Renault exec outlines why Captur will retain lead in key small SUV sector

Olivier Brosse, Renault program director for small cars, is responsible for the brand’s two best-selling models, the Clio hatchback and Captur SUV. A new generation of each model is being introduced this year on the Renault-Nissan alliance’s CMF platform, including a hybrid version of the Clio and a plug-in hybrid Captur. Brosse, 47, spoke with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Peter Sigal about why Renault expects the Captur to continue to lead its segment despite the arrival of many new competitors.

What are the main improvements in the new Captur?
We have pushed all the elements that made it a Captur even further. We have increased the interior flexibility, we have increased the trunk space, we have increased the options for customization, which was one of the strong selling points of the original Captur. We have also increased the length, by 11 cm. We know that the subcompact SUV segment was moving toward longer cars and we wanted to take advantage of this trend.

When is the official start of sales?
It will be at the end of this year for some markets, but in all markets by early 2020.

What about the plug-in hybrid version?
By the end of the first half of 2020. We will announce the pricing at the beginning of next year.

What percentage of buyers do you think will choose the plug-in hybrid?
We can't say exactly, but we think it will be in the double digits. It really depends on incentives in the individual markets.

Why do the Clio and Captur have different kinds of Renault’s e-Tech hybrid drivetrains?
That’s a good question. The engine compartment easily allows us to use either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid system. We sell a lot of Clios to fleets, and the hybrid is more appropriate for that kind of usage.

What is the cost impact of electrification on Renault’s small cars?
It is several thousand euros [per vehicle]. It will be a challenge for us to retain our customers but the Clio, especially, has a dynamic feeling that we think will attract car buyers, especially in the city [Renault estimates that 80 percent of city driving will be full electric]. The e-Tech will be the most “electrified” hybrid on the market.

When the Captur was introduced, it had one serious competitor, the Nissan Juke. Now there are about 20, and some automakers such as Volkswagen even have two models in the small SUV segment. Would you ever go a little smaller or bigger with the Captur name?
We believe that the size difference with the Kadjar [compact SUV], which is 25cm longer, is the right amount. We decided not to go with two models in the [small SUV] segment. We would like to be able to cover, for example, the price of the Volkswagen T-Cross and the perceived quality of the Volkswagen T-Roc, but we think we can do this with one model.

The new Nissan Juke is on the same platform as the Captur. What distinguishes the Captur from the Juke?
The Juke is probably more sporty. It’s going after a younger customer than we are.

But there are some synergies for the Renault-Nissan alliance, right?
For sure, we are sharing everything that can be shared.

What is the Captur’s top market?
In terms of segment performance it is Portugal. We have 26 percent of the small SUV segment there. Spain and Italy are also key.

Renault will start building the Captur in China. What are the differences?
We will produce it at the Dongfeng joint venture plant in Wuhan. This is the first application of the alliance's CMF-B platform in China. We will have only one engine there, a 1.3-liter gasoline unit. After that we will adjust to local tastes, including adjusting the interior colors.

Do minicars have a future in Europe as meeting emissions compliance rules makes them more expense to make?
It's a very interesting and complicated question. Basically, the [minicar] A segment in Europe is about 900,000 units. Half of that is in Italy. So, what happens in Italy will be key for the rest of the segment. A large portion of sales are driven by a need for maneuverability in cities, and some of it is driven by cost. For the cost-driven part of the market, the price of entry is going to increase, therefore the benefit of buying an A segment car over a B segment [small] car is probably going to be reduced. Part of the market will have a hard time fighting with the B segment which has much more volume [usually more than 2 million units a year]. The need for maneuverability will likely remain. There will probably be a switch to electric vehicles, as Smart has already decided.

So cost is less an issue for those who need small, maneuverable cars?
Yes. But this segment will also probably see a new ownership model. Customers might move to car-sharing much more than we think.