RENAULT AUSTRAL. The new Renault Austral has finally been unveiled! The SUV replaces the aging Kadjar with the ambition to better compete with the Peugeot 3008. It relies for this on a more aggressive look and several hybrid engines. Discover it in detail and in photos!
[Mis à jour le 9 mars 2022 à 07h59] This time, the Austral is a reality. Long “teased”, Renault’s new SUV was officially presented on Tuesday March 8, 2022. The Renault Austral is Renault’s new weapon in the hotly contested compact SUV segment, a category that generates good margins in which the brand French has never really managed to weigh with its Kadjar, technical cousin of the pioneer Nissan Qashqai. Aging, with a bland design both outside and inside, it quickly suffered from comparison with much more trim opponents, in particular a much more aggressive Peugeot 3008 on the outside and flashy on the inside with its digital dashboard, its piano keys and its original dashboard.
Renault grumbled for several years before preparing its response. It is therefore called Austral and is the first production vehicle on which the new design manager worked (under the responsibility of Laurens van den Acker), a certain Gilles Vidal, debauched from Peugeot where he had notably worked on… the 3008! This Austral must embody a little more the new era of Renault, inaugurated by the recent release of the new generation of the Mégane, 100% electric and called Mégane E-Tech. This time no electric on board but hybrid for this compact SUV intended for the road and which benefits from the launch of several gasoline hybrid proposals while the diesel disappears purely and simply.
Renault has this time cut to the quick and assumes the SUV side of the Austral with imposing protections, protruding sides, underlined wheel arches and 17 to 20 inch rims. We also discover a modern lighting signature and interior equipment presented as more premium and better arranged. Enough to overshadow a 3008 which is beginning to show the weight of years but also the Volkswagen Tiguan, heavyweight in the category in Europe? Here is the first information to remember about this new Renault Austral as well as the first photos to be found in our slideshow.
The first photos of the Renault Austral
Renault unveiled its new compact SUV, the Renault Austral, on March 8, 2022 after a major teasing campaign which saw the French brand detail many aspects of its SUV.
What information should be remembered about the Renault Austral?
The Renault Austral joins the compact SUV category, a sector that is already very congested but generates good margins because it is often accompanied by premium equipment and high finishes.
- It is the replacement for the Renault Kadjar launched in 2015. Technical cousin of the Nissan Qashqai, the Renault Kadjar allowed Renault to position itself in this market but quickly suffered from a more bland design than its rivals who arrived a few months later, Peugeot 3008 in the lead.
- At 4.51m long, the Renault Austral is three centimeters longer than its predecessor, the Renault Kadjar, but above all six centimeters longer than the Peugeot 3008. For the benefit of interior space and the comfort of its occupants?
- The Austral is designed on the CMF-CD platform of 3th generation and will be offered in particular with a new E-TECH hybrid engine and a revised 4-wheel steering system, known as 4Control Advanced.
- Inside, the dashboard takes up the general design inaugurated on the Mégane E-Tech with in particular two large screens, one for the instrumentation, the other for the infotainment via a form of tablet in the center. The two screens appear to join via an L-shape. They measure 12.3″ for the instrumentation screen and 12″ for the central vertical screen
- A version with a sportier look will be offered. It is called Esprit Alpine and has an exclusive color called Gris Schiste Satin.
Gasoline, hybrid… Which engines on the Renault Austral?
No diesel! Renault anticipates future regulations and bans diesel from its new SUV. The Renault Austral is offered with several hybrid engines: the E-Tech Hybrid system on the 400 Volt network develops up to 200 horsepower. This engine combines a new 1.2-litre 130 horsepower 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine with a 50 kW electric motor or 68 horsepower and a 400 V lithium-ion battery. In the end, two power levels will be offered on this top. range: 160 and 200 horsepower.
The Austral will also be offered with a lighter hybridization via two engines:
- the 130 horsepower Mild Hybrid Advanced with a 1.2l turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol unit.
- the Mild Hybrid with a 1.3 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine already known from Renault and offered in two power levels, 140 and 160 horsepower.
What is the release date of the Renault Austral?
Unveiled on March 8, 2022, the Renault Austral should take its first steps on the road this summer for a commercial launch by the end of 2022. This deadline is confirmed by the Diamond brand which evokes the “4th quarter of 2022 ” for this launch.
At what price will the Renault Austral be sold?
Renault has not revealed a price for the time being but we can estimate a launch price above 30,000 euros for the basic version, probably between 32,000 and 35,000 euros. The sportier Esprit Alpine version should also be detailed by then. It will undoubtedly offer a specific interior layout in addition to its gray color which is reserved for it.