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2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule

Renault, much like all the other major automakers, is giving top priority to the development of crossovers. Even though the Captur made its debut a year after the Clio, it is the one getting replaced first.
2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule 8 photos
Photo: CarPix
2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule2019 Renault Captur Prototype Makes Spy Photo Debut as Clio Wagon Mule
Why? The answer is obvious: demand. A recent report from JATO Dynamics says crossover demand hit an all-time high in Europe last year, and SUVs played a big part.

The market grew from 3.2 million units in 2015 to 3.8 million units in 2016. The Nissan Qashqai (234,340 units) being the eight most popular car is not a surprise, but the Renault Captur also made it into the Top 10 ( 217,105 units).

The Clio remains hugely popular, second only to the Golf in Europe. But you have to remember the Captur is both more profitable and a car with global reach.

This is the first time we've seen a test prototype of the Captur that's said to come out during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Considering the event is more than two years away, we're not surprised that the car is a test mule, with the body of a Clio Estate sitting on top of risen suspension.

The first thing we notice is how much higher this rides than the current Captur. The test equipment fitted here suggests AWD might also be offered, both being serious limitations of the current generation.

Regarding the wheelbase, both the Clio wagon and the Captur sit at about 2.6 meters so that we won't see any changes there. However, the prototype is noticeably wider, which is never a bad thing.

In the powertrain department, we don't expect Renault to change too much. The 1.5-liter diesel has been around for ages, and it's the one we'd recommend this car. Apparently, the 0.9-liter TCe turbo has proven controversial due to its lag and fuel consumption, but we'd be surprised if it doesn't stick around.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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