Renault Captur vs Jeep Compass

Jeep India took everyone by storm with the introduction of the Compass. The compact SUV enters with a strategic price segment and sits above the highly popular Hyundai Creta. Renault, on the other hand, was soldiering on with the Duster which had its share of success. Now, the ageing Duster is about to get a new stablemate – the Captur. The Captur will be positioned above the Duster and would come as a cheaper alternative to the Compass. Here is how both the compact crossovers fare against each other on paper:

Exterior and styling:

Both the cars take a very different approach in the styling department. The American carries the signature Jeep design language. It looks like a scaled down Cherokee, thanks to the signature seven-slat Jeep grille and the angular xenon headlamps. From the side, the squared-out wheel arches and tall profile tyres give it a macho look. The posterior is simple with a hunched silhouette and muscular profile. Measuring 4,395x1,818x1,640mm, the Compass is actually smaller than the Tuscon and the Tiguan.

Now even though the Captur is based on the same MO platform as the Duster, there are now visual similarities between the two. Where the boxy shape of Duster looks more old school, the Captur has a curvy design language making it look stylish. The hot Megane-like grille with LED headlamps is attractive, while the signature boomerang DRLs are positioned lower down on the bumpers. The swooping roofline, flared wheel arches, bulbous wrap-around tail lights, and large bumpers complete the stylish appearance of the French crossover. The Captur’s wheelbase of 2,679mm is same as the Duster but it is slightly longer and taller.

Both these cars have a quirky yet unique C-Pillars and black body cladding all around.

Interior and equipment:

The Compass dashboard is similar to the Grand Cherokee. There is a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system dominating the centre console. There is a dash of materials finished in gloss-black all around the cabin. This cabin comes loaded with a meaty steering, large instrument cluster with a digital screen, and a dual-tone cabin with leather upholstery. You also get smartphone integration, dual-zone climate control, six airbags, ESP and ABS. The boot space is 438 litres.

The Captur’s cabin also gets a dual-tone dashboard with a modern and different layout compared to the Duster. There is an integrated seven-inch infotainment screen with a funky looking instrument cluster. The cabin gets a lot of useful storage options and a 392 litres boot space. The infotainment system comes with a sat nav, and USB, aux-in or Bluetooth connectivity. You also get rain sensing wipers, LED auto headlamps with dynamic turn indicators, climate control, rear parking sensors with reverse camera, keyless-go, leather upholstery and rear AC vents. However, Renault should have offered more than two airbags as its rivals offer as many as six in their top variants.

Engine and gearbox:

The Compass is offered with two engine options. First, we have the 2.0-litre Multijet II diesel engine from Fiat with 170bhp and 350Nm. The petrol is the 1.4-litre T-Jet engine that develops over 160bhp and 250Nm. The top-trim petrol comes mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, while the six-speed manual transmission is standard. Jeep offers a four-wheel drive powertrain in the top spec but only in the diesel variant.

When launched in India, the Captur will have the 1.5-litre K9K turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. The same unit is offered with the Duster in two states of tune – 84bhp and 108bhp and will most probably be the same on the Captur along with the five and six-speed gearboxes. The petrol mill will be the 1.6-litre 102bhp four-cylinder engine also from the Duster. There is also a fair chance of the Captur to get the AWD like the Duster, but that will come in later.

Conclusion:

Both these vehicles have the high-riding body style which is the most popular segment in the country these days. They aren’t hardcore off-roaders and are proper five-seaters. In the given price bracket, both these cars come out as capable soft-roaders and we are sure you won’t be disappointed with your decision no matter which car you choose.