French Cars & Favourites: August 2019

Shopping for a new or second-hand vehicle has seen requirement priorities change over the years, especially when the consumers are parents. Things like good looks and power figures are swapped out for safety features and driving aids.

Child occupant safety has become an important factor in safety crash test ratings as well. The new Renault Sandero Stepway Plus would probably not be the first car you would think of when you're considering vehicle safety, and especially the safety of your offspring should a collision occur.

We've all seen the aftermath of a crashed vehicle, or worse, witnessed a crash. It's not something you would want to think about but, it does help knowing there are cars available in our local market that has a very high child safety rating in the event of a crash.

The Sandero has been rated best in class safety in 2017, further endorsed by a Global NCAP 4-star rating for child protection, that's even one more than its adult protection rating with three stars. The Sandero Stepway Plus, as well as the rest of the range, has front airbags, ABS, electronic brake distribution (EBD), electronic brake assist (EBA), electronic stability program (ESP), ASR, and hill start assist is standard across the range, further endorsed through 2017 Global NCAP 4-star rating for child protection.

As a mother to a little one, that gives me peace of mind when I'm driving the vehicle. Of course, this all means your child needs to be safely secured and strapped in a child seat, else the rating is null and void.

No matter how safe a vehicle is, and how many features it has, strapping your children in correctly is imperative. The Sandero Plus has Isofix anchorages in all the passenger seats for child seats to be secured. The passenger airbag can also be deactivated when there is a younger child strapped in a baby seat in the front of the vehicle.

According to the Global NCAP: "The Sandero achieved a three-star rating for adult occupant protection in the frontal crash test at 64km/h. The vehicle structure was rated as stable, offering acceptable general adult occupant protection. The car did not include seatbelt pretensioners. Using the child seats recommended by Renault, the Sandero achieved a four-star rating for child occupant protection.

If you want to experience the Renault Sandero first hand - book a test drive at Group 1 Renault today!

Article source: https://bonjourrenault.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/heres-why-the-renault-sandero-is-a-great-car-for-child-safety/

The Captur, Renault's smallest crossover, has so many rivals on the market - can it compete?

What is it?

The compact Renault Captur for sale has been around for a little while now, and that's why the French manufacturer has deemed it fit for an update. There's good reason, too; the compact crossover segment is growing steadily by the day, and consumers are savvier than ever - so any car not worth its salt will start faltering in the dealerships.

Though it's based on the same platform as the Clio, the Captur is able to offer a touch more space than its hatchback cousin, along with that all-important bump in ride height so wanted by buyers today. Back in 2016 the Captur was Europe's best-selling urban crossover, so it's understandable why the changes aren't ground-breaking.

What's new?

Renault hasn't messed with the Captur's formula too much - this is a mid-life facelift, after all - which is why the changes to the exterior are blink-and-you'll-miss-them subtle. You've got C-shaped LED daytime running lights up front (bringing it closer in line to the larger Kadjar) and there are LED lights at the rear too.

You've got a wider choice of alloy wheels to pick from as well, and there are redesigned kick plates in place to give the Captur a chunkier, more go-anywhere look.

What's under the bonnet?

Powering our test car was a dinky 0.9-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with 89bhp and 140Nm. Renault claims that it'll power the Captur to 60mph in 12.9 seconds, and onwards to a 106mph top speed.

Sending power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual 'box, it'll return a claimed 52.3mpg combined, while emitting 122g/km CO2.

A diesel variant is available, again packing 89bhp, while there's a more powerful petrol available too with just shy of 150bhp. It's the only the latter powertrain that's available with an automatic gearbox, should that be something you're after. It means there's a pretty decent spread of engine options available, providing something for nearly everyone.

What's it like to drive?

Take one glance at the engine specs for the Captur and it's immediately obvious that it's not going to set the tarmac alight. Though the forward progression isn't swift by anyone's standards, there's enough puff to merge on to a motorway safely - though once you're there, you'll need to drop a gear when overtaking.

How does it look?

The Captur is quite unassuming in its style. It's not boring, and neither is it outlandish. The C-shape daytime running lights help give it a touch more presence. Chrome accents around the car do elevate it slightly, making it appear ever-so-slightly more premium. GT-Line cars, like our test vehicle, get 17-inch alloy wheels, contrast roof and door mirrors, and grey front and rear skid plates too for a little bit of that faux-SUV style.

What's it like inside?

The interior of the Captur reflects the car's exterior look. Everything works and is logically placed. Interior space is decent enough, and there's a good amount of headroom available for driver and passengers - though legroom is a touch tight for adults riding in the back.

Boot space is reasonable, with 377 litres on offer with all seats in place. You can slide the rear seats forward to offer up more boot space - and there's 455 litres to play with when you do. The rear bench also folds 60:40 to create an even larger load area.

What's the spec like?

Our test car came in GT Line specification, and this sees the Captur fitted with all manner of standard equipment. There are a variety of chrome elements applied to areas in the cabin, while a 'Premium Pack' sees aluminium pedals and sunglasses storage added.

Part leather upholstery helps to lift the overall feel of the car's cabin, too. The Captur also benefits from Renault's R-Link infotainment system, which uses a seven-inch colour touchscreen to control aspects such as satellite navigation (a TomTom-sourced system) and smartphone integration. It's not a terrible system, but it does lack the level of clarity and ease-of-use that we've come to expect from more modern systems.

You also get front and rear parking sensors which, despite being fitted to a relatively compact car, make parking the Captur a little easier.

Verdict

With such a wide array of compact crossovers on the market, it could be easy to simply dismiss the Captur. However, thanks to decent levels of standard equipment and a low list price at Group 1 Renault, it could be a good option for those who want a value-for-money runaround. An efficient range of engines and well-sized boot mean the Captur could prove to be a reliable choice for many.