Renault has launched their all-new SUV, the Captur, in the Indian car market and we are still recovering from the pricing surprise. Starting at 9.99 lakhs ex-showroom for the base petrol RXT and the Rs 11.39 lakhs for the RXT diesel, the Captur finds itself right in the middle of the compact crossover SUV segment. The Hyundai Creta rules the roost after dethroning Renault’s own Duster from the top-spot. You also have the erstwhile Nissan Terrano and Maruti’s wannabe SUV, the S-Cross in the fray.
Hyundai Creta
The Hyundai Creta is selling more units every month than all other compact SUVs in its segment. With its top-notch quality and premium feel, the Renault Captur has a tough task ahead. The Renault Captur is quite well loaded with equipment. Despite being based on the Duster, the Captur doesn’t resemble the butch SUV at all, either from the outside or inside. But it certainly outdoes the Creta in terms of driving dynamics and handling, thanks to the Duster platform. On the other hand, the Captur does not offer automatic transmission, as of now, for either of the engine options, both of which are outnumbered in terms of power by the Hyundai.
Maruti S-Cross
The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is being mentioned here for the only reason that it measures above four metres in length. Otherwise, apart from the oodles of chrome, there isn’t much to it. For example, the looks are strictly crossover-like and it looks more like a butch hatch than an SUV. Also, with its puny 90bhp 1.3-litre diesel and no petrol option, the S-Cross barely offers anything. But at the end of the day, it is a Maruti Suzuki and the Captur will have to deal with the brand’s dominance for it to stand up. Otherwise, the choice would straightaway be the Captur.
Nissan Terrano
Well, this is the Duster’s twin and the soul cousin of the Renault Captur. Known for its simple but attractive looks, the Terrano hasn’t really been able to get going in India despite a good start. So, it is not really a competition for the Captur. Plus, the Captur’s all new interior is leagues ahead of the Nissan. The ride and handling of the two cars will more or less be the same and so there isn’t anything that you would miss out on by choosing the Captur.
Renault Duster
The Captur and the Duster are essentially unidentical twins. The Captur has been designed and built for a premium advantage over the Duster and it shows. The Duster, on the other hand, gets the advantage of its SUV bodylines and stance while the Captur’s design is crossover-ish. But then, the interiors of the Captur certainly seem to be a tad above the Duster and ideally, it would be a better choice, unless you are on a very tight budget.