We reported earlier that Renault is working on a new sub-compact SUV, which is likely to be launched in India. A recent report from Auto Column suggests that the French automaker is planning to introduce the Captur compact crossover in the Indian car market. Sharing the platform with Renault’s top-selling Duster compact SUV, the Renault Captur will come as a sub-4 metre product in the country. Interestingly, the crossover is currently on sale internationally as an urban and lifestyle product, and is positioned above the Duster.
The India-bound Capture will take on the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the upcoming compact SUVs from Volkswagen, Honda, Tata Motors and Mahindra. Showcased at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as a concept, the Renault Capture is currently on sale in France since 2013. This stylish crossover is equipped with several advanced features that make it a premium offering. However, the Indian-spec model would miss out several features to keep its price low.
We believe that the company would introduce an all-new compact SUV, which will underpin an all-new platform. At the 2014 Delhi Motor Show, Renault showcased the KWID concept which is speculated to enter into production in 2016-17. This concept was developed by Renault India’s engineers at the company’s R&D centre, and is more of an India centric product with sub-4 metre length. The Capture crossover will need high level localization before entering into the market.
The compact crossover would be offered in both petrol and diesel fuel options. While the petrol version is likely to get 1.2-litre unit, the oil burner is the 1.5-litre engine. Interestingly, Nissan is also working on a sub-4 metre SUV for the Indian market, which is scheduled to go on sale in the country in 2016.
