Renault launches compact SUV to fight sales slump

Renault Samsung Motors' Captur, which launched in the Korean market Wednesday, is priced between 24.13 million won ($19,700) and 27.48 million won. [RENAULT SAMSUNG MOTORS]

Renault Samsung Motors has launched the Captur compact SUV in a bid to fight the sales slump from the coronavirus pandemic.

The French automaker's Korean unit said Wednesday it has started sales of the imported Renault Captur in the local market. The Captur, now offered between 24.13 million won ($19,700) and 27.48 million won, was previously sold as the QM3 in the Korean market.

The compact SUV is 4.23 meters (13.9 feet) in length, 1.8 meters in width and 1.58 meters in height and was first showcased in the European market in 2013. To date, it has sold more than 1.5 million units globally. The car maintained its spot as the top-selling compact SUV model in Europe from 2014 to 2019.

Developed in France and manufactured in Spain, The compact SUV comes with either a 1.3-liter turbo control efficiency gasoline engine or a 1.5-liter direct common rail injection diesel engine.

The Captur is equipped with the Getrag seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. The gasoline version, with a fuel economy of 13.5 kilometers (8.4 miles) per liter, is rated at 152 horsepower and 26 kilogram-meters (188 pound-feet) of torque. The diesel version, with a fuel economy of 17.7 kilometers per liter, comes at 116 horsepower and 26.5 kilogram-meters of torque.

With the local launch of the Captur, Renault Samsung Motors is attempting to overcome withered demand for new cars as consumers delay major purchases amid the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the automaker’s sales figures dropped by smaller margins than its four domestic competitors due to the popularity of the XM3 SUV launched early in the year.

In the first four months of this year, Renault Samsung Motors sold a total of 41,477 vehicles, down 22 percent from 52,930 units posted in the same period a year earlier.

BY KO JUN-TAE [ko.juntae@joongang.co.kr]