Following many teasers, Renault’sKadjar replacement, the Austral, has now been revealed.See details below!

The new Renault Austral is built on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’sthird-generation CMF-CD platform.

The name comes from the Latin word ‘australis’ and Renault claims this word resonates in many European languages. Austral conjures up the vibrancy and heat of the southern hemisphere. It’s a name that invites travel and is perfect for an SUV. Its harmonious balance of sounds that are easy to pronounce and international” said Sylvia Dos Santos from Renault’s marketing.

Renault Austral: Styling and Interior Features

The Austral features a strong, muscular design that Renault calls ‘Sensual Tech’.

The Renault Austral shares the same mechanics as its sister car, the Nissan Qashqai but adopts a ‘Sensual Tech’ design language that combinescurvy body lines with strong geometric lines. The heavily sculpted bonnet adds to the Austral’s strong presence as does the LED headlights with diamond patterning and the bold front grille and lower bumper section. The Austral is a good-looking SUV…

More so, the Austral Esprit Alpine derivative features a distinctive sporty execution with a Satin Shale Gray body colour, grille bar with Satin Gray sport blade, 20-inch diamond-cut black Daytona aluminium wheels with ‘Alpine’ branding, Satin Black roof rails and decor details finished in Diamond Black, Extra Glossy Black and Ice Black. Esprit Alpine badges are seen on the side of the Austral. This derivative gains interior features such as Alcantara upholstery with carbon-fibre twill fabric, blue stitching and piping, a Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel with Alcantara inserts and blue, white and red stitching, aluminium pedals and door sills bearing the ‘Alpine’ logo.

The Austral features a tech-forward cabin with 2 large screens making up the OpenR screen.

The Austral features a technologically advanced cabin with a large anti-glare OpenR screen that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch vertically orientated infotainment touchscreen system. A new 9.3-inch Head-Up Display is projected through the windscreen and puts vital information in the driver’s line of sight. The centre console, or as Renault calls it, the ‘cruising console’, features a comfortable hand rest as well as an inductive charging slot for a smartphone as well as storage space. Various trim finishes are used depending on the specification chosen including real wood, leather, Alcantara, padded textiles andgloss black and satin chrome elements. Interior lighting or ‘Living Lights’ is also part of the package.

What powers the new Renault Austral?

The Austral welcomes a range of full-hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains to market.

The Renault Austral features a range of electrified powertrains. The headline powertrain is a new full hybrid, self-charging E-TECH powertrain with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbopetrol engine paired with an electric motor and a 400V, 1.7 kWh lithium-ion battery. Combined power is rated at 146 kW and Renault claims a fuel consumption figure of 4.6 L/100km.

Renault will also offer 2 additional mild-hybrid powertrains including an entry-level 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine combined with a starter motor and12V-lithium-ion battery that offers 103 kWwith a manual transmission or 120 kW with an automatic transmission. Lastly, the mid-range powertrain option is a Mild Hybrid Advanced engine that makes its debut in the Austral and according to Renault, serves as a “genuine alternative to diesel”. It combines a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (manual transmission) with a 48V lithium-ion battery and starter motor that generates 97 kW and Renault claims a fuel consumption figure of 5.3 L/100km. All 3 powertrains feature regenerative braking.

The Austral is front-wheel drive but higher grade derivatives feature Renault’s third-generation 4-wheel steering system which enhances comfort, agility and manoeuvrability.

In terms of driver assistance features, the Austral is well equipped with features such asActive Driver Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with ‘Stop & Go’, Lane Centering, GPS data and mapping,360° around view 3D camera; Automated Park Assist; Blind Spot Warning and Lane Departure Prevention,Rear Automatic Emergency Braking; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; Matrix LED Vision smart lighting and Occupant Safe Exit.

The new Renault Austral is due to go on sale in the last quarter of 2022.Renault South Africa has stated that the Austral is under consideration for South Africa but has not been confirmed for introduction locally. We will keep you updated if anything changes.

Further Reading

Renault Koleos (2021) Review

Nissan Qashqai International launch review