Paris - Renault is hoping to make a bigger impact on the midsize SUV market with its all-new Austral, and these first official images of a disguised prototype give us a good idea of what to expect from the new Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota Rav4 rival.
Built on the Renault Nissan Alliance’s new CMF-CD3 platform, the new Renault Austral will share most of its oily bits with the new Nissan Qaqhqai. According to Renault it has an overall length of 4.51 metres, which makes it marginally bigger than the current Kadjar.
The French carmaker has also revealed the engine line-up for the newcomer, which will include a 1.3-litre TCe turbopetrol paired with a 12V mild hybrid system as well as a 1.2 TCe unit with 48V mild hybrid tech. The latter powertrain is a first for Renault, and the new line-up will offer outputs of up to 147kW.
At this stage there’s no word on whether the Austral will inherit the Qashqai’s e-Power hybrid system in which a 140kW electric motor is fed by a 1.5-litre petrol-powered generator.
The Renault Austral is currently undergoing its final round of testing, in which a fleet of 100 vehicles will cover 2 million kilometres in a mix of real-life and track tests.
“These tests will enable the teams to approve the adjustments made to the new CMF-CD3 platform and driver assistance systems, as well as the sound-proofing and comfort of the suspension system, so that future customers can enjoy the best conditions,” Renault said.