Renault presents the new Austral SUV, the successor to the Kadjar

The Austral is Renault’s third model to focus squarely on the lower-middle class crossover. After the electric Megane E-Tech and the coupe SUV Arkana.

Unlike the Arkana, it builds on the third generation of larger CMF-CD platforms, similar to the new Nissan Qashqai. The exterior design continues in the brand’s well-established language with the C-shaped headlights and taillights connected roughly into a single horizontal unit. The car can have 20 inch wheel discs.

The Austral has a new logo and is the first model to be available in the Esprit Alpine sports design package, which refers to the Alpine sports brand.

The futuristic interior with a horizontal exhale bar wants the passenger to admire primarily the large screens of the new infotainment system. The digital instrument panel is 12.3 inches long, the middle part is 12 inches long, and there is also a transparent front-facing display that displays information over a 9.3 inch area.

Thanks to the sliding rear seats, the luggage compartment volume reaches 575 liters in the basic configuration and 1,525 liters when the seats are folded down.

While the current Megan is electric only, Australian internal combustion engines do count. They will always be gasoline, diesel is not considered. The three-cylinder engine will not be available in the Czech Republic.

First, the Australian will be offered with a 1.3 TCe four-cylinder engine with 103 kW, 140 hp and 118 kW, 160 hp, with a 12-volt hybrid system. The weaker version gives you a choice between manual and automatic, and the more powerful only automatic, on-demand with all-wheel drive.

A full hybrid capable of electric driving over the short term delivers the same power as the 118 kW, 160 hp or even 132 kW, 200 hp. The automatic transmission is no longer a dual-clutch transmission, but a CVT variator.

The Austral will also offer rear wheel rotation, up to five degrees, so the turning radius is 10.1 metres.

Orders for the new Renault Austral will begin in the second half of this year and sale in early 2022/2023.