French, not fancy
Renault originally planned the Austral to be launched in but then switched the sequence and pulled the Megane ahead Crossovers matter hugely for sales yet for Renault’s self identity and reinvention it was more urgent to get the electric hatch out there In that lengthened interval between design freeze and launch Renault got a new design director Gilles Vidal He didn’t change much Inevitably the Austral struggles to stand out among a sea of other crossovers especially in profile but that said it’s handsome for its kind
It comes only as a full hybrid It’s Renault’s geared hybrid system E Tech A petrol engine with a simple four speed gearbox works with an electric motor with two gears of its own Those two have different allowable permutations of drive either combined or singly It always starts off in electric drive because there’s no clutch A second smaller motor starts the engine and synchronises the gearshifts New for the Austral is a cyl turbo engine and higher battery voltage That’s good for bhp It’s BIK happy as all versions score under g/km CO Hybrid rivals are mostly around g/km Real world petrol hybrids are more economical than diesels on give and take roads less so on the motorway where there’s not much chance to recover energy
We drove the four wheel steer option and thus fitted the Austral is remarkably easy to thread through cramped streets and multistorey ramps and has strong main road stability The suspension is fairly taut containing roll and body heave well but it’s not about feedback or engagement Because it’s a family crossover Without WS you’re running on a simpler torsion beam rear suspension which will likely mean less steering precision and more road noise
In the smart cabin the transmission is controlled by a stalk so the centre console is freed up for big trays and cupholders variously covered and uncovered by a novel sliding thingy that contains the wireless charge pad and a padded wrist rest for when you’re jabbing at the touchscreen Real switches cover matters that need quick access
It arrives here early next year with the stuff families use comprehensive connectivity sliding rear seats reassuring safety kit There isn’t a base trim or low spec engine so you need to pay a fair bit but it mostly feels worth it and you can save BIK too