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The Renault Austral made its official online debut exactly three months ago, but now has its first public appearance at the 2022 Sofia Motor Show. The successor to the Kadjar comes with a fresh new look, incredible technological upgrades and an all-hybrid lineup. The French automaker promises an improved cabin feel and a more premium overall feel, but you’ll have to wait at least a few more months to order it as sales won’t start until the third quarter of this year.
The Austral is Renault’s new addition to the SUV market, which only comes with an electric engine. The base unit is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder mild turbo hybrid engine, which serves as a “genuine alternative to diesel” with 130 horsepower and high torque from low rpm. The manufacturer promises a combined fuel consumption of only around 5.3 liters per 100 kilometers with CO2 emissions of 123 grams per kilometer. Renault estimates the engine would be about 20 percent less efficient without mild hybrid technology.
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There is also a larger 1.3-liter four-cylinder unit developed in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz but the highlight of the Austral engine lineup is the E-Tech Hybrid model. It has a 1.2 liter engine under the hood but the electric support boosts power to 160 hp or 200 hp. The latter is the most powerful engine option for the Austral, which has no diesel units available. As a reminder, Kadjar has 1.5 and 1.6 liter dCi ignition compression engines.
While some customers may miss diesel engines in the European market, there’s no denying that the Austral has all the technology a modern SUV needs. Inside the cabin, there are a pair of screens, a 12-inch vertical touchscreen for the infotainment system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as a 9.3-inch heads-up display. Depending on the trim level, this French family carrier offers standard or optional LED headlights, 360-degree camera, Level 2 autonomy technology, four-wheel steering and more.
As noted above, Renault is not yet ready to start production of the Austral and has not yet received any SUV orders in Europe. The order book will open later this summer with first customer deliveries planned for the last quarter of the year. The price remains a mystery for now.
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