Can this cheaper Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage Alternative prove that this is the best family SUV?
Exterior – Front
So, the Renault Symbioz started out in life as a Renault Captur facelift, this is very obvious by it sharing the exact same front end. This means we get a set of slim LED headlights which are connected to a mesh pattered front bar which also houses the Renault Logo. Personally, I do like this design over other recent Renault designs. Moving slightly lower down we have a middle air vent and moving even further lower down we have this silver effect bar and a big sporty looking central air vent. Connected to this bar we get some sporty looking LED Daytime running lights which hides the side vents, but the overall design does look sporty and modern.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and everything from the b pillar to the front is still Renault. But from the b pillar to the back is all new. This includes a longer design with a new set of rear doors and lower plastic trim. what is different and what does annoy me slightly is the glass panel at the end. Now on the captur it has a rubber surround like what the doors have on this car but on the Symbioz they have got rid of it and made it look flush. It looks very out of place and odd for this car and it makes it obvious that it isn’t a whole new model and is based on another car.
Exterior – Rear
So, moving round to the back and this is where the design completely changes from the Captur. So, to start with we get a new design which has sharp porty taillights that have a clear look to them. we also get some fake side vents down the side giving the taillights a melting design. On the tailgate we also get a crease that looks like it connects the taillights together and could easily be a light bar in the future. The bumper has a plain but simple design that does look modern. Right, lets have a look and see what engine and gearbox options you can have with the new Renault Symbioz.
Car and engine specs and price
So, the engine range of the new Symbioz consists of one engine. This is the E-Tech Full Hybrid engine. This uses a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder turbo engine with 143 bhp. this also has an electric motor so at low speeds and cruising you are using electric power saving fuel and giving you a combined 61.4 mpg which is quite good for this type of car and engine. This can only be had with a 6 speed Automatic, but it is front wheel drive. The price of the new Renault Captur starts at £29.295. Lets have a look and see what the interior is like.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Renault Symbioz and there is no surprise that the interior is the same as the Captur. This means we get a new infotainment system that is different from the Renault Clio. To start with it fully runs Android Automotive and has a similar layout to other new generation Renaults. This makes the new Renault feel more modern but gives you access to the Google Assistant as well as the Google Play Store and Google Maps which is very nice. What this also means is that we don’t get physical climate control dials like we did before. they are now on the screen, but they can be controlled mostly by the toggle switches. Where the toggle switches were is now a little cubby hole for your phone which is good. The instrument cluster is also new and has a new set of graphics in them which look better than before. Finally, the steering wheel has got a slight update with the new Renault Logo and some added extra buttons for the new Infotainment system. Apart from some new stitching and some new seats on the Esprit Alpine model there isn’t much to talk about. We do get some new materials though which does make the cabin feel slightly more premium. let’s have a look and see what the rear seats are like.
Practicality
So, getting into the back of the new Symbioz and for a 6-footer it actually feels very similar to the Captur considering it is supposed to be the class above. I mean legroom is a bit more than the Captur but is only very slight and headroom is also slightly better than the Captur but again is very minimal. Just like the Captur, we do get some rear air vents. USB C ports and that’s it. Lets have a look in the boot.
Boot Size
So, opening the boot to the Symbioz and you are welcomed to 492 litres with the seats up but if you slide the seat bench forward this increases to 624 litres. If you fold the seats down and this increases even more to 1,582 litres. For context the Renault Captur has 422 litres with the seats up and with the seats down it is 1,275 litres. The Renault Austral is 555 litres and 1,525 litres retrospectively.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Renault Symbioz. Well to be completely honest with you I don’t really see the point with this car. Yes, the Symbioz is £5,000 cheaper which is a lot but you could also have an even cheaper Arkana which is £2,000 cheaper, better looking, and is just as practical and feels like its better price. But if you do need a family car then the Austral is also a decent car especially if you go for one that is 6 months to a year old as there will be some really good deal out there. Really, the Renault Symbioz would be a great car 5 years ago, it just feels like it’s a generation behind and feels like it was made in a rush to be cheaper than the Austral. Now don’t get me wrong it is a good-looking car and the engine range as well and the interior is good, I just don’t think it isn’t going to be on anyone’s list anytime soon.
Exterior 4/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 3/5
Total 11/15
Model | Renault Symbioz Iconic Esprit Alpine E-Tech Full Hybrid |
Engine | 1.6l Turbo, 143bhp, 0-62 = 10.6 Seconds, Front Wheel Drive |
Transmission | 6 Speed Automatic |
Price | £33,295 |
On Sale | Now |
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