Renault resumes the pulse of the compact segment with a car that it desperately needed. The Renault Austral leaves behind the Kadjar era with improvements in every way. An SUV that has everything you could possibly need.
The C segment in Europe is the most important of all. All brands compete with at least one model. Not being present in that market is saying goodbye to many possible sales. Renault has had the category somewhat forgotten. The Mégane is in its lowest hours, and the Kadjar has not been the revolution that everyone expected. Nevertheless the Renault Austral emerges like the Phoenix to return the French to the position they should never have lost. I have already met him.
Historically, Renault has been one of the most important brands in the compact segment. With the Clio and the Captur being a reference in their categories, the French lacked a compact SUV with which to stand up to models such as the Hyundai Tucson, the KIA Sportage, the SEAT Ateca or the Peugeot 3008. The Kadjar was a first I try something poor that has not been able to find its place. It was time to update it, but Renault has decided that it was better to start from scratch with a completely new name and model, and that is where the Austral makes an appearance.
The first thing that catches your eye is your image. The aesthetics of the Austral is very powerful with a very powerful and voluminous front. Grill of large proportions, integrated headlights with the usual C-shaped LED light signature and in general lines a very country and sporty appearance. Of course, the renewed emblem of the house could not be missing, which was first released on the Renault Mégane E-Tech. Another model of great importance for the French brand for its 100% electric approach.
Although in the side view it looks like a bigger car than it really is, the measurements of the Austral fit it perfectly in the C-SUV segment. 4.51 meters long, 1.84 meters wide and 1.62 meters high. To these measures must be added a wheelbase of 2.67 meters. On an aesthetic level, the designers include many resources in the side view, such as very marked ribs that reaffirm the wheel arches, and stress lines in the bottom to simulate an aggressive and inclined position, although it is only an optical effect.
As for the rear we see that the Renault DNA is also integrated into the design. Once again we have a strong appearance, with a lot of horizontal line to generate a feeling of width, and a raised bumper, although the clearance with respect to the ground is a maximum of 18 centimeters. Without a doubt, what stands out the most from the rear view are the headlights, very large and striking that embrace the emblem without touching..
The Austral range is divided into several levels or finishes: Equilibre, Techno and Iconic. To these versions we must add the Esprit Alpine units, which have personalized and specific details to add a slightly sportier touch like that of the test unit. Details in black chrome, emblems and wheels darkened up to 20 inches are its most distinctive features. They have little to do with the Alpine sports brand, and it represents a small break with the traditional way of naming sports packages, until now known as RS Line.
For some time now, Renault has been improving the finishes of its cars. Quality and good workmanship are the general trend of the most recent models, but quality was not particularly prominent in the Kadjar. That has been one of the reasons for Renault to get rid of the model. The Austral, however, offers a very well presented cabin with quality materials and a pleasant touch that generate a very good feeling.. So much so that I would say that today this is the highest quality Renault on the market.
But the Austral is not only nourished by quality, because we must also talk about technology. Thanks to the CMF-CD3 platform, the same used by the Nissan Qashqai, the French SUV can enjoy technologies such as LED matrix headlights, Head-Up Display, digital instrumentation with 12.3-inch screen, multimedia system with panel up to 12 inchesautomatic climate control, parking cameras, electric seats with massage and much more, including a team with 32 assistants with level 2 autonomous driving.
One of the main novelties is the incorporation of the Android Auto operating system. Renault has preferred to have the Google program rather than manufacture its own, and the truth is that it seems to me a very wise decision. It’s like handling any mobile. Applications such as Spotify or Google Maps with constant updates and live traffic are available, and we also have Google’s voice control that is fully integrated into the car and to which we can ask anything.
The C-segment is a family segment looking for a lot of interior space. There is plenty of legroom and headroom. I measure 1.75 and I have plenty of space everywhere, even three adults can travel with some comfort behind. The only drawback is that there is not enough space for three children’s chairs, although we can play with the space thanks to the longitudinal adjustment of the stool. Up to 16 centimeters of displacement that allow us to give more space to the trunk or to the occupants according to the needs.
The trunk offers a minimum volume of 500 liters for micro-hybrid versions and 430 liters for conventional hybrids. The difference is that in the latter we find the car battery in the false bottom. As the second row is adjustable the volume also grows considerably. At maximum capacity, completely demolishing the second row of seats, the Austral reaches 1,525 liters, which will be 1,455 liters in the E-TECH hybrids.
As for the mechanical range, Renault makes the Austral an SUV that always sports the ECO label. We have micro-hybrid versions and conventional hybrid versions. With no diesel versions in sight, the Mild-Hybrid units feature a four-cylinder petrol engine with a 12-volt auxiliary electrical scheme. They offer 140 or 160 horsepower with manual or automatic gearboxes. The hybrid reaches 200 horsepower thanks to two electric motorsand a turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine with 1.2 liters of displacement that is always associated with an automatic transmission.
At the wheel of the Renault Austral
During the presentation I had the opportunity to test the conventional hybrid Austral with 200 horsepower. It is a combination very similar to what we can see in the hybrid Captur, but with a smaller engine. That is the real novelty that the Austral brings at a mechanical level. You know what We’re not particularly fond of three-cylinder engines, but in this case I think Renault has done a good job. thanks to hybridization.
As I have already said, the 130-horsepower gasoline engine is accompanied by two electric motors. One of them acts as a clutch between the thermal engine and the seven-speed gearbox, while the other is capable of moving the car for several kilometers thanks to the 2 kWh capacity battery, of which 1.7 are useful. . The driver can play with the way the engines are combined thanks to the different driving programs. The car will always start in electric mode, although its autonomy will depend on the charge remaining in the battery.
There are five driving modes in total: Regen, Dynamic, e-drive, ICE and 100% electric mode.. In each of them the car configures the system to work with all the engines or just one, whichever it is. It must also be said that in each program other elements such as throttle response or steering hardness are adjusted, but not the suspension, which is always soft and with a certain tendency to bounce on the front axle.
That limits its dynamic capabilities, but improves ride comfort considerably. If the Austral hybrid stands out for something, it is for its smooth running. It is a car very well settled on the road, stable and pleasant to drive that always tries to reduce the irregularities of the terrain. Whether on the highway, in the city or on secondary roads, we are looking for a comfortable and comfortable car for all occupants.
Renault assures that the Austral is capable of carrying out 80% of its urban routes in a 100% electric way, although it will be necessary to work to achieve it. It has different regeneration modes, controlled through the paddles behind the steering wheel. Four different programs that allow the retention of the car to be varied when the accelerator pedal is lifted. It never behaves like a single pedal car, but it does allow you to recover a lot of battery while driving in the city. During the test it has not led to an analysis of consumption, something that you can be sure we will do later.
Although the Austral is an SUV, it is not a 4×4 SUV as Renault has decided against it. Nor are we going to find the usual electronic traction management programs, but the 4Control system with four-wheel steering should be highlighted. It is an optional element that improves the dynamics of the car. At low speed the wheels turn up to 5 degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels to improve maneuverability. At high speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels, up to 1 degree, which improves handling and cornering.
In terms of prices, Renault has sought a fine balance taking into account the high cost of today’s cars. The starting price of the Austral is 30,900 euros for the 140-horsepower micro-hybrid model with manual transmission and Equilibre finish. The conventional hybrid starts from 39,600 euros for the Techno finish, while the Esprit Alpine versions are announced from 37,400 euros for the Mild-Hybrid versions. All this without offer or promotions.
Conclusions
You have no doubt that the Austral is much better than the Kadjar. Renault resumes the pulse of the C segment with an SUV that needed to eat. The Austral has everything to be one of the market references. The sales should accompany it because there are many arguments in its favor: design, equipment, quality, habitability and comfort are the best. Although we hope that the absence of all-wheel drive versions or the price will not take a heavy toll, which is above some of its most direct rivals.