2025 Renault Captur facelift unveiled, due in Australia next year

The 2025 Renault Captur city SUV has been given a facelift nearly five years after the current model was unveiled, ahead of Australian showroom arrivals between January and March next year.

The update for Renault's smallest SUV in Australia brings a restyled front fascia, new wheels and colours, updated interior technology and new safety features.

Australian arrivals are due to commence in early 2025. Details of the local Captur model range are yet to be announced, however, the current model is sold in four variants powered by a 1.3-litre turbo four-cylinder engine without hybrid technology.

The facelift brings the Captur in line with the look of Renault's latest models, including the Scenic and Megane electric cars, with a hint of Peugeot in the headlights – likely thanks to chief designer Gilles Vidal, who led Peugeot design for 10 years before joining Renault in 2020.

Other design changes include; new clear tail-light housings, a restyled rear bumper, new 17- and 18-inch alloy wheel designs, and the option of an Esprit Alpine variant with a different front bumper, black highlights and unique 19-inch wheels.

Inside, the Captur gains a larger 10.4-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen (up from 9.3 inches) running Renault's latest Android-based OpenR Link software, with wireless/wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as built-in Google apps such as Maps.

A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster remains available, while a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is now an option – as well as two new 'welcome sounds' designed by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre.

New upholstery designs are included, depending on the model, with fabric seats, blue/grey dashboard inserts, blue contrast stitching, aluminium pedals and French flag detailing in the Esprit Alpine, which is expected to replace the RS Line.

Renault says leather upholstery has been replaced with "grained cover material" – as it plans for none of its cars to include animal-derived materials by 2025 – while the seat trims in all versions use recycled materials.

A range of engines are available for the Captur in various markets, including the 113kW/270Nm 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder offered in Australia with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Overseas there is a 66kW/160Nm 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder, 103kW/260Nm and 118kW/270Nm versions of the 1.3-litre engine with mild-hybrid tech, and a 1.0-litre petrol and LPG dual-fuel engine.

Of most interest is likely to be the hybrid, which combines a 69kW 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 36kW electric motor, 18kW 'high-voltage starter generator' electric motor, and a 1.2kWh battery for 107kW combined.

It claims fuel consumption of 4.7 to 4.9L/100km, and uses a 'multi-mode dog clutch gearbox' – which it calls "clutchless", and has four gears for the petrol engine, with two for the main electric motor.

Renault says the Captur's suspension and steering have been retuned – including new dampers for the hybrid – to improve body control over bumps.

The adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist systems are said to have been updated, and the speed-sign recognition tech gains an overspeed warning to meet new European safety rules.

Fitted to the left of the steering wheel is the 'My Safety Switch', a shortcut which lets drivers activate their preferred settings (on or off) for five of the car's advanced safety features with the press of a button.

Carry-over safety technology includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, door exit warning and front, rear and side parking sensors.

The 2025 Renault Captur is due in Australian showrooms between January and March next year.

Last year 939 examples of the Captur were reported as sold, down 22 per cent on 2022 results – with nearly 40 per cent bought by rental fleets.