Renault Austral no closer to Australia, hybrid SUV alternatives being explored

The Renault Australia – a twin to the popular version Nissan Qashqai – a shape that naturally fits into the Australian SUV market. However, the brand’s local boss says there are better alternatives.

Talk to Car expert at the new product launch Arkana Renault Australia general manager Glen Sealey said the Austral would be a great addition to the local line-up, but Australian customers were not keen on the late arrival.

“It can [come here]But one thing I know about Australians is that we don’t like to buy a car that has been released. [overseas markets] years ago and we got the facelift. If we get it, we get it – so I was quite conscious of that,” Mr Sealey said.

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“There are other products in the Renault brand – Symbiosis just released [overseas] would be a good car here. You still have the Dacia range we’re looking at – Dust mop and Bigster – so there are plenty of options there.

“We have to be very careful that any vehicle we put into service today has to have a future model that is compatible with NVES calculations,” Mr Sealey added.

The Renault Symbioz 2025 was revealed earlier this year for overseas markets like Europe and the UK. While it’s similar in size to the Austral (4413mm versus 4515mm), it’s built on an extended version of the Captur’s CMF-B compact architecture.

At launch, the only powertrain available is the E-Tech Full Hybrid system comprising a 69kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 36kW traction motor, an 18kW high-voltage starter generator and a 1.2kWh battery pack.

These components work together via a “multi-mode clutchless transmission” with four gears for the petrol engine and two for the main electric motor, with a system output of 107kW. Fuel economy is claimed to be just 4.6L/100km on the WLTP cycle.

The Symbioz looks to be a more economical and practical product than the high-end and tech-focused Austral.

It has a boxy design that fits the new trend. Scenic E-Tech Electricand the cabin design looks like it’s been lifted straight from the smaller Captur. The front design is also quite similar to the all-new Captur.

Major competitors include Hyundai Kona And Toyota Corolla CrossBoth are popular locally and offer hybrid powertrains.

Meanwhile, the Renault Austral is sold in Europe and the UK – meaning it’s available globally in right-hand drive, unlike the larger Espace which is essentially a new version of the Renault Nissan X-Trail.

In the UK, the Austral is only offered with a 1.2-litre turbocharged hybrid system combined with a small lithium-ion battery and a pair of electric motors for a total system output of 146kW.

Fuel consumption is as low as 4.7L/100km on the WLTP cycle and CO2 emissions are rated at 110g/km. This is better than the Toyota RAV4 2WD Hybrid, which in the UK returns up to 5.7L/100km and emits 129-132g/km on the same official test cycle.

Both Austral and Symbioz are successors of the old one. Renault KadjarThe French car brand itself is a copy of the previous generation Nissan Qashqai.

The Spanish-made Kadjar was launched in Australia in 2019 and discontinued just over 12 months later. Renault sold 132 units in 2019, with first-year sales reaching 500. By contrast, the Qashqai recorded 7,057 sales in 2020.

While the Arkana serves as a niche offering for the small SUV market Down Under, Renault still has no worthy rival to the aforementioned Qashqai. Mazda CX-30and Hyundai Kona since Kadjar was discontinued.

The small SUV segment is one of the most popular in Australia, accounting for 174,481 registrations in 2023, up 21.5 per cent year-on-year.

The Renault Arkana coupe has accounted for just 0.3 percent of the market this year, although that’s partly thanks to the transition between the old model and the new facelift launched this month.

Austral or Symbioz? Which Renault hybrid SUV would you like to see in Australia?

THAN: Everything Renault