Renault Captur vs Vauxhall Frontera
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Frontera is a new rival to the Renault Captur, one of the UK's most popular small SUVs. We compare the Mk2 (2019–) Captur and the Mk3 (2024–) Frontera on price, size, boot space, performance, safety, official economy and running costs.
The short answer
The Renault Captur comes out ahead, with the bigger boot; the Vauxhall Frontera is close on everything else.
- New prices start within £325 of each other.
- The Renault Captur has the biggest boot: 484 litres, 24 more than the Vauxhall Frontera.
- No MOT reliability comparison yet: the Vauxhall Frontera is too new for MOT records (cars first take an MOT at three years old).
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £22 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the suspension on a Renault Captur: it fails on them 1.8 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Renault CapturMk2 (2019–), 5-door SUV | Vauxhall FronteraMk3 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £22,495 to £29,395July 2026 price list | £22,820 to £31,495October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 484 litres / 1,596 (best) | 460 litres / 1,600 |
| Length | 4,239mm | 4,385mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | – | 1,795mm |
| Height | 1,575mm | 1,655mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 115–160 PS (best) | 100–145 PS |
| 0–62mph | 8.9–12.1 sec | 9.0–13.0 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2024) | – |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Electric, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.1–65.7 mpg | 57.5–57.6 mpg |
| CO2 | 30–135 g/km | 111 g/km |
| Electric range | – | 199–268 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £994 (58.9 mpg) | £1,016 (57.6 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,148 (58.9 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | – | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £994 (petrol) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 89Below average | Too new for MOT data |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 22.6% | – |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.0% | – |
| Failed at 5 years old | 16.8% | – |
| Failed at 10 years old | 37.3% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Ball joint (3.6% of tests) | – |
| Fails more than average on | Suspension (1.8×), Body and structure (1.4×) | – |
| MOT tests analysed | 150,797 | – |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Small SUV | Small SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 7,100 | – |
| On sale | 2019 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Frontera more reliable?
It's too early to say from MOT records: the Vauxhall Frontera is too new, as cars take their first MOT at three years old. The Renault Captur has a reliability score of 89 (100 is average) from 150,797 MOT tests in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Frontera?
The Vauxhall Frontera is 146mm longer (4,385mm against 4,239mm). The Renault Captur has the bigger boot: 484 litres against 460.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Frontera?
New prices start at much the same level: £22,495 for the Renault Captur and £22,820 for the Vauxhall Frontera.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Frontera?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £22 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Should I buy the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Frontera?
The Renault Captur comes out ahead, with the bigger boot; the Vauxhall Frontera is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.