Is Renault back? Flock of 'brand new' Captur SUVs appear in NZ

Some two years after Renault pulled up stumps in New Zealand and pulled passenger vehicles from its local line-up, a string of brand new Capturs have arrived at various dealerships across the country. 

Only, none of those dealerships are Renault affiliated. So, what gives? 

At the time of writing, a total of 15 2026 mild-hybrid Capturs are listed for sale on Trade Me across three different dealerships. None of the listed units have more than 800km on their odometers, with some boasting less than 30km — mere delivery mileage. 

CarExpert NZ contacted a local Renault representative (as reported previously, the marque still has presence in New Zealand but only with its commercial vans), who said that “these units have not been imported by Renault New Zealand and appear to be used imports from Japan.”

One of the stores offering used Capturs is Andrew Simms Used in Manukau. The Andrew Simms dealership network is one of the largest in the country and offers, amongst other brands, Mitsubishi. 

The Captur is sold in Australia as a rebadged ASX. And, the ASX currently on sale in New Zealand — and still one of the country’s best-selling passenger vehicles — has been replaced in numerous markets by its French-sourced namesake.

So, is this mass arrival of new Captur units linked to Mitsubishi’s local team and potentially an evaluation programme? It seems that the answer is no.

A Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand representative told CarExpert NZ that they are “not sure where these vehicles have come from”, but “it has nothing to do with MMNZ or evaluation”. 

With no involvement from either Renault or Mitsubishi, it seems that these delivery-mileage Capturs are standalone grey imports with no affiliation with either Renault or Mitsubishi. 

All of the locally available Capturs for sale are the same ‘Techno’ spec, and feature a 10.4-inch tablet touchscreen, wireless phone mirroring, a heated steering wheel, climate control, cloth upholstery, a partial digital cluster, and more. 

Under the bonnet sits a 1.3-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder mild-hybrid engine developing 116kW of power, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive. 

The Captur offers a considerable 536-litre boot space behind the back seats, growing to 1363-litres when the back seats are lowered. It also comes with a suite of active and passive safety tech. In Australia, the Captur-based ASX boasts a 4-star ANCAP safety rating. 

In March, Renault New Zealand confirmed it is conducting a 'full review' of its local line-up.

“At the moment, we’re working through a full review of the Renault range, both passenger and light commercial, to understand what makes the most sense for the New Zealand market going forward,” said a brand spokesperson at the time.

“Several global Renault models are currently between product updates, so we’re factoring that into our planning as well. Because of all that, we’re not quite ready to confirm future line‑ups just yet.”