India- bound Renault Kaptur showcased at Sao Paulo

Renault has shown the Brazilian-spec Kaptur at the Sao Paulo auto show 2016. Interestingly, while this is the same SUV as sold in Russia, Renault South America has named the model after its smaller European sibling, the Captur.

Compared to its European namesake, the Brazilian Captur is underpinned by a different platform – that of the Duster – and is a rather notable 211mm longer, 35mm wider and 47mm taller.

Styling is much the same as the Kaptur revealed earlier in the year, though the interior on certain variants now gets a dual-tone white and black finish. The dashboard layout also remains more or less in tune with the Russian model.

Powering the SUV is the choice of a 1.6-litre flex-fuel engine or a larger and more powerful 2.0-litre unit. The 1.6-litre unit is paired to either a five-speed manual or a CVT gearbox, while the larger unit is offered with a four-speed automatic as standard. Unlike the Duster for Brazil, there is no all-wheel drive variant.

Renault has also lined up the Kaptur for an India launch in 2017, with the model likely to share some of the aspects featured on the Brazil-spec SUV. One of these could be the use of dual-tone interiors to make the car feel more upmarket with Renault set to position it above the Duster.

The Indian car is also likely to use the tried and tested engine combinations from the Duster in place of its existing engines offered internationally.

In terms of pricing, the Kaptur is likely to be positioned as a go-between the popular small SUV and the more premium soft-roader segments, with a direct rival being the Mahindra XUV500 with the Nissan Kicks expected to join the fray by end-2017. Expect prices to be in the region of Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom). 

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