. They are numbers where, not long ago, you would have gloated about diesel engines.

While low running costs are great, I’m not entirely convinced that hybrid driving is a completely reliable environmental solution. I’m all in favor of cutting particles and CO2 emissions while driving, but the long-term carbon footprint of a vehicle with both a traditional petrol engine and a large battery is more confusing. If you listened more attentively, perhaps Captur’s whistle had an air of indifference.

Paradigm: Renault Captur S Edition E-Tech Hybrid 145 Auto
On the fleet since: October 2021
New price: £26,000
Engine: MHEV petrol 1.6 liter 4cyl
CO2 / tax: 114g/km / £170
Option: Metallic paint (£700)
Insurrance*: Group: 13 Quotes: £453
Mileage: 5,410
Economy: 47.8mpg
Any problems? Far-out

* Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, for three points.



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