Is the Renault Austral better than the Megane E-Tech and better than the Kadjar - The car it replaces?
Exterior – Front
So, lets start with the design. This version of the Austral is the ESPRIT Alpine Model which is the first model with this trim level. This is basically the sportiest version which replaces the RS-Line trim level. With this we get some sportier bumpers, sportier wheels, and sportier interior options. Let’s have a look at the front of the Austral. To start with we get this wide grill with this speckled pattern and the new Renault Logo. The headlights have LED Matrix technology, and they have this cool LED Daytime running Light graphic in them which makes this car have attitude and makes the car look more interesting over its rivals like the Kia Sportage, Ford Kuga, and Vauxhall Grandland. Lower down we get this sporty central air vent that is swept to the side of the car and next to the air vent we get this sporty trim panel like what you could get on RS-Line cars. Finally, we also get some side vents which air aerodynamics.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side of the Austral and we get some creases above the wheel arches. We also get some more creases on the door which lead round to the rear of the car. This makes the car look more modern. We also have some gloss black cladding around the lower section and wheel arches. This makes the car look more premium than having mat black plastic like cheaper crossovers. We also get black wing mirrors and roof which makes this car look sportier. finally on this model we get these sporty 20 inch wheels which suit this car. Wheel sizes range from 17 inches to 20 inches. Personally I would recommend going for either 19 inches or 20 inches because any smaller then they will get lost in the wheel arches.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back of the Austral and we get this very modern design. To start with we get these swept back taillights with a light bar separated by the Renault logo. This is similar to what the old Meganne had and this makes the car look sporty. we also get some creases on the boot which again make this car look sporty. moving lower down on the bumper and we get a mixture of gloss black and matt black plastic which gives this car an off-roader look. Lets have a look at the engine options the Austral has.
Car and engine specs and price
So for the Renault Austral the engine choices are very sparse. For this model you only have one option. This is a 1.2 litre 3 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor attached to it giving the car 197 bhp. This setup also has a 1.7 kWh battery pack. With this Renault claim that you can do 80% of city driving on electric only which is not that bad. Prices start at £34,695 for the base model which again is not that bad but I would recommend upgrading to one of the ESPIRT Alpine models as they have better styling.
Interior – Design
So, the interior of the Renault Austral is very similar to the new Meganne E-Tech. we get this same steering wheel as that car as well as the same android based infotainment system which works very well. The fit and finish is also very similar to the Meganne E-Tech. this means you get a nice premium cabin with this air vent that runs in front of the passenger. We also get this centre console that feels very premium. The steering wheel is an odd shape, but it is something that you can get used to. The overall layout is good, and everything is very easy to use. The seats are also very comfy which is perfect for long journeys. For the ESPRIT Alpine model, you get these sports alcantara seats with an alcantara steering wheel and dashboard as well as some sports aluminium pedals. This does make the car feel quite sporty. let’s have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, getting in the rear seats and legroom and headroom is decent. The rear seats also slide forward to either have more room in the boot or have more legroom and less boot space. You also have some air vents and some nice door materials as well as an armrest and USB C ports. Lets have a look in the boot
Boot Size
So, opening the boot of the Renault austral and you get a decent boot size. With the seats up you get 487 litres and with the seats down it extends to 1,525 litres. You do get a bit of a lip though and the rear seats don’t fold fully flat which means you will have to lift things over. This is not as good as its main rivals which is a bit of a shame really.
Summary
So in summary then the Renault Austral is a big step up from the Kadjar and the Meganne E-Tech. it takes the best bits from the Meganne E-Tech and puts it into a good looking and practical vehicle that will suit most families and will definitely sell well. Lets hope that this tech trickles down to its other models like the Clio, Captur, Arkana and Zoe.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 4/5
Total 13/15
Model | Renault Austral Techno ESPIRT Apline |
Price | £36,695 |
Engine | 2.0 Litre Turbo Petrol engine + Motor = 197 bhp, 1.7 kWh Battery Pack |
Transmission | Automatic 7 Speed Gearbox |
On Sale | Yes |
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