The salary you need to afford the new Renault Captur in South Africa

You will need to earn at least R55,000 per month to afford the new Renault Captur on a finance plan, according to a calculation by TopAuto.

The French carmaker recently launched the new Captur in South Africa, which is available in three specifications with prices ranging from R515,999 to R614,999.

All three versions are fitted with a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 113kW and 270Nm.

It is front-wheel-drive, and has a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The crossover also has four Multi-Sense driving modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport and Perso – and achieves an average fuel economy of 6.6l/100km.

Features on the Renault start with automatic LED headlights, auto-folding side mirrors, 17-inch matt black alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, “half-diamond” LED daytime running lights,

It is also available in five different colours, namely Arctic White, Flame Red, Iron Blue, Oyster Grey, and Urban Grey.

The equipment list includes keyless entry and start, an artificial leather multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters, automatic climate control, recycled fabric upholstery, two USB ports, a digital instrument cluster, and a 10.4-inch portrait “OpenR Link” infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The higher-spec Iconic swaps the 17-inch alloys for larger 18-inch ones, and the flagship Esprit Alpine has exclusive 18-inch “Black Hole” rims with a high-gloss black finish.

Additionally, the Alpine has a number of sporty-themed accessories like aluminium sports pedals, blue top stitching for the seatbelts, [partial leather upholstery, branded door sills, a sport steering wheel, and French flag detailing on the seats and dashboard.

Each purchase comes with a 5-year/150,000km warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan.

What you need to earn

We can use the following formula to work out the monthly payments on the new Renault:

• Car price – R515,999/R614,999
• Payment term – 60 terms (5 years)
• Interest – 10.25%
• Deposit – 0%
• Balloon – No balloon payment
• Extras – No optional extras

According to this, you’ll need to pay at least R11,122 per month for the Techno, and up to R13,238 per month for the Esprit Alpine.

Financial experts then recommend that you do not spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on vehicle payments.

This means you’ll need to earn anywhere from R55,610 per month to R66,190 per month to afford the new Captur on a finance plan.

Note that this figure does not account for insurance, fuel, and maintenance, which must all be factored into your budget.