Renault Kaptur

The Kaptur will be Renault's ticket for foraying into the premium end of the market. The French automaker will be cautious this time round, since models like the Fluence sedan and the Koleos SUV sank without a trace. The Kaptur will sit a rung above the Duster, and take on the likes of the Tata Hexa and the Mahindra XUV500, while a few variants will also overlap that of the Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V and the Skoda Yeti.

The Kaptur is based on the Renault Captur that's sold in European market. But, unlike the European version that's based on the Clio platform, the Kaptur is underpinned by the Duster's chassis. Speaking of engine options, the 1.6-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engine are expected to be on offer. Rumours suggest that Renault might tune the engines to deliver higher power and torque. Currently, the petrol motor develops 104PS/148Nm whereas the diesel is good for 85PS/200Nm or 110PS/248Nm. Ground clearance is expected to be around the 200mm mark, and all-wheel drive is likely to be offered paired with the diesel engine as well.

The exteriors are identical to the Euro-spec Captur, and get features such as projector headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, LED tail lamps and 17-inch alloy wheels. The India-spec version is also expected to feature a two-tone colour scheme with a gloss black roof contrasting the body colour.

The Kaptur is expected to be a five-seater and the interiors are familiar Renault territory as well. The Kaptur is likely to sport the same 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that does duty in the Duster and the Kwid. Other goodies are likely to include digital + analogue instrument cluster, automatic climate control, steering mounted audio/call controls, and front and rear armrest as well.

We expect the Kaptur to make its India debut later this year, with prices starting around the Rs 15 lakh mark. Stay tuned to CarDekho as we bring you the latest on the Renault Kaptur.