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The Renault Captur was first introduced in 2013 as an early entry into the supermini crossover market. They've adapted by changing the design and adding hybrid engine options to future proof as the world moves away from diesel engines and towards greener driving.
The original Renault Clio was launched in 1990 and it's been a staple of the supermini club and a hot hatchback ever since. It has a long history of success, including being only one of two cars to have been voted European Car of the Year twice. The fifth generation model was launched in 2019 and unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show the same year.
With both cars originating from Renault it can be difficult to know which is the best option for you. Our guide will take you through the similarities and differences so that you can make an informed choice for your next new car.
The new Captur has kept the exterior very similar to the previous version whilst increasing the dimensions at the same time.
The changes that were made include C shaped LED daytime running lights, LED headlights as part of the standard equipment, a wider grille, redesigned bumpers, and larger alloy wheels. It also adds in chrome touches and finishes too to bring it more in line with other models in the Renault range such as the Megane.
The latest Renault Clio has kept the sleeker lines of its predecessor but introduced a larger front grille and C-shaped daytime running lights that sees it matching with others in the Renault family.
All models are now five door, as with the previous iteration of the Renault Clio, but you would be forgiven for initially thinking it may come as a three door thanks to well disguised rear door handles that are actually built into the C pillars of the car.
The Clio uses the CMF-B platform that was developed through the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and is part of a series of platforms built to try and help reduce the cost of production. It's also found on other models from the alliance such as the Nissan Note.
Both the Renault Captur and the Renault Clio have a roof line that sweeps upwards which does restrict visibility a little when reversing. Thankfully rear parking sensors and rear cameras in the higher trim levels are there to aid you.
The all new Renault Clio's interior is now amongst the best in the supermini class thanks to it's updated form. With a 7 inch touchscreen that houses the infotainment and a 7 inch digital driver's display it feels really modern.
The original Captur received many complaints about the quality of its interior and Renault have listened and taken a lot of inspiration from the Clio for the new model. There's soft touch plastics throughout the Renault Captur cabin and high quality upholstery across all trims which really raises the calibre.
Additional finishes on higher specs such as a leather covered steering wheel or sporty upholstery improve the interiors of both models further.
Looking at the boot space in both models there is surprisingly only 31 litres between the two with the Clio at 391 litres and the Captur at 422. However, the new Captur does offer more rear legroom for a passenger thanks to sliding rear seats.
This also then opens the boot space up to as much as 536 litres without having to fold any seats down. If you opt for the hybrid or plug in hybrid options on either model it does reduce the boot space further.
The great thing about the newest generation of Renault cars is how well equipped they are. Manufacturers are realising that to stay competitive they can add interesting and useful pieces of equipment at any trim level. Both models offer 4 trim levels so there's more options for combinations of features.
Both the Renault Clio and the Renault Captur have an array of standard equipment on them such as alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights and LED daytime running lights, cruise control, and parking sensors. On top of that Renault include a wireless phone charger and their all new infotainment system on a 7 inch touch screen.
There's a range of standard safety features that Renault has on both models too, including hill start assist, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and cruise control with a speed limiter.
Both the Renault Captur and the Renault Clio share the TCe 90 engine, a 1.0 litre petrol engine that delivers 90PS. Due to the Clio's lighter weight it has a better performance on fuel consumption with a combined mpg of 54.4 compared to 47.9 on the Captur.
They also share the E-Tech Hybrid 145 engine which has a 1.6 litre petrol engine paired with two electric engines and a 200V battery. This works when the electric motor captures the driving forces from decelerating and braking and stores it to recharge the battery before sending it to power the front wheels. Again, the Clio has a better fuel consumption performance with a combined mpg of 64.2 against the Captur's 56.5.
However the Renault Captur has two more engine options: a 1.3 litre petrol engine with 140PS or a plug in hybrid version with a 1.6 litre petrol engine which delivers 160PS. This is also, predictably, the most economic of all the engines listed above thanks to its support from an two electric motors. You can expect as much as 217.3 mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 36 g/km by opting for the plug in hybrid.
The Renault Captur and the Renault Clio both have five star safety ratings from Euro NCAP and perform highly against other cars in their respective categories. Renault offer a range of standard safety equipment including a full set of 6 airbags and warnings run through the front camera system.
Both the Renault Captur and the Renault Clio are well equipped and perform well for daily use.
You may find the Captur more suited to being a family car, partially due to the additional boot space, higher driving position, and sliding rear seats so it feels like it ticks the boxes for practicality.
The Clio is lighter, more efficient, and cheaper which makes it really desirable too, especially if you don't ever carry a full car of passengers.
Our helpful and friendly team at John Clark Renault Aberdeen are always on hand to answer any further questions that you may have about either model and to let you test drive each if you're still wondering which is best for you.
