Renault Symbioz
New hybrid family SUV will be followed by plug-in hybrid and electric versions On sale Spring Price from £30,000 (est)
ANYONE WHO’S LOADED up their car with children and luggage will appreciate the ethos behind the Symbioz; it’s designed to be among the most spacious family SUVS you can buy.
Intended to slot in between the current Renault Captur and Austral SUVS, the Symbioz will count the class-leading Kia Sportage, the big-selling Nissan Qashqai and the super-practical Skoda Karoq among its key rivals. And like the Sportage, it’ll be offered with hybrid power.
At launch, the Symbioz will use the same 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor that we’ve already tried in the Renault Clio hatchback (our reigning small car champion), with 143bhp in total when petrol and electric power join forces. If you want to go greener, a plug-in hybrid is expected to join the range soon, and a fully electric version is likely to arrive later.
We’re yet to see inside the Symbioz, but we know it’ll be offered with the brand’s Solarbay electrically tinted sunroof, which was nominated for a Technology Award in this year’s What Car? Car of the Year Awards. Also featured on the upcoming Rafale and Scenic SUVS, Solarbay technology allows the panoramic glass roof to be made opaque in sections (at the touch of a button) – keeping the kids cool in the back seats, for example, while allowing you to enjoy the sunshine up front.
Elsewhere, the Symbioz is expected to borrow the Clio’s digital dials and touchscreen infotainment system – which we’ve found easy to get along with, thanks to its crisp graphics and fast responses.
Renault has yet to reveal just how much luggage you can cram into the Symbioz’s boot, but if it’s to wrestle the practicality crown away from the Karoq, it’ll need to beat that car’s eight carry-on suitcases.
Prices are likely to start from around £30,000; that’s more than you’d pay for a Qashqai or Karoq, but less than the hybrid versions of the Sportage will set you back.