One of the most popular crossovers on the domestic market is the Renault Captur. The car of the French company is famous for its quality and excellent performance. However, very often you can hear dissatisfaction addressed to Russian-assembled Capturs.
Photo: Renault Captur

In today's article we will talk about Renault Captur, which is produced in Russia.

The compact crossover is assembled at the Moscow automobile plant, which has been operating since 1998, and is known to all car enthusiasts under the name “Avtoframos”.

It is worth noting that at this enterprise, in addition to Captur, Nissan Terrano and its French brother Renault Duster are also made for Russia.

How does the domestic assembly model differ from the European one?

Photo: Renault plant in France

There are noticeable differences between the domestic and European versions. First of all, they relate to the body, because the European Captur is created on the basis of the Renault Clio modular platform, and the domestic version uses the GA module, traditional for French crossovers. It has been significantly improved and adapted to Russian road conditions.

The main reason why the European Captur is not sold on the domestic market lies in the research of French marketers, who found that small-displacement diesel engines without an all-wheel drive system are not in particular demand in our country. Therefore, it was decided to produce a version more familiar to Russia at the Moscow Automobile Plant.

Plus, the equipment of the Moscow enterprise is not comparable to the assembly of cars based on such a modular platform as Renault Clio. This is also considered one of the decisive moments that contributed to the emergence of the Russian Renault Captur.

Production at the Moscow plant takes place in two shifts. The total number of employees reaches 4,500 people, 3,000 of whom are directly involved in the assembly of Renault Captur.

The Moscow enterprise uses a full production cycle, and, in addition, each employee follows five basic rules:

• perform quick sorting;
• adhere to production standards;
• maintain order;
• keep the workplace clean;
• continuous development and improvement of skills.

Features of the domestic enterprise that assembles Renault Captur

Photo: plant in Russia

Before the start of production, French investors invested in modernizing the workshop where Renault Captur is assembled. Among the innovations:

• the emergence of three new robotic systems that are responsible for welding the floor, as well as the side members;
• 30% of welding equipment was replaced with new ones;
• creation of new, more technologically advanced control points;
• modernization of the paint shop, which doubled its productivity;
• All personnel underwent the training process and received the appropriate certificates.

As for power units, the 1.6-liter engine is produced at the AvtoVAZ plant, and the older, two-liter engine is supplied from Spain.

Two cars from each batch are sent to the control point, where the welds and body tightness are checked.

Features of welding a Russian-made crossover

The welding process at the Moscow plant is organized at the highest level, despite the fact that the principle of flexible production is used here, and at any time the workshop can be reconfigured to assemble another model.

Many experts claim that the Russian-made Renault Captur is much stronger than its European counterpart. The main reason for this lies in the fact that the body consists of only two large parts, which are welded together with high quality. Don’t forget about the optimal body geometry, which also gives the crossover strength.

Video: assembly of Captur in Russia

Features of painting and assembly of the domestic Captur

After all parts of the Renault Captur body are welded together, it is sent to a special paint shop for galvanizing and priming.

When all the painting is completed, the Kaptur moves to the final assembly shop, where the engine, transmission and interior components are installed.

It is worth noting that recent test drives have proven that there is no reason to doubt the quality of domestically produced Renault Captur.

Conclusion

The Russian-made Renault Captur is one of the most popular crossovers on the domestic market. Its assembly is carried out at the Moscow Avtoframos plant and the best specialists are involved in it.

The Russian plant produces about 188,000 Captur units annually. However, due to the growing popularity of the crossover, this figure may increase significantly in the future.

In fact, there are plenty of differences in the models - so much so that it is worth structuring them. Let's start, as usual, with appearance.

Appearance and Design

At first glance, the Russian and European crossovers are almost identical: the false radiator grille with a large logo, the dark stamping on the doors, and even little things like “window windows” in the front side windows and turn signals in the side mirror housings are in place. However, if you look closely, you can still find some differences. The main thing is related to the design of the front bumper and fog lights - in the “French French” they are enclosed in a closed trapezoidal contour, and in the “Russian” they are made in the form of U-shaped elements. Of course, both cases could not have done without chromium.

In addition to fog lights, the new bumper also has a functional load: the license plate mount has been moved upward. Unlike Captur, which is unlikely to see anything other than asphalt, Kaptur also assumes off-road forays, confirming this with many qualities. And this little thing is one of them: now on a broken track there is no chance to part with the front number plate.

Dimensions and body

Despite the seemingly absolute similarity, the two crossovers also differ in size: the Russian copy is larger - longer, wider and taller. Moreover, the difference in dimensions is quite noticeable: its length is 4,333 mm versus 4,121 for the Captur (+21 centimeters), the width of the mirrors is 1,998 mm versus 1,957 (+4 centimeters), height is 1,619 versus 1,579 (the same 4 centimeters). The increase in length benefited the wheelbase and rear overhang: the wheelbase increased by 7 centimeters (2,674 mm versus 2,605), and the overhang by more than 15 (805 mm versus 649). This increase is partly compensated by the fact that the front overhang of the European crossover is one centimeter longer - 865 mm versus 854.

Along with the base and width of the Kaptur, the track has also grown: “our” car has 1,564 mm between the wheel axles in the front and 1,570 mm in the rear, while the “foreign” car has 4 and 6.5 centimeters less (1,524 mm in the front and 1,504 mm rear). All this together should provide slightly better handling and stability and reduce pitching. Well, in addition to technical changes, the increased ground clearance by 3.5 centimeters is also intended to improve cross-country ability: 205 mm versus 170.

By the way, take a look at how different the ground clearance is for the “dummies” in the instruction manuals - if the picture reflected reality, one would safely think that the ground clearance has doubled. In fact, this is obviously a marketing ploy - in Russia the crossover should be high.

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Salon

The interior of the Russian Kaptur is perhaps the place where the changes compared to the “European” are least noticeable. If you wish, of course, you can find several differences here: the steering wheel is designed differently and lacks a glossy insert, the glove compartment is made simpler, not having an open niche with a contrasting edging, but simply having a lid and 7 liters of usable volume. And in general, there are more contrasting accents in the Captur’s cabin - a city fashionista, after all. Localization also plays a role in the design of the Kaptur: the front panel is made in Russia, and therefore has its own plastic texture, and the other design of the glove compartment is apparently also connected with this.

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In addition, “our” Kaptur has only height adjustment of the steering wheel - this can already be called the legacy of the original, from which it borrowed all the most important things. And just move on to this main thing.

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Platform

This is where, perhaps, the key difference between the Russian Captur and the European Captur lies. While the “European” is built on the B platform, which was developed by Renault together with Nissan and is intended to create compact and subcompact cars, the “Russian” is based on its well-known B0 modification.

It’s easier to judge the characteristics by who the “trolleys” are borrowed from: for example, Captur took its one from the compact Clio hatchback, and Kaptur took its one from the Duster. Of course, in both cases, the borrowing did not go without modifications: the Captur has a somewhat stretched base relative to the Clio, and Renault prefers to call the Captur (together with the Duster) the owner of the new Global Access platform - it “grew” from the notorious B0, but has an updated powertrain structure, suspension kinematics, subframe and other features. But the essence is clear to anyone who has heard about the success of the French bestseller Logan - even then its road omnivorousness and impressive suspension reliability became the talk of the town. Of course, by reinventing the Captur in the Russian way, Renault took the wisest route, seating the new design on time-tested units - this is how they killed two birds with one stone, ensuring the car’s reputation as “reliable, like a Duster” and “beautiful, like a Captur.”

Power units and transmissions

The range of engines and gearboxes also directly stems from the platforms on which the cars are built. The “foreign” Captur offers its customers a choice of three “small-small-less” engines. So, the “largest” of them is a one and a half liter diesel engine with 90 hp. s., and the company is made up of two gasoline units of 1.2 liters (120 hp) and 900 cubic centimeters (90 hp). It’s not difficult to imagine the Russian prospects for a car with such a set of engines, and Renault understood this very well - and they didn’t have to think much about the engine range. Captur simply borrowed it from the same Duster, with all its advantages and disadvantages.

The engines are well known to the Russian buyer: these are two gasoline units - H4M with a volume of 1.6 liters and a power of 114 hp. With. and a two-liter F4R, which produces 143 hp. With. They were also paired with familiar gearboxes: instead of dual-clutch units that complement manual transmissions in Europe, we will be offered five- and six-speed manuals and a four-speed automatic of the DP series - the only point that is difficult to clearly determine as advantages or disadvantages. But another interesting project is on the way - a CVT, which, according to Renault representatives, was developed specifically for the Captur. The “CVT+1.6” combination promises to be quite interesting – but it will be possible to test this only in September, when cars with continuously variable transmission go on sale.

Another trump card of the Russian Kaptur was all-wheel drive - it was also one of the reasons for borrowing the Duster platform. After all, an exclusively one-wheel drive car in our country is not at all like in Europe; it is a potentially lost audience, which would be a short-sighted move to miss. And the 4x4 recipe was also on the surface - this is the same clutch that drives the rear wheels on Dusters, and here, just like in them, the all-wheel drive versions have an independent rear suspension. Although potential owners of the Kaptur are identified as young people who want to purchase a fashionable crossover for moving around the city, and all-wheel drive is an overkill for most of them, this is exactly the case when “the reserve is not enough”: such cars will find their audience.

Other technical features of the “Russian” crossover include rear drum brakes (also a legacy of the Duster), a 50-liter gas tank versus the Captur’s 45-liter, and a five-liter washer reservoir – also an almost obligatory attribute of any self-respecting “acclimatization.” Steel crankcase protection - there too.

What's the result?

The result is clear without further ado: it seems that Renault has created another car that may well receive the title of bestseller. Despite the lack of diesel engines, there is hard, localized interior plastic and rear drum brakes. Contrary to the lamentations about “French design” and . Because now, even when they don’t touch heaven, he has almost everything to come, see and conquer.

For Russian car enthusiasts, the French Renault Captur is a new product. Print and online reviewers say that this is a full-fledged crossover for city roads. Where is it collected? Assembly began in Russia in March of this year 2017. Renault Captur is already quite capable of providing healthy competition to such already recognized global models as the Ford Ecosport and Opel Mokka of the 2016 model year. Among other things, a huge plus for potential buyers of this model was the acceptable price, which was made possible due to the fact that the country of origin is the Russian Federation and, in particular, the assembly shops for the new product are located in Moscow. In this article we will try to understand the features of a car, whose assembly is carried out at a factory in Russia.

General information about Kaptur

In Russia, or more precisely, in its capital, in March of last 2016, the assembly of the new French model Renault Captur began. The plant where this car is now assembled is called Avtoframos. What kind of company is this where they assemble the new product from Renault?

According to reliable information, this company is a joint product of an alliance between France and a Russian manufacturer, and was formed in 1998, when there was no talk of such a model as the Renault Captur.

Then all the production space was taken from AZLK, which then completely ceased to exist after going bankrupt. And now this is the place where great cars are made.

However, outdated conveyors and production equipment are not enough to assemble modern European cars. No one knows for certain how much the Avtoframos company spent to restore production, where French models are now assembled, but it is officially known that the re-equipment of the plant continued for several years continuously, this is due to the fact that the model range of the Renault automobile concern was constantly replenished.

The Russian company gradually began to assemble versions of Scenic, Megan and Logan, as well as a number of other models that are known all over the world. Last year, the start date for the assembly line where the new Renault Captur was assembled was announced, and in connection with this, the existing equipment again had to be modernized. And this is understandable, because Capture is a completely new and different model from the rest, since it is now inappropriate to be based on technology for the rest of the automaker’s products.

And as a result, to start the production of Capture, the latest equipment was manufactured, which includes assembly machines and conveyor lines, where a model with rapidly growing popularity is now being produced. For production, it was necessary to hire additional employees, since the existing personnel for Renault Captur would not be enough.

Detailed information about Kaptur

Initially, it seems that Renault Captur, whose assembly is carried out in the Russian Federation, are exactly the same as those whose country of origin is one of the European ones. This is a misconception. It’s not even worth saying that the differences between these versions are invisible or small. None of this is true.

What are the differences that do not allow us to consider cars whose country of manufacture is different to be identical? And the whole point is that the new Renault Kaptur, whose assembly is carried out in Europe, is designed on the basis of the 4th generation Clio, for which there is no special production line in the Russian Federation, where the Captur is assembled. Because of this, in order to update all equipment as quickly and cheaply as possible, it was decided to integrate the model with Renault Duster, which has been assembled here for quite some time.

All this allowed the new product to give the main advantage among similar cars - an all-wheel drive system, plus the cost of the model was reduced in price.

It is now also known that the version for Europe, without exception, has only modifications with a front-wheel drive system in all trim levels.

So it turns out that the Moscow-assembled Renault Kaptur is built on a different platform, but the appearance has been preserved to the maximum. This allows the new product to use a huge number of components and spare parts that are produced for the version in European countries. At the same time, many car owners are wondering: do crossover prices depend on where the car is made? Following from the above, of course, Russian prices are lower.

Despite the fact that there is now detailed information about the company where the car is produced, one question remains: what will be the position of Captur in the entire Renault model line? Between which models will the new crossover take its rightful place? In response to these questions, the Russian manufacturer claims that the new product will be one step lower than the most popular Renault Duster.

• The model's configurations are richer; there is individualization of the car's contents.
• Line of transmissions and engines. For the version assembled in the Russian Federation, revolutionary engines will be offered that have a small volume, but are equipped with high-pressure turbochargers. For the first time in the history of Renault’s domestic representative office, it will be possible to produce a small-displacement model with high power and economical fuel consumption.

Another feature of the new product was its cost. The European version of the car has an initial cost in euros, and the resale of a crossover abroad in currency conversion will make even wealthy car enthusiasts horrified. Therefore, the previous version of Capture never came to our country.

Let's sum it up

Renault Kaptur is a newcomer to the domestic car market, as it appeared only a year ago. Due to the growing popularity of crossovers for the city, the popularity of this model promises to be extremely high. In our country, where this model is produced, there will be very affordable prices for all configurations. This is all thanks to the fact that the production of cars is established in Moscow, plus the plant is equipped with modern, brand new equipment, which reduces all production costs.

Renault Kaptur is a fairly popular crossover in the domestic market. The car is in demand in large and small cities. Indeed, thanks to its technical features, the machine is perfectly suited for domestic operating conditions. Despite its great popularity, many buyers want to know all the disadvantages of a factory-assembled Renault Captur. Like any other car, Renault Kaptur has not only advantages, but also disadvantages, which usually manifest themselves during long-term use.

Accordingly, before purchasing, you should always compare the performance and reviews of other owners. Thanks to a preliminary acquaintance with this crossover, you can save money on maintenance, as well as choose the most suitable car, taking into account design nuances.

First of all, when purchasing, it is recommended to pay attention to the assembly quality of the body elements. Indeed, according to statistics, more than 60% of Renault Kaptur cars have problems in this area. It is possible to determine other disadvantages only after fully familiarizing yourself with the technical part of the machine.

What are the disadvantages of the Renault Captur?

Any new car will be operated without any problems. However, after a certain mileage, design flaws and assembly errors may begin to appear. Every car owner should be prepared for possible problems. After all, it will be quite difficult to eliminate some of the disadvantages at the expense of an official dealer. Renault Kaptur has no exceptions.

Over the course of a couple of years of presence on the domestic market, the crossover has gained great trust among domestic motorists. However, when the first problems appeared, many owners started talking about the shortcomings of the car. Based on the statistics of calls to the service, Renault Kaptur is a fairly reliable car compared to other brands in this class. But the only drawback may be poor quality assembly. In this case, the car owner is obliged to check the pros and cons of his own car.

Engine and attachments

Renault Kaptur has a fairly large range of engines that run on gasoline and have a nominal volume of 1.6-2.0 liters. The motors are time-tested and have good indicators of efficiency and reliability. However, problems often arise in mounted systems that are installed as additional options. Many crossover owners are faced with non-working autostart.

The system is designed to preheat the engine in the cold season. Automatic start is activated from the button. However, there are situations when the function simply does not work. The main cause of this problem is the rubber end cap. Insufficient rubber hardness contributes to sensor failure. Accordingly, the entire system stops working due to an error. You can fix this problem yourself in 10 minutes, but this caused outright indignation among a number of Renault Kaptur owners.

ABS system operation in winter

The crossover has one of the most advanced ABS systems, which is installed on the entire line of Renault cars. The updated software ensures maximum accuracy and efficiency of all sensors. However, performance problems arise in the winter when part of the system stops functioning due to too low a temperature. The problem is poor contact security. This minus of Renault Kaptur is found on almost all cars. The only solution is to install additional moisture protection. After a little intervention, ABS begins to work without failure in any weather.

Rubber door seals

Renault Kaptur has a large SUV class body. Accordingly, there is a need for high-quality sealing of doorways. This model uses improved double seals, which ensure good sealing of all joints.

However, many owners are faced with the problem of their short-lived service. The sealing elements simply swell and prevent the doors from closing properly. In addition to problems with doors, there are difficulties with decorative moldings. When closing the door, part of the seal catches the chrome trim. Over time, this deficiency leads to a deterioration in the overall aesthetic qualities of the body.

Also, in addition to swelling, seals often break at the corners. In this case, only complete replacement of defective products with better ones is required. The problem is typical for all Russian-assembled Renault Kaptur cars.

Boots on transmission CV joints

Anthers perform a protective function for the hinge elements of the transmission. Thanks to these parts, dirt and water do not penetrate into the moving systems, which has a positive effect on the overall durability of the mechanisms. However, the Renault Kaptur has a problem with its short service life.

The problem is that on domestically assembled cars, incorrect clamps are installed, which pinch the low-quality rubber of the boot and leads to its destruction. Accordingly, due to untimely maintenance, many crossover owners are faced with rapid failure of working joints. In this case, the only solution to the problem is to completely replace the low-quality products with the original.

Cost of eliminating factory defects

To solve problems with Renault Kaptur, a car enthusiast will need to spend a small amount of money. However, any financial investment for the repair of a new car causes a number of outrages in the circles of fans of this crossover.

According to statistics, the owner of a Renault Kaptur spends about 15,000 rubles in the first year of owning a car just to solve structural problems. Based on information on the domestic market, the Kaptur is the most inexpensive crossover that requires attention. Solving technical problems, depending on the direction, may require at least 5,000 rubles.

The cost of eliminating all of the listed deficiencies:

1. Replacing the rubber gasket on the autostart limit switch - from 500 rubles.
2. Modernization of the standard ABS system - 1000-2000 rubles.
3. Rubber seals for doorways excluding trunk - from 7,000 rubles.
4. Replacing anthers with better ones - 4,000 rubles.

In total, modifications to the Renault Kaptur will require about 15,000 rubles. However, it is important to note that deficiencies may manifest themselves individually depending on the general operating conditions of the vehicle.

Therefore, the final figure for revision often changes. According to domestic experts, Renault Kaptur is one of the most profitable crossovers, which has a minimum number of factory defects that occur in the case of 1 out of 10 cars.

The only condition for free service is compliance with warranty recommendations. Therefore, in order to get a chance for quick and free troubleshooting, you should have your car serviced only at official stations.

Similar materials.

Renault Kaptur is a new product for the Russian car enthusiast. Newspapers and various observers are trumpeting that this urban crossover, the assembly of which began in our country only in March of this year, is capable of competing with such world-famous models as the Opel Mocha and Ford Ecosport of the 2016 model year. Another bonus for the buyer is the more than affordable price, which was achieved by moving the production workshops to Moscow. Read about the features of the Russian version of Renault Kaptur and the company that produces it in this article.

Absolute leader

Production of Renault Captur began in March 2016 in Moscow. The company that took on the role of manufacturer of this SUV bears the proud name “Avtoframos”. When and how did such a company appear?

According to official information, Avtoframos, the brainchild of a joint alliance between the Russian manufacturer and France, arose back in 1998, when there was no talk of such a model as the Renault Captur.

All the sites were borrowed by AZLK, which by that time had already gone bankrupt and ceased to exist.

Obviously, for modern cars of the European level, outdated conveyor lines and equipment were not enough. It is difficult to say how much money was needed for Avtoframos to become a full-fledged automobile enterprise, but it is absolutely known that the re-equipment continued for several years, without stopping even for a month, due to the constant replenishment of the concern’s model range.

Gradually, the Russian company began producing domestic versions of Logan, Megan, Scenic and many other world-famous models. In 2016, the exact date for the launch of the Renault Kaptur assembly line was announced, and therefore the equipment once again had to be modernized. This is not surprising, because Renault Captur is a completely new model, and it is unreasonable, and not particularly advisable, to base it on the technology for other products of the concern.

As a result, new equipment was brought in to begin production of the Captur, including new conveyor lines and assembly machines. In the same regard, Avtoframos had to replenish its staff and announce a recruitment drive; for Renault Captur the old staff would clearly not be enough.

Detailed information

Without going into details, you might think that the Renault Captur, which is assembled in Russia, is completely similar to the version for Europe. However, this is not at all true.

Even to say that the differences between the Renault Kaptur versions are insignificant or unnoticeable at first glance is fundamentally wrong.

What, then, are the striking differences that prevent such an analogy? The fact is that the Renault Kaptur, produced in Europe, is based on the Clio 4 model, for which there is no specialized production line at Avtoframos. In this regard, in order to modify the equipment as cheaply and quickly as possible, it was decided to integrate the newly arrived model with the Duster, which has been produced in Moscow for quite some time.

This made it possible not only to reduce the cost, but also to give the model its main advantage - the presence of all-wheel drive.

It is known for sure that the European version has only front-wheel drive modifications in all trim levels without exception.

Thus, it turns out that the domestically assembled Captur is built on a completely different platform, but they promise to preserve the appearance as much as possible. This will allow the model to use the lion's share of spare parts and components that are already being produced for the European version.

Despite the fairly detailed information about the manufacturer, the question remains open: what is the position of Renault Captur in the concern’s model line? Between which models that have already begun production will the newly-made SUV fit? In response to these questions, the Russian representative claims that the model will be one step above the Duster.

• Firstly, the planned configurations are an order of magnitude richer, and the individualization of the car’s contents here is really pleasing.
• The second point is the range of Renault Captur engines and transmissions. For the version that is assembled in Russia, it is planned to offer innovative versions of engines that have a small volume and high-pressure turbochargers. For the first time in the history of the Russian representative office of the brand, it will be possible to launch the production of a small-displacement model with increased power and low fuel consumption.

Another feature of the domestic Renault Captur is its price. The fact is that European versions have an initial cost in the national currency of the European Union, and resale of a crossover in ruble equivalent will make even an experienced car owner involuntarily shudder. That is why the delivery of the previous version of Captur to our country was never established, and the anticipation of the second generation was felt more and more every year.

Resume

Renault Captur is a newcomer to the Russian market, appearing only in 2016. However, due to the great demand for small urban crossovers, the popularity of the model promises to be quite high. It will be facilitated by the more than affordable prices of Captur. They were achieved thanks to production in Moscow, as well as the use of the newest and most modern equipment, which significantly reduces production costs.