Used Renault Captur Buying Guide
The Captur is the Clio’s small-SUV sibling and a consistent UK top-seller. The first generation (2013-2019) sold on chunky looks and a sliding rear bench; the second (2020 on) grew up properly, adding E-Tech hybrid and plug-in versions and a far nicer cabin. It suits small families and downsizers wanting easy access without a big footprint.
Engines and trims
Current cars: TCe 90/100 petrols for the basics, TCe 130/140 for more shove, E-Tech 145 full hybrid as the economy pick, and the E-Tech 160 plug-in for home-chargers. First-generation cars ran 0.9/1.2 TCe petrols and the 1.5 dCi. Trim follows Clio logic — Evolution, Techno, Esprit Alpine on late cars; Iconic and S Edition earlier. The sliding, split rear bench is the party trick across generations: check it slides and latches properly.
What to check before buying
First-generation checks mirror the Clio’s: oil consumption on 1.2-family petrols (dipstick first, questions second), EDC dual-clutch behaviour at parking speeds, and dCi diesels preferring motorway histories for DPF health. Second-generation cars are more robust; focus on hybrid behaviour (smooth transitions, no warnings), plug-in charging evidence and cable presence, and infotainment function on the portrait screen. Family-use wear — boot scuffs, Isofix condition, kerbed alloys — is your negotiation list. Water ingress is rare, but test every electric window and the reversing camera. Then the paperwork: complete service history, coherent MOT mileage trail, and a full provenance check — small SUVs top the finance-outstanding lists, and finance follows the car.
Running costs
E-Tech hybrids return high-50s mpg in town-heavy use; TCe petrols mid-40s. Insurance, tyres and servicing are all bottom-of-class cheap. The plug-in only makes financial sense if you actually plug it in.
Verdict
A second-generation E-Tech Techno with history is one of the most sensible small-SUV buys going — economical, practical, unpretentious. First-generation cars are fine budget buys once the oil and gearbox checks pass.
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