Renault Captur (2013) finally to be unveiled at Geneva

Renault teased us earlier in the week with a single shady image of the new Captur - and here it is, fully revealed today in all its compact SUV splendour.

Coming in the wake of the new Clio’s renewal, the Captur marks the next step-up in Renault’s design offensive. New stylist in chief Laurens van den Acker is rebooting La Regie's wardrobe and you can leave a comment below to rate his latest effort.

Labelled as an ‘urban crossover’, Renault says the Captur 'will stand out from the crowd by delivering the best of three worlds’. All crammed into this little French family wagon is the driving position of an SUV, cabin space and interior of an MPV and the agility of a compact hatchback. Renault’s words not ours, but you can essentially think of this as a Gallic Juke.

The Captur will showcase an elevated driving position, big boot and modular interior and inventive stowage solutions, according to today's release. See the new Captur in UK showrooms in June 2013 with prices starting handily under £14,000.  

On premium trim levels you can expect keyless entry, hill start assist and rear parking sensors. Renault is also working on introducing the new in-dash R-Link touchscreen multimedia tablet. Bluetooth connectivity, audio-streaming and an Arkamys hi-fi with six-speaker surround sound, will be available but more than likely as an optional extra.   

A top of the range 1.6-litre DiG-T Tekna five-door Nissan Juke will set you back £17,995, with the 4WD version commanding a £2000 premium. Prices are expected to be in the same region as the respective Juke trim levels.

The Captur will adopt the underpinnings of the platform used on the new Clio and Nissan’s Juke, aka the Alliance B-platform. Engines are again likely to mirror those in the new Clio with 1.5 or 1.6-litre diesels options available and smaller petrol-powered turbo engines, possibly starting from as small as 1.0 litre.

Renault has said the engines available will benefit from ‘the very latest Renault technology’ and return class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions, starting from as low as 96g/km, which will save you a pretty penny on your tax bill. More details to be revealed nearer its Geneva show debut.

By Jonathan Burn