FROM Manhattan to Arizona via Miami - Renault took the compact crossover scene by storm.

In an explosion of colour and clever personal touches, the French brand's new Captur model hit the streets with hopes of success sky high.

So much so that Renault said the model will become its second best-selling car after the latest Clio supermini.

Space and practicality apart, the Captur's trump card is its range of personalisation options which cover everything from exterior and cabin colours, trims, wheels and body decals.

The themes are colour co-ordinated with contrasting roof and bodywork paint choices, so the Arizona blend features a sandy orange to give the roof or body a baked desert feel.

A vibrant blue tone gives the Miami option a splash of the Atlantic coast while the urban-inspired Manhattan offers a range of monochrome styles.

Get fed up with your fabric of choice inside and you can just zip it out and replace with another design, while the original takes a tumble in the washing machine.

Smart stuff, and the innovation doesn't stop there because Captur is geared up to harness the best of three worlds.

There's the shape and driving position of an SUV, the cabin space and practical interior of an MPV and a driving experience in hatchback territory.

The powertrain choice features new and latest-generation Renault engines, all turbocharged and including the compact three-cylinder TCe 90 petrol turbo unit and the latest version of Renault's 1.5 dCi 90 diesel, with sub-100g/km CO emissions and potential fuel economy of 76.4mpg.

Mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, both engines benefit from Stop/Start and brake energy recovery. There's also the new 1.2 TCe 120 engine, recently introduced on the Clio GT-Line, with dual clutch automatic transmission.

Compact, but high-riding, the Captur is built on the same underpinnings as the Clio, but with a longer platform to create a more spacious cabin and load space.

Innovative features are to the fore, like the sliding rear bench seat and multi-position boot floor while the base of each door is shaped to prevent shoes or clothing being soiled when getting in or out.

You also get a high-set driving position and best in class boot capacity - ranging from 377 to 455 litres with all the seats in place and up to 1,235 litres with them folded flat. The boot floor is also reversible.

Four trim grades called Expression, Expression+, Dynamique MediaNav and Dynamique S MediaNav are available and standard kit includes 16 or 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, 60/40 folding and sliding rear bench seat, front and rear electric windows, trip computer, Hill Start Assist, ESC and Traction Control, speed limiter and fuel-saving ECO driving mode.

And both the MediaNav grades include an integrated multimedia system with seven-inch touchscreen display and Nav'n'Go sat-nav.

Prices are from £12,495 for the Captur TCe 90 Expression model rising to £18,895 for the Captur dCi 90 Dynamique S MediaNav automatic.

There are also various option packs ranging in price from £350 to £550