Renault Austral Review

The Renault Austral sits right in the heart of the family SUV market, where it faces some extremely accomplished competition. The Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Peugeot 3008 all offer their own take on essentially the same brief, so standing out isn't easy.

The Austral's approach is to combine strong hybrid efficiency with a smart, technology-heavy interior and more distinctive styling than some of the class's more conservative choices. A substantial facelift in 2025 gave it a redesigned front and rear, bringing its appearance into line with newer Renault models like the Rafale and Espace. Changes beneath the surface included revised suspension, additional sound insulation and updates to the hybrid transmission software.

Every Austral uses Renault's Full Hybrid E-Tech 200 powertrain, which combines a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine with electric assistance and a small battery. You don't plug it in – energy is recovered as you slow down and the car decides for itself when to use petrol, electric power or a combination of the two.

Efficiency is one of the Austral's strongest cards, but the interior arguably makes the bigger first impression. Every version gets a 12-inch portrait touchscreen with Google built in alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, while the dashboard design feels suitably contemporary without making basic functions unnecessarily difficult to access.

It's practical, too. The rear bench slides through 16cm, allowing you to prioritise passenger space or increase boot capacity from 527 to as much as 657 litres.

The Austral isn't the softest-riding family SUV and its unconventional automatic transmission can occasionally hesitate when you ask for immediate acceleration. But its combination of efficiency, technology, interior space and distinctive design gives it a clear identity in a very crowded class.

Because every UK Renault Austral uses the same Full Hybrid E-Tech 200 powertrain, the main choice is trim rather than engine. For most buyers, Techno makes the strongest value case. It already comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, a 12-inch OpenR touchscreen with Google built in, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, wireless phone charging, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and adaptive cruise control. That means there is little sense of settling for a basic model.

Techno Esprit Alpine adds a more assertive appearance along with genuinely useful luxuries. Its 20-inch wheels are joined by heated front seats, electric adjustment and massage for the driver, a heated steering wheel, powered tailgate and Renault’s Active Driver Assist system with contextual adaptive cruise control and lane centring.

Iconic Esprit Alpine adds the indulgent equipment, including the Harman Kardon sound system, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, hands-free parking and 9.3-inch head-up display. The latter is worth correcting in the original draft, which attributes the head-up display to Techno Esprit Alpine

Techno is therefore the sensible choice, Techno Esprit Alpine is the more luxurious middle ground and Iconic Esprit Alpine is for buyers who want all the toys.

The Renault Austral currently starts at £35,495 for the Techno Full Hybrid E-Tech 200. Techno Esprit Alpine increases that to £36,995, while the range-topping Iconic Esprit Alpine costs from £38,995.

That means the Austral is not a bargain-basement family SUV, especially because there is no cheaper conventional petrol model in the UK to pull down the entry price. On the other hand, even Techno is generously equipped and every version gets the efficient hybrid drivetrain as standard.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the Austral’s clearest rivals if you want a polished and highly practical family SUV. It offers a wider range of powertrains than the hybrid-only Renault and has a very well-rounded character.

The Skoda Karoq takes an even more straightforward approach. It is practical, easy to live with and comfortable, although its interior and technology now feel less contemporary than the Austral’s.

The Cupra Terramar is the style-led Volkswagen Group option. It looks more overtly sporting and offers plug-in hybrid power as well as conventional petrol engines.

Beyond those three, the Nissan Qashqai is an obvious comparison, particularly in e-Power form. The Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson are spacious and offer several electrified powertrains, while the Peugeot 3008 takes an even more design-led approach.

The Austral stands out most strongly for its combination of hybrid efficiency, cabin technology and flexible interior packaging.

The Austral is a roomy, practical five-seater and does a convincing job of balancing family usability with a more stylish cabin design.

Up front, there's plenty of space, generous seat adjustment and a driving position that feels appropriately SUV-like. Visibility forwards is good thanks to a relatively low dashboard, although the wide centre console takes up more room than the arrangement in some rivals. There’s plenty of useful storage around it, with almost 35 litres throughout the cabin.

Rear-seat accommodation is another strong point. The 60:40-split bench slides through 16cm, letting you to prioritise rear legroom or luggage capacity. The boot measure 527 litres in capacity with the bench fully back and 657 litres with it forwards. Folding the rear seats increases maximum space to 1,736 litres. Moving the bench fully forwards obviously compromises rear legroom, so 657 litres isn't a like-for-like figure against rivals with fixed seats. But that ability to move space between people and luggage remains genuinely useful.

Overall, the Austral isn't the outright class leader for carrying capacity, but its sliding seat makes it more adaptable than many competitors.

The facelifted Renault Austral measures 4,533mm long, 1,843mm wide with its door mirrors folded and 1,621mm high without roof rails. Versions fitted with longitudinal roof bars measure up to 1,645mm high, while the wheelbase is 2,667mm.

It’s a little larger than a Nissan Qashqai but remains firmly within the conventional family-SUV class, giving it useful interior space without making it particularly cumbersome around town.

Infotainment is one of the Renault Austral’s big strengths. Every current version gets a 12-inch portrait OpenR Link touchscreen alongside a 12.3-inch digital driver display, so the entry-level Techno doesn't receive a cut-down multimedia set-up. Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Play are integrated directly into the car, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included.

Google integration makes the system unusually familiar to operate. Navigation works much like Google Maps on a phone, voice commands are handled through Google Assistant and compatible apps can be downloaded from Google Play. A wireless phone charger is standard, along with USB-C connections for rear passengers. Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine add features elsewhere in the cabin, but the fundamental infotainment package is already present on Techno. Iconic Esprit Alpine adds the 9.3-inch head-up display and a 12-speaker, 485W Harman Kardon audio system.

The Austral still relies on its touchscreen for plenty of functions, but shortcuts and steering-wheel controls mean you don't have to dive into menus for every routine task.

The Austral makes extensive use of fabric and textile finishes rather than trying to imitate a traditional leather-and-wood luxury interior. Techno uses fabric upholstery with light-grey detailing, giving the cabin a relatively clean and understated appearance.

Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine introduce a sportier treatment, with carbon-fibre-effect textile, suede-style material and contrasting blue, white and red stitching. Alpine branding and aluminium-effect details further distinguish these versions from the standard car.

There are still harder plastics lower down in the cabin, but the mixture of different fabrics and textures gives the Austral a more interesting interior than simply covering everything in gloss-black plastic. The Esprit Alpine versions in particular feel noticeably more distinctive without relying on traditional luxury materials.

Every current UK Renault Austral uses the same Full Hybrid E-Tech 200 powertrain. At its heart is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine working with electric assistance and a 2kWh lithium-ion battery. Total system output is 200PS, with the petrol engine pushing out 205Nm of torque. Drive goes to the front wheels through Renault’s unusual clutchless multimode automatic transmission.

Performance is perfectly respectable for a family SUV. Renault quotes 0–62mph in 8.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 111mph, so there's more than enough performance for joining a motorway or overtaking without pretending to be a sporting SUV.  The hybrid system prioritises electric running whenever conditions allow. Its battery is recharged through regenerative braking and by the petrol engine, so there is no need to connect the Austral to a charger.

Renault revised the gearbox software as part of the 2025 update to improve its response during kick-down and acceleration. That has helped, but although there's still a short pause when you demand immediate full power. At gentler speeds the system works far more convincingly, moving between electric and petrol power with relatively little fuss. That's also when you get the greatest benefit from the hybrid system’s impressive efficiency.

With only one engine available, there isn't really a powertrain decision to make. The important question is whether you want a conventional self-charging hybrid rather than the plug-in hybrid or fully electric options offered by some rivals.

There is quite a lot to like about the Renault Austral on the move. The steering is direct and sensibly weighted, body movement is well controlled and it feels reassuring rather than cumbersome on a twisting road.

The current UK car is quite different beneath the skin from the higher-spec Australs originally sold here. 4Control rear-wheel steering is no longer offered in the UK, and the accompanying multi-link rear suspension has also disappeared. Current cars use a simpler torsion-beam rear axle. Renault also introduced revised dampers, gearbox software, engine mountings and additional sound insulation during the facelift. Losing 4Control has actually made the Austral easier to drive. The old set-up could feel unusually nervous for a family SUV, whereas the facelifted model’s responses are more progressive and predictable.

Ride quality remains the weakness. The suspension can feel wooden over sharp-edged bumps and potholes and even Techno rides on 19-inch wheels. The Esprit Alpine versions move up to 20-inch wheels, so buyers prioritising comfort shouldn't expect them to improve matters.

Refinement is better. Extra sound insulation, revised door seals and changes to the engine mounts help keep the cabin relatively peaceful, particularly at a cruise

The hybrid system is also decent when driven smoothly. The electric motor handles much of the low-speed work and transitions between power sources are generally unobtrusive. Ask for full acceleration and the gearbox can still take a moment to arrange itself, accompanied by quite a bit of three-cylinder engine noise.

The Renault Austral received a full five-star rating from independent safety organisation Euro NCAP in 2022. It scored 88% for adult occupant protection, 83% for child occupants, 69% for vulnerable road users and 87% for safety assistance.

Current UK cars come with a substantial amount of safety technology as standard. Techno includes autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane-keeping assistance, driver-attention monitoring, rear automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.  Techno Esprit Alpine adds Renault’s Active Driver Assist system, combining contextual adaptive cruise control with lane centring, while the highest trim also brings additional parking technology including its 360-degree camera.

Renault gives an official maximum of 60.1mpg for the Austral, depending on version and specification. CO2 emissions are approximately 107–109g/km. Those are strong figures for a family SUV of this size and one of the Austral’s clearest advantages over conventional petrol alternatives. Renault also quotes a total driving range of up to 683 miles from its 55-litre fuel tank.

As with any hybrid, the greatest benefit tends to come in mixed and urban driving, where regenerative braking and electric running can do more of the work. Long motorway journeys reduce that advantage.

Renault covers the Austral for three years or 60,000 miles, with unlimited mileage during the first two years before the 60,000-mile overall limit applies in year three. Paintwork is covered for three years and anti-corrosion protection lasts for 12 years. That is adequate rather than exceptional in a market where Kia and Toyota provide the potential for considerably longer cover.

Servicing is due every 12 months or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The current Renault Austral sits in insurance groups 23 to 24. Techno is rated in group 23, while the Esprit Alpine versions rise to group 24. That places the Austral broadly where you would expect for a 200PS hybrid family SUV.

The Renault Austral costs £200 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) after year one, which is the current standard annual rate for petrol and hybrid cars.

The Expensive Car Supplement for petrol and hybrid cars applies only if list price is more than £40,000. The Austral currently stays below that threshold in standard form, but the upper trims come close enough that it remains worth checking carefully if prices rise or the spec changes. If they do go over this, you'll have to pay an extra £440 currently from years two to six.