This year it is over and out for the Renault Kadjar. The SUV is followed by a brand new model with an equally new name: Austral. It is that Renault Austral that is now clearly visible from all angles in a tight-fitting sticker sheet.
Renault says it is preparing for the final test work with the Renault Austral and therefore hoists the new SUV in a new camouflage suit. We’ve shown you the Austral with camouflage stickers before, but the new test suit of the Kadjar successor hides a lot less.
Renault Austral
The Renault Austral will have electrified powertrains, but will by no means be fully electric. Renault will come in the class of the Austral with an all-electric equivalent, an SUV-like brother of the Mégane E-Tech Electric that we have to wait a little longer for. The Renault Austral will in any case be available with two mild-hybrid powertrains. There will be a variant with a 12v mild-hybrid 1.3 TCe and a 48v mild-hybrid 1.2 TCe. In addition, Renault also speaks of the arrival of a fully-fledged hybrid E-Tech Hybrid powertrain. Brothers Captur and Mégane are also available with plug-in hybrid powertrains. It is not yet clear whether the Austral will also be plugged in, as technical brother Qashqai is also not available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, the Qashqai will be available with an ePower drivetrain where the car is always electrically powered, but is not an EV. On board that version is a petrol engine that directly supplies energy for the small battery pack and therefore the electric motors. The Austral probably won’t get this system, so don’t be surprised if Renault brings a plug-in hybrid powertrain to the car instead.
Renault is clearly showering the Austral with the fresh design language that was first applied to the Mégane E-Tech Electric. The SUV will have flat LED headlights and less convex, round shapes across the board like the Kadjar currently has. Compared to the current Kadjar, the car grows by 2 centimeters to 4.51 meters. That makes it about 8 centimeters longer than the Qashqai. The Renault Austral will be launched this year.
In AutoWeek 2, which will be in stores from January 12, we look extensively ahead at the Renault Austral.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl