Driving the refreshed Renault Austral put hybrids back on my family car shopping list | Stuff

Introduction

Renault is clearly on a roll at the moment, with the Renault 5 and Renault 4 EVs looking like they’re going to be in big demand. Elsewhere, the French car makers has quite a lot of models that seemingly look quite similar, like the Rafale, the very good Scenic, the low-key Symbioz and less popular Arkana. The latter car looks like its days are numbered, whereas the Austral has been given a whole new lease of life.

Some three years later after I first drove one, the facelifted Austral has kept the same name but has plenty to differentiate it from the original. The C-segment SUV was given a striking cosmetic makeover, a revised interior (with some of the best seats in the business) and a new hybrid powertrain. There are better shock absorbers and larger tyres too, with the latter being very easy to get squealing without much in the way of effort. Sound surprising? The Renault Austral is packed with surprises…

The styling

When I tried the original Renault Austral back in 2022, I thought it was an okay kind of car… but that the looks could have been a little more inspiring. Renault’s designers have taken heed and this new model has received some neat cosmetic tweaks. The most dramatic change has been to the front end, with a much more impressive grille array and a chunky-but-flat Renault logo, all sandwiched by rather excellent LED headlights.

The stance is upright and pert, which means the Austral is quite tall. That’s obviously good news for larger folks getting in and out of the front and back. There’s respectable ground clearance too, which makes the Austral good at getting over speed bumps and other everyday obstacles such as raised kerbs or large potholes. Along the bottom of the SUV there’s a lot of black plastic, but it contrasts nicely with the body colour and works without looking cheap.

Out back, I’m quite keen on the revised angular taillights that cut from the wing into the tailgate. The rear end curves inwards though, which looks like it might make the tailgate and boot opening too small. Somehow Renault has made it work, and the entry point is more than adequate. It’s quite high too, which makes loading shopping and the like a fuss-free exercise. There’s a choice of alloys, from 19s on the lowlier models and 20s on the high-specification cars. Either option look quite tasty to me.

The drive

The Renault Austral’s hybrid petrol engine gets the job done. It feels like it’s got enough power, with the only real downside being a less smooth delivery. There’s a dinky three cylinder, turbocharged 1.2-litre lump under the hood, supplemented by an electric motor driving the front wheels. The original car’s neat rear wheel steering system is retained on cars destined for Europe, but not on ones heading to the UK. We’ll have to make do with a fairly no-frills handling setup instead.

This car’s engine and transmission won’t thank you for giving it the beans. There’s also quite a lot of noise if you’re parked up with the engine ticking over. Nevertheless, setting off with the full EV power kicking in turns the car into an altogether different experience, which is only spoilt when the petrol power takes over. Considering this is a hybrid, I was chuffed with the way the Austral pottered around town using electric-only propulsion.

I was a bit surprised to find just how easy it was to get the Michelin’s on my test car to howl if anything enthusiastic was tried through a corner or two, though. Considering how upright the Renault Austral is, the car still gets through turns nicely and feels very good when it’s being driven sensibly. It’s not fast, but it’s not that kind of car. Anyone who fancies the odd audible thrill though, will find those Michelin’s granting that wish without too much in the way of effort.

The technology

Renault has been solid enough recently with its infotainment setups. In the case of the Austral, it’s certainly an improvement over the pre-facelift model. The 12.3in touchscreen is portrait-oriented and easy on the eyes, with very legible graphics and a straightforward to use interface that’s refreshing. Physical controls are a key cockpit feature too.

This is augmented by a 12in digital cluster in front of the wheel. Elsewhere there are all the tech trimmings most of us need including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, lots of driver assist options, wireless charging and a respectable reversing camera.

Anyone craving more in the tech department will need to splash out on the higher-spec models though. Do so and you’re rewarded with a head-up display, 360-degree surround view camera (handy, considering the less brilliant view out the back) and an excellent Harmon Kardon audio system. Even the lowlier cars get those adaptive LED headlights that make life that little bit easier.

Renault Austral verdict

There’s a lot of competition among mid-sized SUV right now, so the Renault Austral has its work cut out to get attention. I think there’s plenty here to deserve your attention alongside the big-selling Nissan Qashqai, the Kia Sportage, and Peugeot 3008.

While it’s an improvement over what came before, this new car has its quirks; the ride is a little less refined than some rivals and, perhaps, the biggest downer overall. Driven sedately though, it isn’t bad at all and feels even better when EV-only power is being delivered. I thought it was pretty comfortable too. Give it a whirl and see if you can get those tyres singing.

Renault Austral technical specifications